Australian politicians and the stories they tell

Join us for an insightful discussion with Dr Joshua Black as he delves into his latest book Performance Politics: Australian Politicians and The Stories They Tell, in conversation with journalist James Button. 

Drawing on memoirs, autobiographies, documentaries, media coverage, personal papers and original interviews, Dr Black explores how Australian politicians have become experts at fashioning and refashioning stories about themselves, their lives, personal ambitions and political entanglements. He uncovers how much of our recent political history has been shaped through the prism of the publishing house, the book launch, the documentary, and the lounge rooms where political retrospectives were broadcast. 

Tracing the shift from a time when, as Billy Hughes once put it, "telling tales out of school" was not the done thing, to one where the 2024 Nemesis documentary showcased backstabbing, character assassinations and high emotions, Dr Black sheds light on the evolution of Australia's story-driven political culture.

Discover how political life writing and documentary making has played an outsized role in settling scores, shaping legacies and dramatising the democratic process, sometimes in shocking ways.

Copies of Performance Politics: Australian Politicians and The Stories They Tell will be available for purchase in the Auditorium foyer on the night of the event.

Presented by The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre 

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