About the Lecture

Chris Watson (1867-1941) was Australia’s third prime minister. Though his term lasted a bare four months during 1904, he established a number of ‘firsts’, most notably that he led the world’s first national labour/Labor government and, taking office aged 37, he remains our country’s youngest prime minister–and controversially, the only one not born in either Australia or Britain.

This lecture will be live streamed and recorded. You can access the live stream on the day at Watch, Read, Listen. A recording of the lecture will be made available on the Parliamentary Library’s website.

About the Speaker

David Headon is a cultural consultant and historian. Formerly Director of the Centre for Australian Cultural Studies, Cultural Adviser to the National Capital Authority and History and Heritage Adviser for the Centenary of Canberra, he is now a Foundation Fellow at the ANU Australian Studies Institute, a Parliamentary Library Associate and the Canberra Raiders club historian.

The First Eight Project is a collaborative project between the Australian Parliamentary Library, Australian Studies Institute (ANU), National Archives of Australia, National Museum of Australia, and Victorian Parliamentary Library.

Information for Guests

Parliament House has a range of COVID Safe measures in place to ensure the health and safety of visitors and those working within APH. 

When you book your tickets, please provide the names for the guests accompanying you. Parliament House may share this information with ACT Government health officials for contact tracing purposes.

Collection of contact information through the Check In CBR app for all visitors over the age of 16 is a requirement of the ACT Government under its public health direction. You might like to consider downloading the Check In CBR app before arriving at Parliament House for ease of entry to the building. Contact information through this app is stored directly with ACT Health for 28 days.

For more information, please visit here.