Herbert Brookes' business interests included Austral Otis Engineering Co., Australian Papers Mills, National Mutual Life Association and pastoral properties in Central Queensland and Western Australia. From 1913 until 1917 he was President of the Victorian Chamber of Manufactures, and in 1917 was President of the Associated Chambers of Manufactures. Both Herbert and Ivy Brookes were associated with the formation of the Commonwealth Liberal Party in 1909 and the People's Liberal Party in 1911. Herbert worked with W.M. Hughes on campaigns for the Referenda on Conscription in 1916 and 1917. He also worked for the Commonwealth Government as a member of the Board of Trade (1918-28) and the Tariff Board (1922-28), as Commissioner-General in the United States of America (1929-30) and as the first Vice-Chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission (1932-40). From 1933 until 1947 he was a member of the Council of the University of Melbourne.
Ivy Deakin married Herbert Brookes 1905. Ivy Brookes held executive positions in the National Council of Women, the International Council of Women, the Playgrounds and Recreation Association, the League of Nations Union, the Empire Trade Defence League, the Housewives' Association, the United Nations Association, and was, for fifty years on the Board of the Women's Hospital, Melbourne. She was a foundation member of the Boards of Studies in Physical Education (1938-70) and Social Studies (1941-67) at the University of Melbourne. In 1933 she founded the International Club of Victoria and was its president until it disbanded in 1958.
From the description of Papers of Herbert Brookes [manuscript]. 1869-1970. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225632837
