Skip to main content
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
Cart Icon Shop Support Icon Support Search Icon Search

MoAD and the Courtyard Cafe are open. Some exhibitions and rooms will be closed from September 2025 for essential building works. Learn more

Main navigation

Visit

What's on Getting here and parking Access Plan a school visit Group tours Food and dining Shop Map

Learn

School visits Digital excursions and events Professional development Activities and resources

Play

Play at home Play at the museum

Explore

Democracy Collection Stories Political cartoons

Support

Donate Partnerships Volunteer Donate to collection

About

Old Parliament House Board of Old Parliament House Reports, policies and plans Access to information Media Careers Venue hire Contact
Main mobile navigation

Visit

What's on Getting here and parking Access Plan a school visit Group tours Food and dining Shop Map

Explore

Democracy Collection Stories Political cartoons

Learn

School visits Digital excursions and events Professional development Activities and resources

Play

Play at home Play at the museum

Support

Donate Partnerships Volunteer Donate to collection

About

Old Parliament House Board of Old Parliament House Reports, policies and plans Access to information Media Careers Venue hire Contact
A collage graphic of prominent Australian politicians making speeches.
  • Home
  • Explore
  • Democracy
  • Election speeches
  • Search

Search results

  • foreign affairs

Clear all filters

Showing 12 results of 33

Arthur Calwell – 1961
I speak to you tonight as the Leader of the Labor Party in the Commonwealth of Australia. I present the Labor Party’s Policy at this election of the 24th Parliament of the Commonwealth with the firm conviction that it contains practical, down-to-earth, well-considered and feasible proposals which will restore the nation to prosperity and promote its safety. It is important that the issues on which the election will be decided should be clearly stated and clearly understood. The sad thing about...
  • agriculture
  • communism
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • employment
  • family
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • infrastructure
  • social security
Arthur Calwell – 1963
The dissolution of the 24th Parliament of the Commonwealth was brought about one year ahead of time for reasons other than the false and spurious ones stated by the Prime Minister. There was no pressing national need for the Prime Minister and the Treasurer to precipitate this election and throw the House of Representatives and the Senate out of electoral alignment; and there can be no justification for the waste o£ £500,000 in having two elections where one alone next year would suffice. But...
  • communications and technology
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • employment
  • family
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • industrial relations
  • infrastructure
  • social security
Arthur Calwell – 1966
My fellow Australians, there are many issues in this election which you must consider carefully and well before election day. I shall state the policy of the Labor Party in regard to most of them tonight, and I will deal with the remainder during the course of the very short campaign of less than three weeks which the Government has allowed. The most important issue in this campaign is Conscription, the conscription of a section of our twenty year old youths, against their wishes and their wills...
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • industrial relations
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • water
Harold Holt – 1966
This Policy Speech – my first as your Prime Minister – outlines the course my Government will follow if you re-elect us on November 26. Between now and polling day, our Australian democracy will be involved in a great debate about many aspects of policy. You will be taking part in a national stock-taking. The policies you support with your vote will bear directly on your well-being and the welfare of the nation. These will be critical years for Australia, but they hold great promise for our...
  • agriculture
  • communism
  • defence
  • education
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • Indigenous affairs
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • water
John Gorton – 1969
A little less than twenty years ago the Australian people dismissed a Labor Government and installed a Liberal, Country Party coalition. They were tired of controls, for the sake of controls. They were dismayed by unemployment and general strikes. They were frightened of the doctrinaire socialist approach of a Labor Party strongly influenced by communist unions. They were sick of stagnation. So, they turned to us, who believe the individual is the basis of the State, and that the State will best...
  • agriculture
  • arts
  • communism
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • family
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • socialism
  • trade
Gough Whitlam – 1969
On 25 October Australians will elect a national government to take Australia into the 1970s. The campaign of the Australian Labor Party will have one dominant theme: the theme of opportunities, the taking of opportunities, the making of opportunities for Australia and for all Australians. We wish to renovate, rejuvenate, reinvigorate and liberate. It is not only time, more than time, for a change; it is time to refresh, remould and renew the whole framework of finances and functions and to end...
  • agriculture
  • communications and technology
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • environment
  • family
  • federal capital
  • federal-state relations
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • Indigenous affairs
  • industrial relations
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • trade
  • water
Gough Whitlam – 1972
Men and Women of Australia! The decision we will make for our country on 2 December is a choice between the past and the future, between the habits and fears of the past, and the demands and opportunities of the future. There are moments in history when the whole fate and future of nations can be decided by a single decision. For Australia, this is such a time. It’s time for a new team, a new program, a new drive for equality of opportunities: it’s time to create new opportunities for...
  • agriculture
  • arts
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • employment
  • foreign affairs
  • government administration
  • health
  • Indigenous affairs
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • sport
  • tourism
  • water
Gough Whitlam – 1974
Men and women of Australia, Just 17 months ago, I stood here, and from this place and from this city I asked you to choose for Australia a new team, a new program, a new drive for equality of opportunities. You gave us a clear mandate to go ahead with our program for the next three years. For 17 months we have driven ourselves to carry out your mandate, to carry out the program I placed before you. Now the government you elected for three years has been interrupted in mid-career. Our program has...
  • arts
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • employment
  • environment
  • family
  • federal-state relations
  • foreign affairs
  • government administration
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • infrastructure
  • social security
William McMahon – 1972
As Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Party, I want to talk to you about the issues on which we will fight this election. Basically, it is an election about policies… Policies that will directly affect you and your families and for many, many years to come. They will be years of changing values and expanding opportunities, especially for the young. It is also an election about two fundamentally different ways of governing. The Liberal way which seeks to encourage the freedom, the talents...
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • employment
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • trade
  • women
Billy Snedden – 1974
Tonight, we commence the journey that will return Australia to its true course: a future of achievement, prosperity and security for all Australians. The Labor experiment has been tried and it has failed. Through broken promises and sheer incompetence, the Labor Party has forfeited the chance you gave it to build Australia. Now, it is for the Liberal Party and Country Party to take up the responsibility of government. The decision you make will determine our lives far rest of this century. The...
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • women
Malcolm Fraser – 1977
Our nation is on the move. We are ready to stride into a new era of prosperity and development. We have broken through in the fight against inflation. Under Labor, inflation reached nineteen percent. We have halved that. Inflation is nine percent and falling. We have reduced taxes, revived incentive and restored fair reward for achievement. Under Labor, taxes doubled. We have ended the big tax ripoff. Now Mr. Whitlam wants to start it again. Business is being revitalised, profits are up...
  • agriculture
  • arts
  • defence
  • economy
  • education
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • infrastructure
  • social security
  • trade
  • water
Malcolm Fraser – 1980
Challenges Tonight, I want to talk to you about the challenges and opportunities that lie before us. First, we must maintain responsibility in economic affairs because, without that, all else fails. Second, we must harness this nation’s resources in a co-ordinated and responsible programme of national development. Third, we must see that from the prosperity we generate, we provide adequately for those in need. Fourth, as individuals and as a nation, we must encourage ability and cultivate...
  • arts
  • communications and technology
  • defence
  • economy
  • family
  • foreign affairs
  • health
  • immigration
  • Indigenous affairs
  • industrial relations
  • infrastructure
  • social security

Pagination

  • First page « First
  • Previous page ‹ Previous
  • Page 1
  • Current page 2
  • Page 3
  • Next page Next ›
  • Last page Last »

Discover patterns in political speech

Explore how language in Australian election speeches has evolved – from the rise of terms like internet and terrorism, to shifts in readability and speech length over time.

Footer

Stories, ideas and news in your inbox

02 6270 8222 info@moadoph.gov.au
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Youtube

Visit

  • What's on
  • Getting here and parking
  • Access
  • Food and dining
  • Plan a school visit
  • Group tours
  • Shop
  • Map

About

  • Old Parliament House
  • Board of Old Parliament House
  • Reports, policies and plans
  • Access to information
  • Media
  • Careers
  • Venue hire
  • Contact

Learn

  • School visits
  • Digital excursions and events
  • Professional development
  • Activities and resources

Support

  • Donate
  • Partnerships
  • Volunteer
  • Donate to collection

Play

  • At the museum
  • At home

Explore

  • Democracy
  • Collection
  • Stories
  • Political cartoons

The Museum of Australian Democracy acknowledges Australia's First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We respectfully acknowledge the role that First Nations people continue to play in shaping Australia's democracy. We also acknowledge the Ngunnawal, Ngunawal and Ngambri peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the region in which MoAD is located. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased people.

© Copyright 2026 Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House Privacy Statement

MOAD house logo