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.
Hilda Abbott was a distinguished guest whose recollections reveal that behind the public performance, VIPs are only people after all.
It took determination, ingenuity and a small piece of string to get Parliament House finished in time for its grand opening in 1927.
On St. Patrick’s Day, we examine seven Irish–Australians who served as Prime Minister.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
While democracy isn’t usually synonymous with romance, we have a few gems in our collection that get right to the heart of politics….
Only one person has served longer in Parliament than Philip Ruddock. Explore the longevity of parliamentarians and discover what the ‘Father of the House’ does.
The theme of this year’s International Day of People with a Disability is “Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities”.
