KEY POINTS
- Ten new additions have been made to the The National Film and Sound Archives' Sound of Australia registry.
- They include the theme for Neighbours and Julia Gillard's misogyny speech.
- The National Film and Sound Archive includes more than 300,000 audio items.
They couldn't be more different, but the theme tune for the Australian soap opera Neighbours and Julia Gillard's famous misogyny speech now have one thing in common — they are in the National Film and Sound Archives' Sounds of Australia registry.
The song that kicked off the cancelled-then-revived television series for six years from its inception and the former prime minister's 2012 parliamentary speech are among 10 iconic pieces of audio added to the registry for 2022.
What's the story behind the Neighbours theme song?
In 1985, singer Barry Crocker was watching television when the call came to record the theme for Neighbours, a song that would become part of the Australian psyche.
Now 87, the veteran performer recalls learning the song in half an hour with composer Tony Hatch and lyricist Jackie Trent, and quickly making a demo track that would become the show's theme from 1985 until 1992.
"It was very easy, and Jackie made me a lovely cup of tea," Mr Crocker told news agency AAP.
With and of the soap opera during the year, its addition to the list couldn't be more timely.
"There's probably a handful of television theme songs that everyone knows and as soon as the first bar of it starts up, they know exactly what it is," curator Thorsten Kaeding said.
Barry Crocker pictured in 2013. In 1985, he was watching television when the call came to record the theme for Neighbours Source: AAP / Gaye Gerard
In June, 10 pallets stacked with tapes of old Neighbours episodes arrived at the archive's Canberra warehouse — 6,470 tapes in total.
The institution holds every episode that was ever produced on analog tape, from episodes one to 7,230, and later shows shot in a digital format.
The videotapes have been catalogued and are set to be digitised so they can be preserved indefinitely.
Why did Julia Gillard make the misogyny speech?
The former Labor Party leader told the that her speech was driven by a "deep frustration" over "every sexist thing" that had been said in the lead-up to that moment.
Ms Gillard had faced , with some taking aim at the fact she had no children and was unmarried. Months before the October 2012 speech, then-Opposition leader Tony Abbott had been photographed at an anti-carbon tax rally next to placards calling her "Juliar", "[Greens leader] Bob Brown's bitch" and "Ditch the witch".
Her blistering attack came after Mr Abbott moved a no-confidence motion against House of Representatives Speaker Peter Slipper. He had been accused of sexual harassment by staffer James Ashby, and court proceedings had revealed text messages Mr Slipper had sent him that used sexist language.
Mr Slipper was an Opposition MP who Ms Gillard had convinced to take up the Speaker position so she did not lose one of her own MPs to the role. Ms Gillard had been forced to form a minority government after the 2010 election where neither of the major parties won the necessary 76 seats to govern in their own right.
Mr Abbott had accused Ms Gillard of sexism over her refusal to support the motion, to which she replied: "I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man. I will not. The government will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man — not now, not ever".
Her 15-minute speech went on to list previous sexist comments Mr Abbott had allegedly made and some of the behaviour Ms Gillard had herself been subjected to, while Mr Abbott could be seen looking more and more uncomfortable.
The sexual harassment allegation was later found to be politically motivated and thrown out of court. Mr Ashby appealed the decision, but later .
Ms Gillard's speech turned a decade old this year, meaning it was the first time it could be considered for listing.
What else was included on this year's Sounds of Australia list?
It also includes another well-known earworm, 1977's Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees, while the late Sister Janet Mead is remembered with her pop-rock version of The Lord's Prayer.
The song, recorded in 1973, was a surprise hit, climbing music charts worldwide and becoming the first Australian song to sell one million records in the United States.
The Sounds of Australia list for 2022 also includes the song Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gees.
Also included were:
- Farewell address, Hallam Lord Tennyson (the second governor-general of Australia) - 1904
- Digger, Jack Lumsdaine (Australian singer-songwriter) - 1942
- Horrie Dargie Concert (live concert recording that received Australia's first gold record after 75,000 copies were sold) , The Horrie Dargie Harlequintet - 1952
- The Drover's Dream; The Bullockies' Ball, The Bushwhackers (Australian band) - 1956
- Out with the old and in with the new (decimal currency jingle), Ted Roberts (lyricist) - 1965.
The National Film and Sound Archive includes more than 300,000 audio items, but much of it is stored only on audio tapes, which degrade over time.
The tape collection will likely be unusable by 2025, and the archive has called for donations to help it digitise items before that deadline.
With additional reporting by SBS News.
