Overview

Arthur Norman Smith, founder of the Australian Journalists' Association
Arthur Norman Smith, founder of the Australian Journalists' Association

The AN Smith lecture has a unique place in Australia’s cultural history. It is the oldest journalism lecture series in Australia, having commenced in 1936 after a bequest to the University of Melbourne from the family of Arthur Norman Smith, who was a founder of the Australian Journalists’ Association. The lecture is presented each year by a leading authority on an important aspect of journalism. Over its 80-plus year history, the lecture has been presented by personalities including journalists, politicians and even a Vice-Chancellor. Some of the more noteworthy were Graham Perkin (1974), Michelle Grattan (1988), Rupert Murdoch (1972), Kevin Rudd (2021), and Walter Robinson (2018). The Centre for Advancing Journalism is currently working on locating and archiving all AN Smith lectures.