Chris Monnox

@cmonnox.bsky.social

200 Followers 117 Following

Historian of elections and electioneering, particularly early 20th century. I'm based in Canberra and also do ACT politics.

A 1922 article from the Goulburn Post. The section reads: Mr. Hughes," continued the speaker, "is flaunting himself before the electors as a Simon Pure, ordained by the very Deity Himself to guide the destinies of Australia. What I want to know is where he got his mysterious fortune." At this juncture there was a dog fight. The politician's voice was drowned by the din of yelping canines. For a while efforts to part the dogs were of no avail. But Mr. Lazzarini was not perturbed. "Let 'em fight," he shouted, "it's only Earle Page and Billy Hughes having a scrap." (Laughter.)
A grinning Mark Parton in front of graffiti reading 'fuck Mark Parton.'
A 1937 headline from the Sydney Sun. It reads: 'Premier Joins Up With UAP Foes of Preselection.'
From an article in the Adelaide Register: During the last Parliamentary session the War Terms Regulation Act of 1920 was passed, with the object of regulating the use of certain words and war terms in connection with trade, or to name any private residence, boat, or vehicle, charitable or other institution or any building in connection therewith. The measure specifically mentions "Anzac," or any word resembling the word "Anzac," "Aussie," "returned soldier," "returned sailor," "repatriation," "Australian Imperial Force," and "A.I.F." as prohibited words and expressions.
A grinning squander bug surrounded by the words 'meet the squander bug.'
Calwell: 'One can never tell what will happen in the future, but my surmise is as good as that of any one else and I am satisfied that, with a birth rate of 23 per 1,000 women of childbearing age and our system of planned immigration, it is possible that by 1960 Australia will hold between 9,500.000 and 10,000,000 people and that the numbers in each electorate will have increased from about 40,000, as we propose to have them now, to about 53,000, and there will be occasion then, if not earlier, for a further increase of the size of the Parliament.'
A 2023 tweet from The Australian: 'Canberra is a twon where bikies thrive, pitbulls roam, meth heads hoon and hard drugs are legalised.'
An excerpt from Warren Denning’s Caucus Crisis in which Hughes ‘pause[d], with a Sphinx-like smile, in the King’s Hall, to light a cigarette in a slow, deliberate manner which told the discerning that he was very well pleased indeed with himself.’
'This ideology derived from the legacy of property franchises and the centrality of property in municipal affairs. The traditional conception regarded local government as being covered with people only as property owners.'
A newspaper clipping from 1943. Headline: 'Poll Clerk's Tightrope Act.' Highlighted sentence: 'He had to swim his horse across the flood to reach the polling booth this morning.'
Nationalist campaign material from the 1928 federal election. It advises a yes vote on the State Debts referendum, but does not specify the form of the ballot.
T. J. Ryan, Labor Premier of Queensland 1915-19.
Independent scrutineering instructions from the Goldstein count advising scrutineers to only challenge Liberal votes.
A screenshot of the AEC website showing the Bean 2CP count at 50:50 at 12:34 on 10 May 2025.
A stylised chart showing the election winner as a tall figure and the loser as a short figure slipping over.
A cartoon portraying W. M. Hughes enjoying a gramophone and a durry after bringing down the Bruce government in 1929.
The CityNews Cross of Trams. It is what it is.
A postcard from the British election of 1906 showing a big free trade loaf of bread and a small protectionist loaf.
A bridge-shaped lattice on a wall in Canberra. It is covered in love locks.
Minutes of the Alliance Government's Joint Party Room from May 1991 detailing a split over a variation to the Territory Plan.
A map showing tram routes from the Sydney CBD to Bondi, Bronte, and Maroubra beaches in 1929
The writer says it is 'a breath of fresh air to see young people dedicated to their hobby.'