On occasion the Historic Memorials Collection (HMC) Committee has also sought to commemorate important parliamentary ‘firsts’.
This includes portraits of Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney, the first women elected to the Australian Parliament, and Neville Bonner, the first Indigenous Australian elected to the federal Parliament.1
The current commissioning process fosters an active collaboration between the artist and the sitter, allowing time for the portrait to become a shared experience. Former Senator Nova Peris, the first Indigenous woman elected to federal parliament, discusses the way her personal motivation is conveyed in the portrait saying,
When I ran around Uluru as a torchbearer, I ran in no shoes as a sign of respect for my ancestors. Irrespective of all my achievements, I have always had my feet firmly cemented in the ground. It is one way of showing my strength – that I am always connected to country – this is all of me.
1. Although David Kennedy was the first Indigenous Australian to be elected to Parliament as the ALP Member for Bendigo (1969–72), Neville Bonner is recorded as the first Indigenous federal parliamentarian because Kennedy did not identify as Indigenous and his Indigenous heritage was not known at that time. See H Gobbett, ‘Indigenous parliamentarians, federal and state: a quick guide’, Parliamentary Library, July 2017, p. 2.
Currently on display.
Cost
Free
Venue
Public Exhibition Area, Main Committee Room Alcove, Level 1
Parking
Free for 1 hour, then parking rates apply
More information
Call Visitor Services on 02 6277 5399 or email visitorservices@aph.gov.au