Government and politics | National Library of Australia (NLA)

Government and politics

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A variety of recently donated 2025 election campaign material laid out on a table.

Recently donated 2025 election campaign material.

Records of democracy: Federal election campaign material

Learn about the federal election ephemera collection and how you can contribute.

Blog
A campaign poster for the 1967 Australian referendum, featuring a close-up photograph of a young Aboriginal child with a serious expression. The text on the poster reads: 'YES for Aborigines. Write YES for Aborigines in the lower square. May 27th. Authorized by Faith Bandler, 13 Kens Road, Frenchs Forest.'

Faith Bandler and Jerry Rind, Yes for Aborigines : write yes for Aborigines in the lower square May 27th, 1967, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136875607

The 1967 Referendum

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: History for Year 10 students. It engages students with a rich selection of sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ struggle for civil rights in Australia.

Digital Classroom
First Australians
Various ephemera relating to Australian federal election campaigns spread over a black background

Ephemera relating to the Australian federal election campaigns

Capturing the Australian democracy story

We’re calling on all Australians to help us build the next chapter of Australia’s political history by collecting ephemera from the 2025 federal election. 

Information article
Leaflet with a large image of three students, bold text reading 'AUS & YOU' and some information about The Australian Union of Students

National Union of Australian University Students / Australian Union of Students, AUS & you: students working together, 1981, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-450381672

National Capital Development Commission Sketch of the National Library of Australia

National Capital Development Commission, Sketch of the National Library of Australia, 1962, nla.obj-150872437 

Statistics research guide

You may need to access statistical data to support or illustrate your research. This guide will help you find and access key records and resources.

Research guide
White poster with orange lines and simple illustrations of men and women in suits. Large orange text reads 'Diplomacy' and small black text encourages graduates to become diplomats.

Department of Foreign Affairs, Diplomacy, 1984, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-133715662

Insights into Australian diplomatic history

Join us in discovering a selection of items from the Library’s collection which speak to the fascinating history of Australian diplomacy.

Blog
On the left, a book cover with a light grey background, a painting of an older man, paint splatters, and text reading 'Tom McIlroy',' Blue Poles' and 'Jackson Pollock, Gough Whitlam and the painting that changed a nation'
Book launch: Blue Poles by Tom McIlroy

Journalist Tom McIlroy discussed his book 'Blue Poles'.

Event
Video
Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue sitting in an armchair and smiling

Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue, image by Leanna King, courtesy of the Lowitja Institute

Speeches of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue now available online

The Library has recently digitised the speeches of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG.

News article
Collection guide
British Foreign Office Confidential Prints

Around 10,800 items from the period 1829-1922 ranging from a single page to hundreds of pages and documenting British reactions to particular events, problems and crises, as well as Britain's relations generally with particular countries and regions.

Collection guide
Collection guide
Hughes Collection

Large collection of papers from the politician William Morris Hughes including correspondence, official papers and reports, diaries, notebooks, newspaper cuttings, speeches, invitations and more.

Collection guide
Photo portrait of Dr Ken Henry AC

Dr Ken Henry AC

2025 Ann Moyal Lecture: Dr Ken Henry AC

The 2025 Ann Moyal Lecture presented by Dr Ken Henry AC, titled What We Must Fix First.

Event
Video
Collection guide
Russian Socialist Collection

More than 400 Russian socialist pamphlets published mainly in the period 1900-1945, and 2 microfilm collections from Stanford and Harvard Universities of Russian revolutionary literature from 1898-1922.

Collection guide

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