About this book

"Australians Speak Out" assesses the rhetorical stylistic choices of public figures in a representative democracy, with reference to over 20 notable Australians from the 1890s to modern times. Included are the full texts of 15 noteworthy speeches and writing that speak to Federation, womanhood suffrage, trans-Australia communication, artistic appreciation, allied support in war, recognition of Churchill, land rights, national partnership in the Pacific, law reform, economic cooperation, transformation of the City of Brisbane, national reconciliation, gun control, non-sexist behaviour and the coronavirus pandemic. 

The book examines how extraordinary public figures use ordinary words to move hearts and minds, with insights to better evaluate or prepare public communications, including digital media. It identifies 18 ways that speakers and writers choose language to find common ground with an audience. Also explored are metaphor, democratic symbols, humour, polemic, propaganda, certain choices of words, sentence structure and other elements of style. 

The evaluations draw on qualitative and quantitative comparisons that integrate rhetorical, stylistic and linguistic understandings of persuasive style. Included are detailed language studies of: Sir Samuel Griffith (chief justice 1903-19); Louisa Lawson (poet, writer, publisher, activist for women’s suffrage, 1848-1920); Alfred Deakin (prime minister, 1903-05, 1905-08, and 1909-10); Sir Robert Menzies (prime minister 1939-41 and 1949-66); John Curtin (wartime prime minister 1941-5); Gough Whitlam (prime minister 1972-5); Oodgeroo of the Noonuccal Tribe [Kath Walker] (poet, artist, author, and activist for First Nations, 1920-93); Bob Hawke (union leader, then prime minister 1983-91); Kevin Gilbert (author, artist, poet, and activist for First Nations, 1933-93); Germaine Greer (author, academic, and activist for women’s rights, born 1939-); and Michael Kirby (law reforming jurist and High Court justice 1996-2009). 

More recent, powerful speeches assessed include prime ministers Paul Keating on reconciliation in 1992, John Howard on arms recall after Port Arthur in 1996, Kevin Rudd on the Apology in 2008 and Julia Gillard on sexism in 2012, together with a powerful eulogy for prime minister Gough Whitlam by Noel Pearson in 2014 and an address to the nation by prime minister Scott Morrison, amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The persuasive language of many other Australian public figures is also examined, including Sallyanne Atkinson, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Sir Macfarlane Burnet, Fred Daly, Sir John Forrest, Malcolm Fraser, W.M Hughes, Ned Kelly, Sir James Killen, Peter Lalor, Dame Enid Lyons, Sir Ian McLennan, Dame Nellie Melba, Andrew Peacock, Sir George Reid, Susan Ryan and more.

Contents: 1. How to Use This Book. 2. Language for Persuasion. 3. Democratic Talk of John Curtin and Sir Robert Menzies. 4. Polemic and Propaganda. 5. Rhetorical Humour. 6. Political Words and Gough Whitlam. 7. Choices for Public Talk. 8. The Quiet Rhetoric of Sir Samuel Walker Griffith. 9. Louisa Lawson on Womanhood Suffrage. 10. Alfred Deakin's Language Strategy. 11. Sir Robert Menzies's Measured Style. 12. Action Calls of Kevin Gilbert and Oodgeroo Noonuccal [Kath Walker]. 13. 'Revolution' Rhetoric of Germaine Greer. 14. Winning on Television-Bob Hawke. 15. Reform Advocacy of Michael Kirby. 16. Continuing to Speak Out-Paul Keating, John Howard, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Noel Pearson, and Scott Morrison. 17. Conclusion. 18. Full text of 15 Notable Speeches and Writing. Appendices, Source Notes, Bibliography, and Index.

Keywords: public discourse, persuasion, English language style, rhetorical stylistics, speech writing, leadership speaking, polemic, humour, propaganda, representative democracy, rhetorical analysis, semantics, Australian politics, Australian history.