Department of Education,
Training and Youth Affairs

Message from the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs

Cutting the Tom Roberts Birthday Cake at Parliament House, Canberra
(left to right)
Shirley Baynes-Smith, Minister Dr David Kemp, Brett Riley - Telstra Country Wide
and Peter Roberts, grandson of Tom Roberts

Tom Roberts' painting The Big Picture captures the essence of a most important moment in the history of our nation.

The Commonwealth Government is committed to helping young people understand the history and operations of Australia's system of government and the principles underpinning Australian democracy.

In the Artist's Footsteps is an associated activity of the Commonwealth's Discovering Democracy programme of civic and citizenship education.

The project extends the range of Discovering Democracy resource materials that are currently available to students and their teachers.

Through the website resource, students will be able to have a cyber tour of the original invitations, speeches and photographs associated with the opening of the first Federal Parliament.

I am pleased the Commonwealth Government has been able to sponsor the promotion of this website.

David Kemp

Discovering Democracy Programme

Left: Arthur Streeton - Above Us The Great Grave Sky, 1890
Collection: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.