Australians are being invited to nominate a book they believe Parliamentarians should read as part of a new book club for the nation’s leaders at Parliament House.
Nominations are being accepted by your local federal members’ offices or Senate representative. Books nominated must be written by Australian authors and published in the country within the last five years.
Aussies are encouraged to nominate a book which has inspired them, or that reveals an aspect of Australian life that is worthwhile of the attention of our politicians, to spark discussion.
The Parliamentary Book Club will invite all Parliamentarians to read the book selected, meet the author, and engage in a dialogue about its themes at Parliament House.
The inaugural book picked for Parliamentary Book Club will be announced on 17 September at the Parliamentary Friends of Australian Books and Writers event.
Joint Co-Chair of the Friends Group Senator Hollie Hughes says, “We are thrilled to announce the establishment of the Inaugural Parliamentary Book Club. This is a collaborative, and bi-partisan initiative that we hope will bring together book lovers of all stripes in Parliament.”
“I am looking forward to being entertained, challenged and informed by whatever book is selected. I am interested to know what Australians are reading – and what they think is important for their Parliamentary representatives to be engaged by. In Parliament, political dialogue needs depth. This is one small way we get to deepen our appreciation, and learn from, our great Australian writers,” Ms Hughes has shared.
Co-Chair Graham Perrett MP says, “As a former English teacher I know first hand how important reading is to developing minds. But reading and engaging deeply with others – either in the form of narrative or ideas – is important at all stages of life and learning, and
certainly just as important in Parliament. This is an opportunity for the public to say to their MP or Senator – Read this. This has something important to say to you as a representative of the Australian public.”
Send Australian authored book nominations (published within the last five years) to your local member or senator. Find your MP or Senator via the Australian Parliament House website. Nominations close 30 August 2019.
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Supported by the Books Create Australia partners: ALIA, ABA, APA and ASA.
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