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….
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The Father of the House
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.
Inclusion matters
The theme of this year’s International Day of People with a Disability is “Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities”.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)
The 24th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is meeting in Malta from 27th to 29th November. CHOGM meets every two years, each time in a different city, and brings together the 53 member states of the Commonwealth of Nations.
So ends the #Dismissal1975 project
Since 13 October the museum has been running its Twitter project, #Dismissal1975, to commemorate the Whitlam sacking.
Royal Commissions: what are they and how do they work?
Royal Commissions usually fit two categories: those that are primarily investigative, and those that are advisory, seeking to assist the formulation of government policy.
Knighthoods and Dames
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has reversed the decision of his predecessor, Tony Abbott, to reintroduce knighthoods and damehoods and has removed them from the Australian honours system.
Arthur C. Clarke, satellites – and democracy
Arthur C. Clarke and the 1945 Wireless World paper, Can rocket stations give world-wide radio coverage?
United Nations – 70 years
The United Nations organisation established 70 years ago in 1945 had 51 member states. Today, there are close to 200. Nearly every nation on the planet.
Estimates Committees: two words that strike fear in a Public Servant’s heart
The media is talking about ‘Estimates’ again. What is the ‘Estimates’ process and why is it called ‘Estimates’?
Forty years since the Dismissal
As a student of politics and later as a political journalist, the Dismissal was a constant reference point – an Australian moment that has attracted, perhaps, more scholarship, journalism and cultural reflection than just about any other.
Imagine: John Lennon at 75?
Had John Lennon lived, he would be celebrating his 75th birthday today. There’s no doubt the world would have been celebrating with him.
Bad character? Chris Brown, Troy Newman and the Migration power
With American R&B singer Chris Brown having his right to entry into Australia being challenged by the federal government, and anti-abortion activist Troy Newman being denied a visa, we explore ministerial rights in this area.
What does one do after leaving the top job?
One characteristic shared by almost all former prime ministers is a reluctance to relinquish the office. What does one do after leaving the top job in the country?
By-elections in Australia
Since the first Federal Parliament was convened in 1901, there have been 146 by-elections (including Canning). Seventy-two have been necessitated by the resignation of a member and 68 by death.
Leadership spills: nothing new to history
Australia has a new PM, and for the third time in five years the transition of power has occurred as the result of a leadership spill in the government. But what is a leadership spill?
Old Parliament House: an integral part of Australia’s immigration and refugee story
Most of Australia’s migrant and refugee intake has been a product of decisions announced and debated in the Old Parliament House, when it was home to the federal parliament from 1927 to 1988.
A thank you from Australia
A small story, perfectly formed—thanks to Trove, the Australian War Memorial, good old Google and some New Jersey librarians.
Preserving freedom in a democratic culture
There was considerable controversy recently when the Australian Border Force announced a joint operation with Victoria Police to allow for large-scale Border Force random checks of the visa status of people in Melbourne’s CBD.
