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Democracy breakdown
Worldwide we are seeing a breakdown of democracy and a decline in trust. Who is to blame? Is it the politicians, the media, big business or us? New MoAD staffer Monica Glasgow reflects.
A Horse’s Tale: Bill, Bertie and Bairnsdale 303
Horses were a vital part of the Parliament House opening ceremonies. What did they make of all the fuss? Three photographs of Bill, the horse ridden in Canberra by the Duke of York, provide a fresh insight into the day’s events.
The Thieving Diva: Behind the scenes of the opening ceremony at Parliament House
Hilda Abbott was a distinguished guest whose recollections reveal that behind the public performance, VIPs are only people after all.
Flags, snags and bags: Putting the finishing touches on the opening of Parliament House
It took determination, ingenuity and a small piece of string to get Parliament House finished in time for its grand opening in 1927.
Irish Prime Ministers of Australia
This St. Patrick’s Day, we look at 7 Australian prime ministers of Irish descent.
Young People and the Right to Vote: Some exceptions to the rule
All Australians aged 18 or over have the right to vote and have a say in their democracy. But it wasn’t always this way.
Besties (or not) from the West: PMs and Presidents
As the world looks on as Donald Trump becomes the 45th U.S. President, researcher Campbell looks at meetings between other presidents and Australian prime ministers, and what effect they had on Australia.
A Present from the Past: Sir Robert Menzies and the Fishes Royal
In 1965 Queen Elizabeth gave Sir Robert Menzies a gift so special that he had to contemplate burying it on a beach. What was it?
An Australian guide to American elections
With Americans set to vote this week, most Australians would not have missed that the USA is facing a presidential election. But you might not know how things are different to Australian elections, or what the system entails. Researcher Campbell explains how American elections work, and how they compare to Australian elections.
How Billy Hughes lost the 1916 conscription referendum
100 years ago Australia was divided over the issue of conscription. Australia was one of the few countries without conscription, and Prime Minister Billy Hughes was determined to introduce it. Guest blogger Professor Joan Beaumont examines why the popular and bombastic Hughes, a man used to getting his own way by hook or by crook, failed in his mission.
A Projector for a Prime Minister
Robert Menzies was prime minister for almost two decades in total, but he was also a man of many interests and talents. One of his interests was in film, and in 1954 he was presented with a gift that let him indulge that passion. The Menzies projector is a new acquisition into the MOAD collection that sheds light onto Menzies’ life outside politics.
Sixty years of television: friend or foe of democracy?
Television in Australia turns 60 on 16 September. Dr Barry York looks back at some of the concerns about its introduction, and the Royal Commission on Television, convened in 1953.
The one that got away: the last time a government lost a vote in the House of Representatives
The government just lost a vote in the House of Representatives for the first time since 1962. Researcher Campbell explores what that means and what happened all those decades ago.
Deakin’s Great White Gamble
On this day 108 years ago, a prime minister took a stand and invited some warships to visit Australia. Did he realise at the time what a monumental impact he would have on Australia’s place in the world?
What’s so ‘royal’ about a royal commission, and what are they, anyway?
Whenever there is a very serious issue in our public life – especially when it involves possible illegal activity, impropriety or incompetence – there are calls for a royal commission to look into the matter.
On this day: a Catholic forgives
Arthur Calwell was shot fifty years ago today. He survived, but the story of his brush with death doesn’t end outside Mosman Town Hall; it is a story of a Catholic faith that never wavered even when looking death in the face.
Driving Mr Menzies
Alf Stafford, a Gamilaroi and Darug man, joined the Commonwealth Transport Department in 1937. Over a 35 career, Stafford drove countless politicians, among them opposition leaders and 11 prime ministers, including Robert Menzies during his two stints as prime minister.
Below the Line: How Australia’s voting system has changed
With the recent changes to the Senate voting system, our researcher Campbell examines how things have been in the past and how the way we vote has changed over the years.
Love letters at the heart of politics
While democracy isn’t usually synonymous with romance, we have a few gems in our collection that get right to the heart of politics….
