The University of Queensland

With state and local council elections scheduled for the next few months across Queensland, it seems an appropriate time to reveal some of Queensland’s electoral history as reflected in the political ephemera collection in the Fryer Library, University of Queensland.

‘Political ephemera’ is the term used to refer to material such as leaflets and posters, created to promote a cause or belief. The most common examples today are the ‘how to vote cards’ and leaflets dropped in letterboxes providing information on policies and issues.

This first example of ephemera from the collection shown here is a leaflet issued by the Country Progressive and National Party in the lead up to the 1929 Queensland state election. The election was held on 11 May, and one of the major platforms of the CPNP was employment. The party won the election and formed a government, however unemployment across Australia reached new highs during the Great Depression, and the party lost the 1932 election.

As well as providing historical context, the political ephemera collection shows the different ways candidates approach electioneering.

FVF645:003 Anne Boccabella, 2001

Anne Boccabella ran as an independent in the seat of Mt Coot-tha at the 2001 election. The campaign focussed on opposition to the redevelopment of Lang Park/Suncorp Stadium, as proposed by the Beattie Government. Her literature mentions that she owns a small business in the Paddington area, which will be affected by the proposed redevelopment, especially the parking restrictions, positioning her as someone who understands local issues as a local.

Boccabella’s literature as an independent can be contrasted with the Labor campaign literature for the same seat at the 2004 election. Andrew Fraser was selected to run as the Labor candidate.

While Fraser’s campaign literature mentions local issues, it does so in the context of the message being pushed by the Labor Party; note the examples of spending in the key areas of health and education, which are usually major issues at any election, and the prominent mentions of Peter Beattie.

FVF645:8 Andrew Fraser, 2004

FVF354:R2:9 Right To Life Australia, 1986

It is not only political parties and independents who distribute ephemera at election time; non-party political groups also use the election to highlight issues.

One example from the Fryer collection is this mock how-to-vote card for the seat of Ashgrove, put out by Right to Life Australia. In it, the candidates are ranked based on their views on abortion.

This material dates from the 1986 Queensland election campaign; in February 1986, two doctors were acquitted of abortion charges, and the ruling, known as the McGuire ruling, set a legal precedent on abortion.

Right to Life and other anti-abortion/pro-life groups feared the McGuire ruling would lead to a softening of the laws. However, the Bjelke-Petersen government was returned at the November election for an eleventh consecutive term and the laws remained unchanged.

The political ephemera outlined here is a fraction of the total holdings in Fryer. Other significant holdings include material from political parties, including the Communist Party of Australia, items relating to the Indigenous rights movement, and political activist groups here at the University of Queensland.