In 2010, fifty years after the establishment of the association now called Adult Learning Australia (ALA), the association still faces the dilemma about how to sell its message that adult learning matters. The dilemma is one of philosophy: in the nineteenth century, it was liberalism versus utilitarianism; in the mid-twentieth, the instrumental versus cultural; today, the dichotomy is couched in terms such as "social inclusion" versus "productivity". The tension goes back to the very early days of white Australia's approach to adult education. Here, the author offers an historical perspective on the development of tertiary education in Australia. Her hope is that a better understanding of this evolution will help identify issues individuals need to discuss as they move towards a more integrated tertiary education sector. These issues are essentially about the purpose and value of adult education, matters at the heart of Adult Learning Australia's remit. This paper is also the further airing of the author's argument that history needs to be better represented in the mix of policy development.