Talks and Speeches

Selected recordings and/or transcripts from some of the talks presented at the Memorial.

Anniversary talks
Date Title Speaker Format
3 September 2008 Battle for Australia Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd, MP Transcript
4 July 2008 Battle of Hamel Nigel Steel audio (MP3 27MB)
7 May 2008 Victory in Europe Dr Robert Nichols audio (MP3 7.5MB)
24 April 2008 Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux Karen Eastwood audio (MP3 1.2MB)
21 March 2008 German Offensive Begins at the Somme Craig Blanch audio (MP3 1.29MB)
30 January 2008 Start of the Tet Offensive against South Vietnamese cities by the Viet Cong (40th Anniversary)(4:53 min) Dennis Stockman transcript & audio
26 May 2008 Battle of Balmoral Dennis Stockman audio (MP3 4MB)
18 August 2006 40th anniversary of the battle of Long Tan His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery transcript
31 May 2002 Japanese Midget Submarine 31 May – 1 June 1942 (9:34 min) Dr Robert Nichols transcript & audio
31 May 2002 Australia under threat of invasion (31:41 min) Dr Peter Stanley audio (4.38 Mb, Quicktime)
9 April 2002 The sinking of HMAS Vampire, 9 April 1942 (10:10 min) Dr Chris Coultard-Clark transcript & audio
1 March 2002 The loss of HMAS Perth, 1 March 1942 (8:51 min) Dr Peter Stanley transcript & audio
23 February 2002 Battles on Timor, 20-23 February 1942 (9:23 min) Brad Manera transcript & audio
19 February 2002 The bombing of Darwin, 19 February 1942 (8:59 min) Dr Peter Stanley transcript & audio
15 February 2002 The Fall of Singapore, 15 February 1942 (9:18 min) Dr Chris Coultard-Clark transcript & audio
26 January 2002 The defence of the 'Malay barrier': Rabaul and Ambon, January 1942 (10:35 min) Dr Peter Stanley transcript & audio
19 November 2001 HMAS Sydney - 60 years on Dr Peter Stanley transcript
Australian War Memorial Anniversary Orations
Date Title Speaker Format
19 November 2008 "Address at Commemorative Service for those lost in HMAS Sydney II" Prime Minister, The Hon K. Rudd, MP transcript
9 November 2007 "On writing official history" Ashley Ekins transcript
10 November 2006 "Was there a Battle for Australia?" Dr Peter Stanley transcript
11 November 2005 Vietnam - 30 years on Paul Kelly audio (11Mb MP3)
11 November 2004 Gallipoli in a Nation’s Remembrance Les Carlyon transcript
11 November 2003 The Korean War and Australia Robert O’Neill transcript
12 November 2001 The Blainey Oration (36:37 mins) Emeritus Professor Geoffrey Blainey audio (5.07 Mb, Quicktime)
11 November 2001 The Memorial and its People (27:00 min) Dr Peter Stanley audio & transcript
11 November 1997 Remembrance Day Speech Prime Minister, The Hon, John Howard, MP transcript
11 November 1993 Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier Prime Minister, The Hon P.J. Keating, MP audio & transcript
Curator & historian talks
Date Title Speakers Format
5 April 2009 Gallipoli - courage, controversy, castrophe Ashley Ekins, Peter Pederson & Audio (Mp3 57MB)
19 November 2008 Sir Ninian Stephen Visiting Scholar Lecture: "Japanese atrocities in the Asia-Pacific War: why were they so brutal" Professor Yuki Tanaka Audio (MP3 43MB)
2 March 2008 Holistic Peacekeeping Roy Skinner Audio
25 April 2008 ANZAC Day closing talk Karl James Audio (MP3 7.6MB)
18 December 2007 Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse audio tour Mal Booth Podcast
27 November 2007 Lawrence of Arabia and the Light Horse James Barr audio (60mins, 13.9MB)
11 November 2007 The Great War Les Carlyon audio (56mins, 13MB)
28 April 2007 Gallipoli 1915-1916 Nigel Steel audio (53mins, 18.4MB)
20 March 2003 War without boundaries: Australia and the ‘war against terrorism’ Clarie Baddeley transcript
23 May 2002 Stella Bowen and the European Portrait Tradition Andrew Sayers transcript
30 April 2002 Museums: thriving or just surviving? (23:57 min) Major General Steve Gower audio (3.3 Mb, Quicktime)
23 April 2002 Ford Maddox Ford and the world and times of Stella Bowen (50:20 min) Emeritus Professor Joseph Wiesenfarth audio (6.97 Mb, Quicktime)
14 April 2002 Sidney Nolan - Art and War (37:05 min) Tom Rosenthal audio (5.13 Mb, Quicktime)
28 Mar 2002 An interview with Peter Churcher, official war artist Peter Churcher interviewed by Claire Baddeley transcript
Opening Speeches
Date Title Speakers Format
27 November 2008 Peter Isaacson's opening speech for Over the front: the Great War in the air Peter Isaacson transcript
Book launches
Date Title Speakers Format
15 April 2009 Steve Gower's speech to launch Robin Prior's Gallipoli: the end of the myth, Australian War Memorial Steve Gower transcript