For The True Believers Great Labor Speeches that Shaped History

Graham Freudenberg, Australia's greatest speechwriter, says the Australian Labor Party was built on speeches. This book brings together great Labor speeches which give voice to the party's enduring values and achievements, and place it and its principal figures at the centre of historic events.

There are speeches that stir the imagination and inspire, speeches that appeal to humanity, speeches of sorrow and redemption, speeches that urge moderation and caution, speeches that call for courage in the face of adversity, speeches that seek to mute the trumpet sound of war, speeches that attack the forces of conservatism, and speeches which celebrate and mourn the party's fallen. Chris Watson articulates Labors purpose as a light upon a mountain four decades before

Ben Chifley's famed light on the hill speech John Curtin tells a hushed parliament that a great naval battle is proceeding.

Gough Whitlam declarares timefor a new Labor government

Bob Hawkes urges South Africa's apartheid leaders to listen to the spirit of men and women yearning to be free.

Paul Keating's belief in Labor as the people who can dream the big dreams and do the big things.

Kevin Rudd says We are Sorry to the stolen generations of Aboriginal Australians

Foreword – Graham Freudenberg Acknowledgements Preface – Troy Bramston Introduction – Troy Bramston Reconciling Australia Gough Whitlam, ‘I put into your hands this piece of the earth itself’, 16 August 1975 Gough Whitlam pours the earth into Vincent Lingiari’s hands at Wattie Creek Paul Keating, ‘It begins, I think, with that act of recognition’, 10 December 1992 Paul Keating’s landmark speech calling for reconciliation at Redfern Park Bob Carr, ‘The right to belong’, 14 November 1996 Bob Carr delivers the first government apology to the stolen generations Kim Beazley, ‘To render justice and restitution’, 28 May 1997 Kim Beazley’s response to the Bringing Them Home report Kevin Rudd, ‘We say sorry’, 13 February 2008 Kevin Rudd’s historic apology to Australia’s indigenous peoples Reform, Progress and the Future John (Chris) Watson, ‘For the benefit of the whole of the people of Australia’, 18 May 1904 Labor’s first leader, Chris Watson, outlines the policies of the first national Labor Government Dorothy Tangney, ‘A model for all other democracies to follow’, 24 September 1943 Labor’s first female parliamentarian delivers her first speech in the midst of war Arthur Calwell, ‘We cannot afford to fail’, 2 August 1945 The post-war immigration program, that forever changed the nation, is announced H. V. ‘Doc’ Evatt, ‘No man should be convicted, or deprived of civil rights’, 10 July 1951 In the shining moment of his career, Doc Evatt makes the case against banning the Communist Party of Australia Joe Cahill, ‘A great cultural centre’, 15 June 1957 The indefatigable old-school Labor Premier Joe Cahill delivers the speech that ensures Sydney gets its Opera House Gough Whitlam, ‘The way of the reformer is hard in Australia’, 19 July 1957 An ascendant Gough Whitlam outlines the challenges for modern progressives Don Dunstan, ‘The strength which comes from diversity’, 16 December 1968 Don Dunstan urges a non-discriminatory immigration policy and the end of White Australia Gough Whitlam, ‘To redress past injustice and build a more just and tolerant future’, 31 October 1975 Gough Whitlam gives voice to tolerance and justice at the proclamation of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 Bill Hayden, ‘We cannot achieve social reform unless we competently manage the economy’, 18 July 1979 Bill Hayden repositions the Labor Party in the post-Whitlam years and provides the foundations for government Bob Hawke, ‘Australia’s gravest economic crisis in fifty years’, 11 April 1983 Bob Hawke addresses the National Economic Summit Conference on Australia’s economic challenges Susan Ryan, ‘The principle of the equality of men and women’, 2 June 1983 Susan Ryan introduces the historic Sex Discrimination Bill Bob Hawke, ‘A triumph of compassion over prejudice’, 25 August 1988 Bob Hawke defends Australia’s immigration policy against attacks by the Liberal and National parties Paul Keating, ‘Our Head of State should be one of us’, 7 June 1995 Paul Keating announces to the parliament his government’s vision for an Australian republic Paul Keating, ‘When the government changes, the country changes’, 29 February 1996 Paul Keating, on the eve of the 1996 election, warns the Australian people about the dangers of a Howard Government Kim Beazley, ‘Demonising the reputation of those who work on our waterfront’, 8 April 1998 Bob Carr, ‘A day that will live in industrial infamy’, 8 April 1998 Kim Beazley and Bob Carr defend the rights of unionised workers on the waterfront Mark Latham, ‘The ladder of opportunity’, 29 January 2004 Reflecting strong Labor values and promoting an ambitious policy agenda, Mark Latham makes his case Kevin Rudd, ‘The single greatest threat to our economic security in a generation’, 15 October 2008 Kevin Rudd outlines the government’s response to the emerging Global Financial Crisis The Campaign Trail Andrew Fisher, ‘To try and awaken the patriotism of Australians’, 30 March 1909 Andrew Fisher delivers his famous Gympie speech – the first modern election campaign policy speech James Scullin, ‘Parliament has vindicated itself as the guardian of the people’s rights’, 10-12 September 1929 Jim Scullin lashes the Bruce Government as it falls, ahead of Labor winning the subsequent election John Curtin, ‘Victory in war, victory for the peace’, 26 July 1943 John Curtin, battling the storm of war, makes the case for sticking with Labor Ben Chifley, ‘To win the peace for the greater happiness and prosperity of all’, 2 September 1946 Ben Chifley outlines his vision for post-war reconstruction Gough Whitlam, ‘It’s time’, 13 November 1972 Gough Whitlam gives his famous ‘It’s Time’ election policy speech Bob Hawke, ‘National reconciliation, national recovery, national reconstruction’, 16 February 1983 Bob Hawke presents his policies and plans to the nation to defeat Fraserism Paul Keating, ‘The most important election in memory’, 24 February 1993 Paul Keating makes his pitch for a fifth term for Labor Kevin Rudd, ‘A choice between the future and the past’, 14 November 2007 Kevin Rudd delivers Labor’s winning election campaign policy speech History, Tradition and Ideology George Black, ‘To make and unmake social conditions’, 16 July 1891 One of Labor’s first parliamentarians, George Black, explains Labor’s role in its formative years James McGowen, ‘We are the representatives of the masses of the workers’, 10 December 1891 NSW Labor’s first premier gives a thoughtful speech on the purpose of the Labor Party Andrew Fisher, ‘We are all socialists now’, 7 July 1908 A triumphant Andrew Fisher ridicules his critics and urges continued progressive reform John (Chris) Watson, ‘A light upon a mountain’, 25 September 1904 Excavated from the archives, Labor’s first leader declares Labor’s vision – half a century before Ben Chifley William Holman, ‘The State as the great instrument for good’, 2-3 April 1906 In the famous debate against George Reid, one of Labor’s finest orators, William Holman, defines Labor’s philosophy Ben Chifley, ‘The light on the hill’, 12 June 1949 Ben Chifley gives the most famous of all Labor speeches Ben Chifley, ‘The things we fight for’, 10 June 1951 In his final speech, Ben Chifley, invokes the Labor cause as the cause of his life John Cain, ‘To thrust a dagger into a Labor Government’, 19 April 1955 Joe Cahill, ‘It is time to unite, not to fight’, 14 August 1955 A tale of two governments during the 1950s Labor split: John Cain, beset by treachery and betrayal, sees his government fall, while Joe Cahill urges the party to remain united, avoids a split and saves his government Gough Whitlam, ‘The impotent are pure’, 9 June 1967 Gough Whitlam delivers his broadside against the Victorian ALP and demands they modernise and reform themselves Gough Whitlam, ‘Human improvement and human progress’, 14 August 1975 Gough Whitlam, only three months before the dismissal, reflects on the struggle of leading a reformist government Bob Hawke, ‘The engine room of national renewal, the generators of change, the pioneers of reform’, 26 June 1991 Bob Hawke presents his political testament and his belief in keeping faith with Labor’s cause Paul Keating, ‘Cracker night’, 16 May 1994 Paul Keating, ‘Down the time tunnel to the future’, 27 February 1992 Paul Keating, in the arena, the statesmen as political brawler, skewering his political opponents <