The following lists events that happened during the year 1988 in Australia.

Incumbents

Monarch A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority and power i ...

–

Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

* Governor-General –

Sir Ninian Stephen Sir Ninian Martin Stephen (15 June 1923 – 29 October 2017) was an Australian judge who served as the 20th governor-general of Australia, in office from 1982 to 1989. He was previously a justice of the High Court of Australia from 1972 to 19 ...

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

– Bob Hawke **

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president ...

–

Lionel Bowen Lionel Frost Bowen, AC (28 December 1922 – 1 April 2012) was an Australian politician and senior Labor Party figure, serving in the ministries of Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke. He was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 199 ...

Opposition Leader The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

–

John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the ...

* Chief Justice –

Sir Anthony Mason Sir Anthony Frank Mason HonFAIB DistFRSN (born 21 April 1925) is an Australian judge who served as the ninth Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 1987 to 1995. He was first appointed to the High Court of Australia, High Court in 1972, ...

State and Territory Leaders

Premier of New South Wales The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislatu ...

–

Barrie Unsworth Barrie John Unsworth (born 16 April 1934) is a former Australian politician, representing the Labor Party in the Parliament of New South Wales from 1978 to 1991. He served as the 36th Premier from July 1986 to March 1988. Early years Unswort ...

(until 25 March), then Nick Greiner **

– Nick Greiner (until 25 March), then

Bob Carr Robert John Carr (born 28 September 1947) is an Australian retired politician and journalist who served as the 39th Premier of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005, as the leader of the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He later en ...

Premier of Queensland The premier of Queensland is the head of government in the Australian state of Queensland. By convention the premier is the leader of the party with a parliamentary majority in the unicameral Legislative Assembly of Queensland. The premier is ap ...

– Mike Ahern **

–

Nev Warburton Neville George Warburton (23 February 1932 – 5 August 2018) was an Australian politician from Queensland, who served as leader of the opposition from 1984 to 1988, and as a minister in the Goss Ministry from 1989 to 1992. Career Early career ...

(until 2 March), then

Wayne Goss Wayne Keith Goss (26 February 1951 – 10 November 2014) was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996, becoming the first Labor Premier of the state in over thirty two years. Prior to entering politics, Goss was a solic ...

Premier of South Australia The premier of South Australia is the head of government in the state of South Australia, Australia. The Government of South Australia follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of South Australia acting as the legislature. The premier is ...

–

John Bannon John Charles Bannon (7 May 1943 – 13 December 2015) was an Australian politician and academic. He was the 39th Premier of South Australia, leading the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party from a single term in opposition ba ...

–

John Olsen John Wayne Olsen, AO (born 7 June 1945) is a former Australian politician, diplomat and football commissioner. He was Premier of South Australia between 28 November 1996 and 22 October 2001. He is now President of the Federal Liberal Party, C ...

Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the House of Assembly is invited by the governor of ...

– Robin Gray **

–

Neil Batt Neil Leonard Charles Batt (born 14 June 1937), Australian politician, is a former Tasmanian government minister, Deputy Premier and Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly. A member of the Labor Party, he was leader of the party in Tasmania, ...

(until 14 December), then Michael Field *

Premier of Victoria The premier of Victoria is the head of government in the Australian state of Victoria. The premier is appointed by the governor of Victoria, and is the leader of the political party able to secure a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assemb ...

– John Cain Jr. **

– Jeff Kennett *

Premier of Western Australia The premier of Western Australia is the head of government of the state of Western Australia. The role of premier at a state level is similar to the role of the prime minister of Australia at a federal level. The premier leads the executive bra ...

– Brian Burke (until 25 February), then

Peter Dowding Peter McCallum Dowding SC (born 6 October 1943) is an Australian lawyer and former politician who served as the 24th Premier of Western Australia, from 25 February 1988 until his forced resignation on 12 February 1990. He was a member of parli ...

– Barry MacKinnon *

Chief Minister of the Northern Territory The chief minister of the Northern Territory is the head of government of the Northern Territory. The office is the equivalent of a state premier. When the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly was created in 1974, the head of government was ...

–

Stephen Hatton Stephen Paul Hatton (born 28 January 1948) is an Australian politician, who was Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1986 to 1988. From 1983 until his retirement in 2001, he was MLA for the seat of Nightcliff. He first bec ...

(until 13 July), then

Marshall Perron Marshall Bruce Perron (born 5 February 1942) is a former Australian politician, who was a Country Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northern Territory from the formation of the Assembly in 1974 until his resignation in 1995 ...

– Terry Smith * President of the Legislative Assembly of Norfolk Island – John Brown

Governors and Administrators

* Governor of New South Wales – Sir James Rowland *

Governor of Queensland The governor of Queensland is the representative in the state of Queensland of the monarch of Australia. In an analogous way to the governor-general of Australia at the national level, the governor performs constitutional and ceremonial func ...

– Sir Walter Campbell * Governor of South Australia – Sir Donald Dunstan *

Governor of Tasmania The governor of Tasmania is the representative in the Australian state of Tasmania of the Monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. The incumbent governor is Barbara Baker, who was appointed in June 2021. The official residence of the ...

– Sir Phillip Bennett *

Governor of Victoria The governor of Victoria is the representative of the monarch, King Charles III, in the Australian state of Victoria. The governor is one of seven viceregal representatives in the country, analogous to the governors of the other states, and th ...

–

Davis McCaughey John Davis McCaughey (12 July 1914 – 25 March 2005) was an Irish-born Australian academic theologian, Christian minister, university administrator and the 23rd Governor of Victoria from 1986 to 1992. Early life and academic career McCaughey ...

Governor of Western Australia The governor of Western Australia is the representative in Western Australia of the monarch of Australia, currently King Charles III. As with the other governors of the Australian states, the governor of Western Australia performs constitutiona ...

– Gordon Reid *

Administrator of Norfolk Island The administrator of Norfolk Island acts as a representative both of The Crown and of the Government of Australia, as well as carrying out other duties according to the ''Norfolk Island Amendment Act 2015''.Administrator of the Northern Territory The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to represent the government of the Commonwealth in the Northern Territory, Australia. They perform functions similar to those of a state gov ...

–

Eric Johnston Eric Allen Johnston (December 21, 1896 – August 22, 1963) was a business owner, president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, a Republican Party activist, president of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and a U.S. governme ...

Events

*Australia's Bicentenary year, celebrations lasting throughout year.

January

17 January Events Pre-1600 *38 BC – Octavian divorces his wife Scribonia and marries Livia Drusilla, ending the fragile peace between the Second Triumvirate and Sextus Pompey. * 1362 – Saint Marcellus' flood kills at least 25,000 people on ...

– The TV soap '' Home and Away'' is launched by

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air television network. It is owned by Seven West Media Limited, and is one of five main free-to-air television networks in Australia ...

. * 19 January – Federal Sport and Tourism Minister John Brown steps down for apparently misleading Parliament over his role in the tendering process for Brisbane's Expo contracts on 10 December 1987. *

26 January Events Pre-1600 * 661 – The Rashidun Caliphate is effectively ended with the assassination of Ali, the last caliph. *1531 – The 6.4–7.1 Lisbon earthquake kills about thirty thousand people. *1564 – The Council of Trent ...

–

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port ...

, Australia celebrates its

bicentennial __NOTOC__ A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to: Europe *French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...

day with the arrival of the

First Fleet Re-enactment Voyage The First Fleet Reenactment Voyage (also known as the Second First Fleet) was a project to assemble a fleet of tall ships to sail from England to Australia in a historical reenactment of the First Fleet that colonised Australia in 1788. The reen ...

and a tall ships parade in Sydney Harbour.

February

5 February Events Pre-1600 * 62 – Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. *1576 – Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion. *1597 – A group of early Japanese Christians are ...

– New Liberal Party President, entrepreneur John Elliott, states publicly that the Liberals lack strong leadership and had not deserved to win at the previous election. *

6 February Events Pre-1600 *1579 – The Archdiocese of Manila is made a diocese by a papal bull with Domingo de Salazar being its first bishop. 1601–1900 *1685 – James II of England and VII of Scotland is proclaimed King upon the death of h ...

– The

1988 Adelaide by-election A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Adelaide on 6 February 1988. This was triggered by the resignation of Labor Party MP Chris Hurford to become Australia's Consul-General in New York City. The election w ...

is held for the

Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. The term of members o ...

seat of

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

following Chris Hurford's retirement. Liberal candidate Michael Pratt wins the seat with a 9% swing, largely because Labor refused to rule out a proposal for timed local telephone calls. *

9 February Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1003 – Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I the Brave of Poland. *1539 – The first recorded race is hel ...

–

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms t ...

President

Mick Young Michael Jerome Young (9 October 19368 April 1996) was an Australian politician. He rose through the Australian Labor Party (ALP) to become its National Secretary, before serving as a Labor member of the House of Representatives from the 1974 ...

is forced to resign from Parliament over allegations (later disproved) of concealing a large donation from Harris-Daishowa. In the ensuing reshuffle,

Graham Richardson Graham Frederick Richardson (born 27 September 1949) is an Australian former Labor Party politician who was a Senator for New South Wales from 1983 to 1994 and served as a Cabinet Minister in both the Hawke and Keating Governments. He is c ...

and Michael Duffy enter Cabinet.

March

19 March Events Pre-1600 *1277 – The Byzantine–Venetian treaty of 1277 is concluded, stipulating a two-year truce and renewing Venetian commercial privileges in the Byzantine Empire. * 1279 – A Mongol victory at the Battle of Yamen ends ...

– Nick Greiner and the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

win the

1988 New South Wales state election Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and a third of the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The Labor government of Premier Barrie U ...

in a landside, removing the ALP government of

. Greiner's Coalition of 39 Liberals and 20 Nationals wins 49.5% of the vote in the enlarged 109-seat House, leading comfortably over Labor with 43 seats and 7 others. Labor suffers a further fall of 10% in its vote. National Party leader

Wal Murray Wallace Telford John Murray (11 September 1931 – 15 July 2004) was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. He was a National Party member for the seat of Barwon from 1 May 1976 until 3 Mar ...

becomes Deputy Premier of New South Wales. *

26 March Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. *1021 – On the feast of Eid al-Adha, the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret for six weeks, is ...

– The 1988 Port Adelaide by-election is held for the

seat of Port Adelaide following

's resignation. The election is won by Labor candidate

Rod Sawford Rodney Weston Sawford (born 26 June 1944), is a former Australian Labor Party politician. He served as the member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1988 to November 2007, representing the Division of Port Adelaide, South Aus ...

, despite an 11.1% swing to the Liberal Party.

April

9 April Events Pre-1600 * 193 – The distinguished soldier Septimius Severus is proclaimed emperor by the army in Illyricum. * 475 – Byzantine Emperor Basiliscus issues a circular letter (''Enkyklikon'') to the bishops of his empire, sup ...

– At the Liberals' Federal Council meeting in Melbourne, Liberal leaders Jeff Kennett,

and Barry MacKinnon are reserved about a consumption tax. John Elliott's motion to broaden the tax is passed. *

30 April Events Pre-1600 * 311 – The Diocletianic Persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire ends. *1315 – Enguerrand de Marigny is hanged at the instigation of Charles, Count of Valois. *1492 – Spain gives Christopher Columbus his ...

–

World Expo 88 World Expo 88, also known as Expo 88, was a specialised Expo held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988, inclusive. The theme of the Expo wa ...

opens in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Queensland, and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of the South ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , establishe ...

. The exhibition runs for 6 months hosting pavilions from over 70 countries and thrusts Brisbane into the international spotlight.

May

9 May Events Pre-1600 * 328 – Athanasius is elected Patriarch of Alexandria. *1009 – Lombard Revolt: Lombard forces led by Melus revolt in Bari against the Byzantine Catepanate of Italy. * 1386 – England and Portugal formally ra ...

–

opens the New Parliament House in Canberra

June

1 June Events Pre-1600 *1215 – Zhongdu (now Beijing), then under the control of the Jurchen ruler Emperor Xuanzong of Jin, is captured by the Mongols under Genghis Khan, ending the Battle of Zhongdu. *1252 – Alfonso X is proclaimed king o ...

– the British Government fail to stop the publication of Spycatcher by the ex-MI5 agent Peter Wright. *

6 June Events Pre-1600 * 913 – Constantine VII, the eight-year-old illegitimate son of Leo VI the Wise, becomes nominal ruler of the Byzantine Empire under the regency of a seven-man council headed by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos, appointed b ...

– 10 June – The

's biennial conference in Hobart sees the left faction defeated on the divisive issues of uranium mining, privatisation and tertiary education fees.

August

* 3 August – Federal Opposition Leader

's draft One Australia policy taps latent concerns over Asian immigration and sparks damaging debate on this issue within the Coalition. *

17 August Events Pre-1600 * 309/ 310 – Pope Eusebius is banished by the Emperor Maxentius to Sicily, where he dies, possibly from a hunger strike. * 682 – Pope Leo II begins his pontificate. * 986 – Byzantine–Bulgarian wars: Battle ...

– Foreign Minister

Bill Hayden William George Hayden (born 23 January 1933) is an Australian politician who served as the 21st governor-general of Australia from 1989 to 1996. He was Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 1977 to 1983, and served as ...

is announced as the next Governor-General. In the subsequent ministerial reshuffle, Gareth Evans receives the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio,

Ralph Willis Ralph Willis AO (born 14 April 1938) is a former Australian politician who served as a Cabinet Minister during the entirety of the Hawke-Keating Government from 1983 to 1996, most notably as Treasurer of Australia from 1993 to 1996 and briefl ...

receives Industrial Relations, and Robert Ray receives Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs. *

22 August Events Pre-1600 * 392 – Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. * 851 – Battle of Jengland: Erispoe defeats Charles the Bald near the Breton town of Jengland. *1138 – Battle of the Standard between Scotland ...

– Federal Parliament reassembles for the Budget session in the new

Parliament House, Canberra Parliament House, also referred to as Capital Hill or simply Parliament, is the meeting place of the Parliament of Australia, and the seat of the legislative branch of the Australian Government. Located in Canberra, the Parliament building is ...

. * 24 August – In the vote on a Labor motion repudiating race as a criterion for immigration, Liberals Ian McPhee,

Philip Ruddock Philip Maxwell Ruddock (born 12 March 1943 in Canberra) is an Australian politician and the current mayor of Hornsby Shire. Ruddock is a member of the Liberal Party of Australia and currently the state president of the party's New South W ...

and

Peter Baume Peter Erne Baume, AC (born 30 January 1935) is a retired Australian doctor and politician. He was a Senator for New South Wales from 1974 to 1991, representing the Liberal Party. He served as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (1980–1982) a ...

cross the floor, while Wilson and

Michael MacKellar Michael John Randal MacKellar (27 October 1938 – 9 May 2015) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1994, representing the Division of Warringah. He was M ...

abstain.

September

1 September Events Pre-1600 *1145 – The main altar of Lund Cathedral, at the time seat of the archiepiscopal see of all the Nordic countries, is consecrated. *1173 – The widow Stamira sacrifices herself in order to raise the siege of Ancona ...

– ''

Acacia pycnantha ''Acacia pycnantha'', most commonly known as the golden wattle, is a tree of the family Fabaceae native to southeastern Australia. It grows to a height of and has phyllodes (flattened leaf stalks) instead of true leaves. Sickle-shaped, these ...

'' proclaimed Australia's national floral emblem. *

3 September Events Pre-1600 *36 BC – In the Battle of Naulochus, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, admiral of Octavian, defeats Sextus Pompey, son of Pompey, thus ending Pompeian resistance to the Second Triumvirate. * 301 – San Marino, one of the ...

– The

1988 Australian referendum The 1988 Australian referendum was held on 3 September 1988. It contained four referendum questions, none of which passed. __NOTOC__ Results in detail Parliamentary Terms :''This section is an excerpt from 1988 Australian referendum (Parliament ...

is held and propositions on 4-year parliamentary terms, recognition of local government, religious liberty and other issues are defeated with 60% of the electorate voting against them. *

26 September Events Pre-1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar dedicates a temple to Venus Genetrix, fulfilling a vow he made at the Battle of Pharsalus. * 715 – Ragenfrid defeats Theudoald at the Battle of Compiègne. *1087 – William II is crow ...

– Federal Opposition Leader

sacks the

National Party of Australia The National Party of Australia, also known as The Nationals or The Nats, is an List of political parties in Australia, Australian political party. Traditionally representing graziers, farmers, and regional voters generally, it began as the Au ...

's John Stone from the Shadow Cabinet over a series of remarks about immigration and for not being a "team player".

October

1 October Events Pre-1600 *331 BC – Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. * 366 – Pope Damasus I is consecrated. * 959 – Edgar the Peaceful becomes king of all England, in succession to Eadwig. * ...

– The

1988 Victorian state election The 1988 Victorian state election, held on Saturday, 1 October 1988, was for the 51st Parliament of Victoria. It was held in the Australian state of Victoria to elect all 88 members of the state's Legislative Assembly and 22 members of the 44-m ...

is held and the ALP government of John Cain is narrowly re-elected for a third term in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. *

8 October Events Pre-1600 * 314 – Constantine I defeats Roman Emperor Licinius, who loses his European territories. * 451 – The first session of the Council of Chalcedon begins. * 876 – Frankish forces led by Louis the Younger preve ...

– The 1988 Oxley by-election is held for the

seat of

Oxley Oxley may refer to: Places Australia Australian Capital Territory * Oxley, Australian Capital Territory is a suburb of Canberra, Australia Queensland *Oxley, Queensland is a suburb of Brisbane, Australia ** Oxley railway station, Brisba ...

vacated by

. Labor candidate

Les Scott Leslie James Scott (born 18 October 1947) was a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Queensland Division of Oxley from 8 October 1988 to 2 March 1996. He originally won his seat in a 1988 by-election after sitting m ...

only narrowly wins the seat, suffering a 12% swing.

's world trip before taking up his appointment as the new Governor-General is criticised by the Federal Opposition and others. *

12 October Events Pre-1600 *539 BC – The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon, ending the Babylonian empire. (Julian calendar) * 633 – Battle of Hatfield Chase: King Edwin of Northumbria is defeated and killed by an alliance und ...

– Two officers of the

Victoria Police Victoria Police is the primary law enforcement agency of the Australian state of Victoria. It was formed in 1853 and currently operates under the ''Victoria Police Act 2013''. , Victoria Police had over 22,300 staff, comprising over 16,700 ...

are gunned down execution-style in the

Walsh Street police shootings The Walsh Street police shootings were the 1988 murders of two Victoria Police officers: Constables Steven Tynan, 22, and Damian Eyre, 20. Tynan and Eyre were responding to a report of an abandoned car when they were gunned down about 4:50am ...

. *

15 October Events Pre-1600 *1066 – Following the death of Harold II at the Battle of Hastings, Edgar the Ætheling is proclaimed King of England by the Witan; he is never crowned, and concedes power to William the Conqueror two months later. *1211 ...

–

Aus Steam '88 Aus Steam '88 was an Australian Bicentenary activity in Melbourne, Australia featuring many steam locomotives from New South Wales, Victoria and also England. The event took place at Spencer Street station from 15 to 29 October, and also included ...

commences in Melbourne, Victoria *

30 October Events Pre-1600 * 637 – Arab–Byzantine wars: Antioch surrenders to the Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of the Iron Bridge. * 758 – Guangzhou is sacked by Arab and Persian pirates. *1137 – Ranulf of Apulia defeats Roger ...

–

draws to a close after a 6-month spectacular.

November

* 29 November – The four acts granting the ACT self-government are given

Royal Assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in oth ...

. * Olympic Dam, the world's largest uranium deposit and the largest underground mine in Australian opens

December

4 December Events Pre-1600 * 771 – Austrasian king Carloman I dies, leaving his brother Charlemagne as sole king of the Frankish Kingdom. * 963 – The lay papal protonotary is elected pope and takes the name Leo VIII, being consecrated on 6 ...

– In Sydney, Federal Opposition Leader

launches a statement of principle and general policy entitled ''Future Directions'' which reveals that a Liberal government would encourage the introduction of external school examinations, establish a National Standards Monitoring Programme for schools and did not rule out the introduction of a consumption tax after the first term of a Coalition government. Based on intensive research in 20 marginal seats, the statement also speaks nostalgically of traditional values. * 24 December – Arbitration Commission President Barry Maddern finds that the Remuneration Tribunal's November recommendations for a 29% increase in MP's salaries and allowances are justified.

Arts and literature

* No Miles Franklin Award winner is announced as date changed from year of publication to year of announcement * The '' Aboriginal Memorial'' was created to honour all Aboriginals that had died defending their land since 1788

Film

* Celia *

Crocodile Dundee II ''Crocodile Dundee II'' is a 1988 action comedy film and the second of the ''Crocodile Dundee'' film series. It is a sequel to ''Crocodile Dundee'' (1986) and was followed by ''Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles'' (2001). Actors Paul Hogan and Lin ...

* Evil Angels *

The Man from Snowy River II ''The Man from Snowy River II'' is a 1988 Australian drama film, the sequel to the 1982 film ''The Man from Snowy River''. It was released in the United States by Walt Disney Pictures as ''Return to Snowy River'', and in the United Kingdom as ...

Young Einstein ''Young Einstein'' is a 1988 Australian comedy film written, produced, directed by and starring Yahoo Serious. It is a fantasized account of the life of Albert Einstein which alters all people, places and circumstances of his life, including r ...

Television

*1 January – ''

Australia Live {{Use dmy dates, date=July 2013 ''Australia Live'' was a four-hour telecast, broadcast live on the Nine Network, on 1 January 1988 to open Australia's Bicentennial celebrations. The telecast crossed live to over 70 locations right across the countr ...

'', a four-hour celebration for Australia's bicentennial of

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

settlement airs on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

, SBS, the Nine Network and

regional In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...

solus stations. *2 January –

Imparja Imparja Television (IMP) is an independent Australian television station servicing over , across six states and territories of Australia, states and territories: Northern Territory, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, New South Wales and V ...

starts broadcasting to remote Central Australia via

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioi ...

It will have its official launch on 15 January. *17 January – The first episode of '' Home and Away'' goes to air. *17 January – ''

A Current Affair ''A Current Affair'' may refer to: * ''A Current Affair'' (Australian TV program), 1971–present Australian current affairs program that airs on Nine Network * ''A Current Affair'' (American TV program), a 1986–1998 American television news ...

'' debuts on Channel Nine, hosted by

Jana Wendt Jana Bohumila Wendt ( ; born 9 May 1956) is an Australian Gold Logie award-winning television journalist, reporter and writer. Early life Wendt was born in Melbourne to Czech parents who emigrated to Australia in 1949. Wendt attended Presentat ...

. *24 January – Network Ten unveils its new logo, the "X" logo. *16 February – ''

The Comedy Company ''The Comedy Company'' was an Australian comedy television series first aired from 16 February 1988 until about 11 November 1990 on Network Ten, Sunday night and was created and directed by cast member Ian McFadyen, and co directed and produce ...

'' debuts on Network 10 (1988–1990) *29 April – QSTV (now

Seven Central QQQ is an Australian television station broadcasting in remote central and eastern areas of Australia, owned by Southern Cross Austereo. The station is available via satellite and terrestrial platforms – mostly through community retransmissio ...

) starts

broadcasting Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum ( radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting beg ...

to remote Eastern Australia via satellite. *20 May –

Perth Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth i ...

's third commercial

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertisin ...

station

NEW-10 NEW is a television station broadcasting in Perth, Western Australia, and is a member of Network 10. Out of the three commercial stations, NEW generally rates the lowest overall, but usually rates highest in its target demographic (people aged 1 ...

opens, giving Perth the same number of stations as the eastern states. *10 September – Brisbane's TVQ-0 becomes

TVQ-10 TVQ is the Brisbane television station of Network 10 in Australia. History In April 1964, the Postmaster-General's Department granted Universal Telecasters a broadcasting licence. The channel was allocated channel 0 (the 0 was pronounced as t ...

. On the same day,

Toowoomba Toowoomba ( , nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar') is a city in the Toowoomba Region of the Darling Downs, Queensland, Australia. It is west of Queensland's capital city Brisbane by road. The urban population of Toowoomba as of the 2021 ...

's DDQ-10 becomes DDQ-0. * Christopher Skase buys Perth's

TVW-7 TVW is a television station broadcasting in Perth, Western Australia, wholly owned by Seven West Media. It was the first television station in Western Australia, commencing broadcasting on 16 October 1959. It broadcasts a modulated 64-QAM sign ...

and

SAS-7 SAS, formerly SAS-7 and before that SAS-10, is a television station in Adelaide, South Australia. It is part of the Seven Network. History SAS-7 was originally known as SAS-10, an affiliate of what became Network Ten. It commenced broadcasting ...

from Alan Bond's Bell Group for $130 million, meaning that all stations in the

are owned by the one company for the first time.

Sport

*50m penalty introduced in the VFL. *4 March – First game of

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

played at the newly built Sydney Football Stadium. St. George defeat

Eastern Suburbs Eastern Suburbs may refer to: Places *Eastern Suburbs (Mumbai), India *Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), Australia **Eastern Suburbs railway line, Sydney, Australia Sports clubs ;Association football *Eastern Suburbs AFC, Auckland, New Zealand * Eastern ...

24-14. *5 March –

Newcastle Knights The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League (NRL) premiership. Playing in red and blue, th ...

play their first game in the

NSWRL The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission. It was formed in Sydney on 8 August 1907 and was ...

. At Newcastle International Sports Centre (later

EnergyAustralia Stadium Newcastle International Sports Centre, known as McDonald Jones Stadium for sponsorship reasons, is a multi-purpose sports stadium located in Newcastle, Australia. The ground is home to the Newcastle Knights (National Rugby League) and Newca ...

Parramatta Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...

win 28–4. On the same day, the

Gold Coast Giants The Gold Coast Chargers were a professional rugby league club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from New South Wales Rugby League season 1988, 1988 to New South Wales Rugby League season 1994, 1994, the Australian Ru ...

(later Seagulls & finally Chargers) play their first game in the same competition. At Seagulls Stadium,

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

win 21–10. *6 March –

Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite c ...

play their first match, defeating defending premiers Manly 44–10 at Lang Park. *11 June – In the 100th rugby league test between the two nations, Australia defeat

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...

17-6. *28 June - Australia retain the Ashes by defeating Great Britain in the 2nd Test of the

1988 Great Britain Lions tour The 1988 Great Britain Lions tour was the Great Britain national rugby league team's 18th tour of Australasia and took place from May to July 1988. It started with a Test match against Papua New Guinea before the best-of-three series against Austr ...

. *17 July – Australia thrash reigning World Champions Argentina 4–1 in the Bicentennial Gold Cup, at Sydney Football Stadium. *24 July – Patrick Carroll wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:10:44 in

, while Karen McCann claims the women's title in 2:44:05. *11 September –

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the NRL Telstra Premiership, as well as competitions facilit ...

defeat Balmain 24–12 to win the 81st NSWRL premiership. It is the first Grand Final played at the S.F.S. & the last game for

Steve Mortimer Stephen Charles Mortimer (born 15 July 1956), also nicknamed "Turvey", is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played as a . Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs club record 272 first-grade games between 1976–88, winni ...

. The Grand Final was played early so that Channel Ten could broadcast the

1988 Seoul Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

. Bulldogs prop Paul Dunn is awarded the

Clive Churchill medal The Clive Churchill Medal is the award given to the player judged to be man-of-the-match in the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian ...

for man of the match.

Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies (legal name: Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd) are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly r ...

finish in last position, claiming their second straight wooden spoon. *24 September –

Hawthorn Hawks The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Mulgrave, Victoria, that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was founded in 1902 in the inner-east suburb of Ha ...

(22.20.152) defeat

Melbourne Demons The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria, and plays its home ...

(6.20.56) to win the 92nd VFL premiership. *9 October – Australia defeat

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

25–12 in the final of the Rugby League World Cup, played at Eden Park in

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about ...

. *Debbie Flintoff-King wins gold in the women's 400m over Tatyana Ledovskaya (

Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

) in a

photo finish A photo finish occurs in a sporting race when multiple competitors cross the finishing line at nearly the same time. As the naked eye may not be able to determine which of the competitors crossed the line first, a photo or video taken at the finis ...

by 0.01s. *

Duncan Armstrong Duncan John D'Arcy Armstrong (born 7 April 1968) is an Australian former competitive swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Armstrong is best remembered for winning a gold and silver medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics. Ea ...

wins gold in the men's 200m freestyle over

Anders Holmertz Anders Holmertz (born 1 December 1968) is a Swedish retired swimmer who was a leader in freestyle (200 and 400 meters) races in the 1980s and at the beginning of the 1990s, though often missing personal success. He also settled a record in the 40 ...

of Sweden & race favourite

Matt Biondi Matt may refer to: *Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt *In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance) *Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...

of the United States. *

Brownlow Medal The Charles Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal (and informally as "Charlie"), is awarded to the "best and fairest" player in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the home-and-away season, as determined by votes cast by t ...

awarded to

Gerard Healy Gerard Healy (born 1 March 1961) is a former Australian rules footballer and commentator. Healy attended St Bede's College in Mentone, where he was the senior football captain. Gerard is a trained physiotherapist. VFL career Melbourne Dem ...

( Sydney.)

Births

* 7 January –

Scott Pendlebury Scott Pendlebury (born 7 January 1988) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He has served as the Collingwood captain since the 2014 season. In round ...

, footballer * 17 January –

Will Genia Sanchez William Genia (born 17 January 1988) is a professional rugby union player, currently playing scrum-half for the Kintetsu Liners in Japan. He had previously played Super Rugby for the Queensland Reds (2007–2015) and Melbourne Rebel ...

, rugby union player * 20 January – Nathan Jones, Australian footballer * 22 January –

Steve Constanzo Steve Costanzo (born 22 January 1988 in Ingham, Queensland) is an Australian professional basketball player who currently plays for the Townsville Heat in the Queensland Basketball League NBL1 North, formerly the Queensland Basketball Leagu ...

, basketball player * 27 January – Alice Burdeu, fashion model * 15 February **

Jessica De Gouw Jessica Elise De Gouw (born 15 February 1988) is an Australian actress. She is known for her role as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress in the television series '' Arrow'', as Mina Murray in the NBC TV series '' Dracula'', and as Elizabeth Hawkes ...

, actress **

Jarryd Hayne Jarryd Lee Hayne (born 15 February 1988) is a former professional rugby league footballer who also briefly played American football and rugby union sevens. Hayne began his career in 2006 as a er for the Parramatta Eels, winning the NRL's Dal ...

, rugby league player and football player **

Tim Mannah Tim Mannah (born 15 February 1988) is a former Lebanon national rugby league team, Lebanon international rugby league footballer who played as a for the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League, NRL. He played for New South Wales City ru ...

, rugby league player * 22 February –

Dane Searls Dane Searls (22 February 1988 – 25 November 2011) was an Australian BMX rider. He created Giants of Dirt . He died 25 November 2011 after an unsuccessful attempt to jump into a swimming pool from a balcony in Queensland, Australia ) ...

, BMX rider (d. 2011) * 8 March – Johnny Ruffo, singer-songwriter and dancer * 31 March –

Conrad Sewell Conrad Ignatius Mario Maximilian Sewell (born 31 March 1988) is an Australian singer and songwriter. Sewell is best known for his vocals on Kygo's single " Firestone" and his number-one single " Start Again". At the ARIA Music Awards of 2015, ...

, singer-songwriter * 3 April – Daniel Johnson, basketball player * 12 April –

April Rose Pengilly April Rose Pengilly (''pen-GILL-ee''; born 12 April 1988), also known as April Rose, is an Australian actress and model. Early life April Rose Pengilly is the daughter of INXS member Kirk Pengilly and designer Karen Hutchinson. She attended Wen ...

, model and actress * 20 April – Michael Jennings, Australian-Tongan rugby league player. * 26 April – Daniel Jackson, basketball player * 2 May –

Laura Brent Laura Brent (born 2 May 1988) is an Australian actress, best known for her role as Lilliandil in '' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader''. Born in Melbourne, Brent attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where sh ...

, actress * 13 May – Casey Donovan, singer, Indigenous TV host. * 15 May – Jessica Falkholt, actress (d.

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...

) * 26 May **

Will Chambers William Chambers (born 26 May 1988) is an Australian professional rugby union footballer who previously played for the LA Giltinis in Major League Rugby (MLR) in the United States. After winning two titles with the Melbourne Storm, he retired ...

, rugby league player **

Dani Samuels Dani Stevens (née Samuels, born 26 May 1988) is a retired Australian discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event. She is the current national and Oceanian record holder. Stevens qualified for the 2020 ...

, discus thrower **

Joel Selwood Joel Anthony Selwood (born 26 May 1988) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was a quadruple premiership player, a six-time All-Australian, and a three-ti ...

, Australian rules footballer * 11 June –

Claire Holt Claire Rhiannon Holt (born 11 June 1988) is an Australian actress. She is known for her roles as Emma Gilbert in '' H2O: Just Add Water'', Samara Cook in ''Pretty Little Liars'', Chastity Meyer in ''Mean Girls 2'', Rebekah Mikaelson in ''The ...

, actress. * 16 June –

Nathan Parsons Nathan Dean Parsons (born 16 June 1988) is an Australian-born American actor, known for his work in daytime television on the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital'' as the character of Ethan Lovett.''Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water'': Perf ...

, actor. * 17 June ** Stephanie Rice, swimmer. **

Andrew Ogilvy Andrew James Ogilvy (born 17 June 1988) is an Australian-Irish former professional basketball player. He played three seasons of college basketball for Vanderbilt before playing in Europe for the first three years of his professional career. Aft ...

, basketball player * 3 July – Tyson Demos, basketball player * 6 July –

Cody Fern Cody Fern (born 6 July 1988) is an Australian actor and director. Following his feature debut in ''The Tribes of Palos Verdes'' (2017), he portrayed murder victim David Madson in the FX series '' The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American C ...

, actor and filmmaker * 8 July **

Rachael Finch Rachael Finch (born 8 July 1988) is an Australian TV host, model, and beauty pageant titleholder. She was awarded the 'People's Choice Award' for the 2006 Miss Teen Australia and finished as 3rd runner-up at Miss Universe 2009. Career Modelli ...

, beauty pageant titleholder and television reporter ** Dave Taylor, rugby league player * 4 August – Liam Zamel-Paez, high jumper. * 22 August –

Mitchell Langerak Mitchell James Langerak ( ; born 22 August 1988) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for J1 League club Nagoya Grampus. Club career Melbourne Victory Langerak signed his first professional contract in February 2 ...

, football (soccer) goalkeeper. * 24 August – Joel Thompson, rugby league player * 1 September –

Taryn Marler Taryn Natalie Marler (born 1 September 1988) is an Australian actress. Biography Marler is best known for her role on '' Blue Water High'' as Rachel Samuels. She was also in the short film ''Car Pool'' as Chrissy Clapton. Marler met up with h ...

, actress. * 14 September –

Nick Percat Nick Percat (born 14 September 1988) is an Australian racing driver who currently races in the Repco Supercars Championship, driving for Walkinshaw Andretti United in the No. 2 Holden ZB Commodore. He won the Bathurst 1000 at his first attemp ...

, racing driver * 1 October – Cariba Heine, actress. * 15 October –

Trent Dalzell Trent Dalzell (born 15 October 1988) is an Australian actor. He is best known for his role as Axel Hay on the Australian soap opera ''Home and Away''. He is also known for playing Corey Petrie during the second season of ''Blue Water High ...

, actor * 18 October – Chris Cedar, basketball player * 24 October –

Chris Goulding Christopher James Goulding (born 24 October 1988) is an Australian professional basketball player for Melbourne United of the National Basketball League (NBL). He made his debut in the NBL in 2006 as a development player with the Brisbane Bull ...

, basketball player * 3 November –

Angus McLaren Angus McLaren (born 3 November 1988) is an Australian actor who is best known for his roles in the television series ''Packed to the Rafters'' as Nathan Rafter and '' H2O: Just Add Water'' as Lewis McCartney. Personal life McLaren was born t ...

, actor. * 9 November **

Cadeyrn Neville Cadeyrn Neville (born 9 November 1988) is an Australian rugby union player. His regular playing position is lock. He represents the ACT Brumbies in Super Rugby. Early career Neville began attending Manly Selective Campus in 2001. Neville ...

, rugby player * 20 November –

Rhys Wakefield Rhys Wakefield is an Australian actor and director, known for his roles in Australian TV series '' Home and Away'', the feature film ''The Black Balloon'' (2008) and in season 3 of HBO's ''True Detective'' in 2019. Wakefield's debut feature ...

, actor * 30 November –

Phillip Hughes Phillip Joel Hughes (30 November 1988 – 27 November 2014) was an Australian Test and One Day International (ODI) cricketer who played domestic cricket for South Australia and Worcestershire. He was a left-handed opening batsman who play ...

, cricketer (d.

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

). * 7 December – Emily Browning, actress. * 19 December –

Casey Burgess Casey Anne Burgess (born 19 December 1988) is an Australian actress, television personality and singer. Burgess is a former member of the Australian children's musical group Hi-5 from 2008 to 2013. She was born in Sydney, the daughter of Ray B ...

, TV personality known for Hi-5

Deaths

* 21 January –

Vincent Lingiari Vincent Lingiari (13 June 1908 or 1919 – 21 January 1988) was an Australian Aboriginal rights activist and member of the Gurindji people. In his early life he started as a stockman at Wave Hill Station, where the Aboriginal workers were g ...

, Aboriginal rights activist (b.

1908 Events January * January 1 – The British ''Nimrod'' Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton sets sail from New Zealand on the ''Nimrod'' for Antarctica. * January 3 – A total solar eclipse is visible in the Pacific Ocean, and is the 4 ...

) * 31 January – David Ahern, composer. * 28 February –

Kylie Tennant Kathleen Kylie Tennant AO (; 12 March 1912 – 28 February 1988) was an Australian novelist, playwright, short-story writer, critic, biographer, and historian. Early life and career Tennant was born in Manly, New South Wales; she was educat ...

, author. * 23 March –

Reg Lye Reginald Thomas Lye (14 October 1912 – 23 March 1988), was an Australian actor who worked extensively in Australia and England. He was one of the busiest Australian actors of the 1950s, appearing in the majority of locally shot features at th ...

, actor (b. 1912) * 31 March –

William McMahon Sir William McMahon (23 February 190831 March 1988) was an Australian politician who served as the 20th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from 1971 to 1972 as leader of the Liberal Party. He was a government minister for over 21 years, ...

, twentieth Prime Minister of Australia. * 31 May – Arthur Olliver, footballer (b.

1916 Events Below, the events of the First World War have the "WWI" prefix. January * January 1 – The British Royal Army Medical Corps carries out the first successful blood transfusion, using blood that had been stored and cooled. * J ...

) * 2 July – Bede Morris, immunologist (b.

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 ...

) * 2 December –

Lloyd Rees Lloyd Frederic Rees (17 March 18952 December 1988) was an Australian landscape painter who twice won the Wynne Prize for his landscape paintings. Most of Rees's works are preoccupied with depicting the effects of light and emphasis is placed o ...

, artist.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:1988 in Australia Australia Years of the 20th century in Australia

Incumbents

State and Territory Leaders

Governors and Administrators

Events

January

February

March

April

May

June

August

September

October

November

December

Arts and literature

Film

Television

Sport

Births

Deaths

See also

References

External links