STORIES
Remembering Elizabeth II in the halls of Old Parliament House
The life and reign of Elizabeth II is closely connected to the history of Old Parliament House.
‘Just add unicorns': Celebratory coronation arches from London to Canberra
A royal tour is filled with grandeur and glamour; there’s gowns, tiaras, fancy state balls, and sometimes, even unicorns. Read on to discover how Canberra welcomed not only the Queen, but also mystical beasts from another land.
7 people you (maybe) didn’t know ran for parliament
Numerous actors, musicians and sporting stars have a 'political career' subheading on their Wikipedia page, but some have been more successful than others.
Westminster Abbey to Old Parliament House: A Queen is crowned
Can you imagine working in the same job for 70 years?
Celebrating Neville Bonner, the first Indigenous federal parliamentarian
Jagera man Neville Bonner AO was sworn into the Federal Senate 50 years ago, in August 1971, the first Indigenous federal parliamentarian in Australia.
The rise of bee activism – how these humble insects have inspired a mass movement
In recent years, concern for the health of honeybees has sparked a rise in bee activism, helping to shine a spotlight on the challenges facing the world's bee population.
What bees can teach us about democracy
What do honeybees and a House of Parliament have in common?
How are party leaders chosen?
The National Party replaced its leader Michael McCormack with former leader Barnaby Joyce, an unexpected change in Deputy Prime Minister.
Zines from the Refugee Art Project
Sydney-based artist, musician and academic Safdar Ahmed has been involved with the Refugee Art Project since 2011, facilitating the making of zines that share the art and stories of people incarcerated in the Villawood detention centre.
Is it compulsory to like compulsory voting?
Is it compulsory to like compulsory voting? Because I haven’t decided if I like it yet.
Political football
There are connection between footy and federal parliament stretching back over 100 years.
Reflections of Bob Hawke in Old Parliament House
As Prime Minister, Bob Hawke served five years in the Old Parliament House and three in the new.
Curly conversations: haircuts at Old Parliament House
Have you ever tried a haircut at home? Or do you prefer to leave it to the professionals?
The families from number 18
18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT, may not seem like a familiar address, but I’m sure you will recognise the house and some of the families who grew up here.
A Doctor in the House? Five doctors who served in the Commonwealth Parliament
Today, Dr Kerryn Phelps was officially sworn in as the Member for Wentworth in the House of Representatives.
Leadership spills plague Australian politics, but what does our system protect us from?
Political leadership in Australia has been characterised by instability and rapid change since the Howard government fell in 2007.
Australia vs America – midterm elections and their influence
You may have heard the news from the United States that voters are about to go to the polls in their ‘midterm elections’.
Women in Parliament: A global perspective on Australia's lazy lateness
When Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney stepped over the threshold into Parliament House in 1943 they were late.
Indigenous women artists: Leah King-Smith and Andrea Fisher
This NAIDOC week we honour the theme of ‘Because of her, we can!’ by recognising the work of two contemporary Indigenous artists.
Agitators, suffragettes and spies: 7 women you should know
Seven Australian women outside politics
Lionel Rose's world championship 50 years on
Fifty years ago, Lionel Rose became the first Aboriginal Australian to win a world championship.
In the running: the Liberals’ choice in 1968
The ninth of January marks the 50th anniversary of John Gorton’s election as leader of the Liberal Party, making him Australia’s 19th prime minister. Gorton got the top job under unusual circumstances.
A plebiscite milestone: 100 years on from the 1917 conscription debates
Today, 20 December, marks the centenary of Australia’s second plebiscite on conscription.
A voice from the past
This speech by Stanley Melbourne Bruce has recently come into the Museum’s collection.
Free votes: a quick explainer
It’s tough to be a politician. On the one hand, you are called upon to represent the community that elected you, but on the other, you are called upon to follow a party line, and support whoever your party’s leader is.
How often should we have an election – every three years or every four?
Does it ever feel like we’ve just got over the last election before the next one looms?
Dual citizenship and other no nos that will give you the boot
The question of dual citizenship and eligibility to sit in parliament has been a hot topic of late.
Tosspot to Bodgie: Seven Prime Ministerial nicknames
In a couple of recent social media posts, when referring to Sir Robert Menzies, some readers have remarked that his nickname was ‘Pig Iron Bob’.
Young People and the Right to Vote: Some exceptions to the rule
On 16 March 1973 the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1973 gave all Australians aged 18 years or older the right to vote. The first federal election at which all 18-year-olds could vote was held in May 1974.
On Hansard
Hansard is testimony, in black and white, to our functioning federal parliamentary democracy - for all its strengths and weaknesses, its brilliance and tawdriness and its immense unending drama.
Charley’s Choice: The breastplate of Charley, King of Burran
William Ridley was a Presbyterian minister with an epic beard and an ear for languages.
The day the Australian Labor Party changed itself, and its leader
Today, 8 February, marks the 50th anniversary of the election of Gough Whitlam as leader of the Australian Labor Party.
The Denmans in British Australia: cultured and courteous with nothing to do
Australia today is not a republic but its culture is in many respects republican.
On This Day: a plot to kill Harold Holt?
After waiting six days outside Parliament House for Prime Minister Harold Holt to get back from Melbourne, Nedeljko Gajic decided to return to Sydney to look for work.
An Australian guide to American elections
In a speech to the National Press Club, the outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Australia, John Berry, outlined some of the differences of democracy in both countries.
How Billy Hughes lost the 1916 conscription referendum
Australia was one of the very few countries within the British Empire that failed to adopt conscription during World War I.
Conscription 1916: Who were the Maltese ‘children of Billy Hughes’?
The Maltese ‘children of Billy Hughes’ were a group of 214 Maltese migrants who arrived during Australia’s conscription plebiscite campaign a century ago.
How does an election work? Part Three – Rock the Vote
Polling day has become an Australian democratic institution.
On Paper: some election ephemera
As the election campaign draws to a close, most Australians can look forward to being handed dozens of pieces of paper while queuing to vote.
On this day: a Catholic forgives
But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you. Matthew 5:44
How does an election work? Part 2 – Run for your life
During elections in Australia, we are bombarded with advertising and see politicians hitting the campaign trail. The handshakes, corflutes and baby-kissing are all part of the democratic process.
Wearing your politics
In a robust democracy, you can walk down the street wearing the colours and symbols of any candidate or organisation you desire.
On This Day: William McMahon becomes Prime Minister
He had been around for a long time. He knew what was significant and what was not.
Time’s Up: When Parliament expired
On this day in 1910, the term of the Commonwealth Parliament ran out.
The Introduction of Decimal Currency: How We Avoided Nostrils and Learned to Love the Bill
Fifty years ago, one of the most fundamental aspects of Australians’ lives underwent a radical transition.
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….
The Father of the House
This week the Hon. Philip Ruddock MP, Father of the House, announced his retirement after what will be forty-three years in the federal Parliament.
Estimates Committees: two words that strike fear in a Public Servant’s heart
The media is talking about ‘Estimates’ again.
What does one do after leaving the top job?
One characteristic shared by almost all 28 former prime ministers is a marked reluctance to relinquish the office.
Let’s get this party started: starting your own political party in Australia
Last week saw the launch of a new political party in Australia, John Madigan’s Manufacturing and Farming Party, by Senator Madigan of Victoria.
Reflections on Malcolm Fraser
In recent years Malcolm Fraser has generally been seen as the politician who moved most spectacularly from the right to the left of the political spectrum.
Who knew that toilets would have such a complicated history?
The history of the lavatories of Old Parliament House has inspired more scrutiny and newspaper ink than you might think. Especially for the women in the building.
Alfred Deakin and the Divine
Remember the days when people wrote with their bare hands? When there was a direct physical and mental connection between brain, body, ink and paper?
George Reid: not another boring politician
‘Bores are in a class of infinite variety. But the worst are those who occupy public time.’ So declared Sir George Reid (1845-1918), Australia’s fourth prime minister, who regarded politics as a battle of wits in more ways than one.
Party Games
In a series of blog posts, the museum’s curatorial team will take visitors on a journey through many of its collection treasures that have not been seen before.
A 'follitical' liability?
To those unfamiliar with the luminaries of the first two decades of Australian federal politics, even a casual glance at the photographs of the era’s protagonists reveals an obvious and unmistakable distinction from later generations of politicians.
Butting Out a Ciggie in Old Parliament House
Were you a smoker when Old Parliament House was the federal parliament? If so, then you were in good company as smoking was common.
Below the Line: How Australia’s voting system has changed
Australia’s democracy is not static. Over the years, the way Australians have chosen their elected leaders has been constantly evolving.
The King George V memorial
In 1936, the Commonwealth government approved a memorial to the recently deceased King George V.
70th Anniversary of Australia’s entry into the Second World War
As Australia went onto a war footing, seventy years ago the Australian Parliament readied itself for action.