Press Gallery exhibition at Old Parliament House explores media's role in political history

A new exhibition at Old Parliament House’s Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) celebrates the Press Gallery’s role in covering Australian political history since 1927. The display recreates the cramped workspaces where reporters, camera operators, and editors operated until the gallery’s 1988 relocation, using original typewriters, teleprinters, microphones, and notebooks. Museum chair Barrie Cassidy, a former ABC journalist, noted the exhibition fills a historical gap, offering insight into how media functioned alongside politicians. The Press Gallery originally housed around 30 staff—mostly male newspaper journalists—when Parliament moved to Canberra in 1927. By the late 1980s, the number had grown to over 250, including women and broadcast media, alongside new technologies like teleprinters and recording devices. Curator Amy Lay spent two years sourcing artifacts, including personal collections from former staff, to assemble the exhibition. The recreated spaces, though not exact replicas, feature details like ash trays, reflecting the chaotic but intimate environment of the time. Cassidy recalled sharing a tiny ABC bureau with 17 colleagues, where smoking was common. The display also highlights the shift from traditional print journalism to modern broadcast methods. The exhibition opened ahead of a key federal budget, with Prime Minister attendance marking its significance. It aims to honor the Press Gallery’s contributions while illustrating its evolving role in Australian democracy. Visitors can explore how media coverage shaped political narratives over nearly six decades.