A vibrant place in the heart of the city, Canberra Museum and Gallery celebrates the region's social history and visual arts with dynamic exhibitions and unique community programs and events.

Housing a permanent collection, Reflecting Canberra, and a variety of local, national and international exhibitions, CMAG provides a refreshing insight to the integration of social history and the visual arts.

Reflections

Self-government promotional T-shirt, 1989
cotton, 72 x 84 cm (size M)
manufactured by Woodrim, Australia

Gift of The Canberra Times, 1999

CANBERRA TIMES COLLECTION /
GOVERNANCE COLLECTION

The self-government promotional T-shirt alludes to the humorous side of the debates over self-government. It represents a significant moment of Canberra’s history and conveys a sense of the community’s reaction to the changes that took place after 1989.

Self-government allowed for more direct representation of the community in policy formation for the Territory, while also prompting greater participation by local residents in the legislative process and public debate on contemporary issues.

Examples of this, such as the debates over the Canberra Hospital Board and the addition of fluoride to Canberra’s water supply are represented on the T-shirt. Canberra Museum and Gallery collects items of popular culture such as this, which reflect aspects of Canberra’s community identity and reveal a characteristic diversity of viewpoints and opinions.

 

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