Thanks to the incredible support of our 2024 Tax Appeal donors, Australia’s largest collection of political memorabilia is now freely available on Trove. Our donors generously gave over $320,000 to help digitise our collection of ephemera relating to the Australian federal election campaigns. 

Our new online collection tells the story of Australian democracy from Federation in 1901 through to the 1970s. We’ve been collecting Australia’s political history for over 124 years. Materials relating to more recent elections, including the 2025 Federal Election, can be viewed in-person at the Library.

Federal election campaign material provides a rich source of insight into Australian social and political history. The value of this collection is in the range, depth, and versatility of material. Local flyers and pamphlets reveal the key political figures in an electorate at a given period, while other material shows the concerns of rural and regional voters.

Some material offers insight into a particular period. Items from 1917 highlight the dominance of conscription in public and political consciousness. While other issues such as housing and social security can be traced across decades.

The collection also illustrates how the political parties courted women voters and provides insight into the early years of women’s suffrage in Australia. Issues focused on include cost of living, defense, and equal pay.

Through this material readers and researchers can gain insight into how the political parties communicated with electorates and how this has evolved over time. Comparative analysis between different party approaches to issues over time and across the political spectrum has the potential for rich research and new discoveries.  

To start exploring this significant collection on Trove, navigate through each year in the guide to the Ephemera relating to the Australian federal election campaigns.