Election Memories

1983

• Labor Defeats Fraser (March 5)
  • Malcolm Fraser Concedes - the brief statement, complete with quivering lip, from the nation's then second longest-serving Prime Minister.
  • Bob Hawke Claims Victory - the magnanimous statement from the man who would supplant Fraser as the second longest-serving Prime Minister. Note the reference to Tasmania, the only State to swing against the ALP.

• Final Broadcasts - These are the final telecasts by the major parties on March 2, 1983:
  • Liberal Party
  • Australian Labor Party
  • National Party
  • Australian Democrats

• Put Your Money Under The Bed - as the campaign continued, Fraser became more and more strident in his denunciations of the ALP. In one speech, he said that if a Labor government was elected people would be better off keeping their money under the bed. This is Hawke's response.

• Leadership - This Liberal Party advertisement is a "leadership" pitch, with people such as John Newcombe, Peter Brock and Alan Jones lauding the virtues of Malcolm Fraser.

• The Messiah - This telecast by the ALP is another solo effort from Bob Hawke.

• The Last of the Really Tough National Party Leaders - This National Party advertisement features Doug Anthony in one of his last appearances.

• Liberal Party advertisement - In retrospect, an interesting item featuring Andrew Peacock, Ian MacPhee and Malcolm Fraser.

• 1983: Electoral Commission advertisement - This television commercial offers advice on how to cast a formal ballot.

• Policy Speeches:
  • Feb 15, 1983: Liberal - Fraser
  • Feb 16, 1983: ALP - Hawke
  • Feb 21, 1983: National - Anthony

• ALP Advertisement - The political parties receive free air-time from the ABC during the election campaign. This item is an address by Bob Hawke.

• The Blood On Your Hands Interview - This is the famous interview involving the ABC's Richard Carleton and Bob Hawke just hours after Hawke ascended to the leadership following Bill Hayden's resignation. A Hawke classic!

1975

• Turn On The Lights: The Liberal Party's campaign song, performed by Renee Geyer. This song accompanied a television commercial which showed a montage of the Whitlam Government's "three dark years" in office: Lionel Murphy's ASIO raid, the Gair affair, unemployment, inflation, the loans affair, the sacking of Dr. Jim Cairns, industrial unrest, etc.

1974

• Liberal Party:
  • Commercial 1
  • Commercial 2

• Australian Labor Party:
  • Commercial 1
  • Commercial 2

1972

• Snedden, McMahon, Whitlam and Gair: Sound - Article
  This 22-minute compilation of radio segments broadcast on the ABC's "PM" program on November 27, 28 & 29, 1972, contains:
  • the then Liberal Treasurer, Bill Snedden, commenting on the election of Norman Kirk's Labor government in New Zealand, and avoiding leadership questions and criticisms McMahon had made of his Cabinet. Snedden became the Liberal leader after the election.
  • Prime Minister William McMahon's visit to Puckle Street, Moonee Ponds, in Melbourne. It includes some classic vox pops with locals.
  • Gough Whitlam addressing the National Press Club, discussing a range of issues, including his views on the voting system.
  • The Democratic Labor Party leader, Senator Vince Gair, addressing the National Press Club. Of particular interest are his comments on issues of morality and "pollution of the mind".
  • Whitlam's final interview three days before the election.

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