1984 in Australia explained

The following lists events that happened during 1984 in Australia.

Governor-General:	Sir Ninian Stephen
Pm:	Bob Hawke
Population:	15,393,472
Australian:	Lowitja O'Donoghue
Elections:	NSW, Federal, Referendum

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Sir Ninian Stephen
• Prime Minister – Bob Hawke
  • Deputy Prime Minister – Lionel Bowen
  • Opposition Leader – Andrew Peacock
• Chief Justice – Sir Harry Gibbs

State and territory leaders

• Premier of New South Wales – Neville Wran
  • Opposition Leader – Nick Greiner
• Premier of Queensland – (Sir) Joh Bjelke-Petersen
  • Opposition Leader – Keith Wright (until 29 August), then Nev Warburton
• Premier of South Australia – John Bannon
  • Opposition Leader – John Olsen
• Premier of Tasmania – Robin Gray
  • Opposition Leader – Ken Wriedt
• Premier of Victoria – John Cain Jr.
  • Opposition Leader – Jeff Kennett
• Premier of Western Australia – Brian Burke
  • Opposition Leader – Ray O'Connor (until 15 February), then Bill Hassell
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Paul Everingham (until 15 October), then Ian Tuxworth
  • Opposition Leader – Bob Collins
• Chief Minister of Norfolk Island – David Buffett

Governors and administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – Sir James Rowland
• Governor of Queensland – Sir James Ramsay
• Governor of South Australia – Sir Donald Dunstan
  • Governor of Tasmania – Sir James Plimsoll Governor of Victoria – Sir Brian Murray
• Governor of Western Australia – Gordon Reid (from 2 July)
• Administrator of Norfolk Island – Raymond Trebilco
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – Eric Johnston

Events

January

• 17 January – Ian Sinclair is elected leader of the National Party of Australia following Doug Anthony's retirement.^[1]
• 26 January – Aboriginal leader Lowitja (Lois) O'Donoghue becomes Australian of the Year.^[2]
• 27 to 30 January – The final Narara Music Festival on the Central Coast of New South Wales features INXS, Simple Minds, The Pretenders, Talking Heads, Eurythmics and Def Leppard.^{[3] [4]}

February

• 1 February – Medicare comes into effect in Australia.^[5]
• 2 February – Melbourne newspaper The Age publishes phone taps incriminating an unknown judge.^[6]
• 14 February – Elton John marries Renate Blauel in Sydney.^[7]

March

• 6 March –
  • A bomb blast wrecks the home of Judge Richard Gee in the Sydney suburb of Belrose.^[8]
  • High Court Judge, Justice Lionel Murphy is named in Parliament as the judge referred to in The Age tapes published on 2 February.^[9]
• 24 March – Wran Government re-elected in NSW for a 4th term.^[10]
• 26 March – The $100 note is introduced.^[11]

April

• April – A 915g jar of Vegemite is the first product in Australia to be electronically scanned at a checkout.^[12]
• 19 April – Advance Australia Fair is proclaimed as Australia's national anthem, and green and gold as the national colours.^{[13] [14]}

May

• 14 May – The one dollar coin is introduced in Australia.^[15]
• 18 May – In New South Wales gay sex between consenting adult males is decriminalised.^{[16] [17]}

July

• 4 July – Pearl, wife of Justice Ray Watson killed when their home is bombed. It is believed Judge Watson was the target.^[18]
• 16 July – Letters Patent issued for the Royal Commission into British Nuclear Tests in Australia^[19]
• 18 July – National Crime Authority is established.^{[20] [21]}

August

• August – Brenda Hodge becomes the last person to be sentenced to death by Western Australia, and in the country as a whole, before the complete abolition of capital punishment. Her sentence is later commuted to life imprisonment.
• 1 August – Australian banks are deregulated.
• 7 August – Margaret, 35, and Seana Tapp, 9 are attacked and murdered by an unknown man in their suburban Melbourne home.^[22] Seana is also sexually assaulted.^[23]
• 21 August – The Federal budget is televised for the first time.^[24]

September

• 2 September – 7 people shot dead and 12 wounded in a bikie shootout between rival bikie gangs the Bandidos and Comancheros in the Sydney suburb of Milperra.^[25]
• 5 September – Western Australia becomes the last Australian state to abolish capital punishment for ordinary crimes (i.e. murder). New South Wales maintained it as a punishment for treason and piracy with violence until 1985†, when capital punishment was finally abolished in Australia.

October

• 1 October – National Film and Sound Archive (Screensound Australia) opens in Canberra.^[26]

November

• 6 November – In a crime that shocks the city, Melbourne schoolgirl Kylie Maybury is kidnapped, raped and murdered after being sent on an errand to buy a bag of sugar.^[27]
• 26 November –
  • Former NSW Corrective Services Minister Rex Jackson appears in Court on conspiracy charges for the early release of prisoners.^[28]
  • A good performance by Andrew Peacock in the leaders' televised debate boosts his poll ratings.^[29]

December

• 2 December – Hawke Government re-elected with a reduced majority.^[30]
• 7 December – Andrew Peacock and John Howard retain their respective positions in the Opposition.^[31]

Arts and literature

See main article: 1984 in Australian literature.

• Tim Winton's novel Shallows wins the Miles Franklin Award^[32]

Film

• Annie's Coming Out
• Razorback

Television

• 30 January – Perfect Match is launched in the 5:30 pm timeslot, bringing in record ratings for that timeslot & ensuring Ten's Eyewitness News won the 6–7 p.m. timeslot.
• 3 February – Australia's first nationally televised telethon screens on Network Ten. It is a 26-hour effort to raise money for Australia's Olympic athletes.^[33]
• 11 February – The Nine Network's Hey Hey It's Saturday moves from Saturday mornings to the 9:30 pm timeslot and renamed Hey Hey It's Saturday Night.
• 26 July – French-American-Canadian animated television series Inspector Gadget begins on ABC.
• Christopher Skase purchases TVQ-0.^[34]
• Network Ten televises the 1984 Summer Olympics from Los Angeles. Also, all stations adopt a uniform on-air look for the first time.
• The first televised federal election debate takes place.

Sport

VFL

• 29 September – Essendon (14.21.105) defeat Hawthorn (12.9.81) to win the 88th VFL premiership^[35]
• Brownlow Medal awarded to Peter Moore (Melbourne)^[36]

Rugby league

• 23 September – Minor premiers Canterbury Bulldogs defeat Parramatta Eels 6–4 to win the 77th NSWRL premiership.^[37] Western Suburbs Magpies finish in last position, claiming the wooden spoon.

Other

• 25 March – Robert de Castella is Australia's only competitor at the twelfth IAAF World Cross Country Championships, staged in New York, USA. He finishes in 21st place (34:08.0) in the race over 12,086 metres.^[38]
• 10 June – Andrew Lloyd wins the men's national marathon title, clocking 2:14:36 in Sydney, while Mora Main claims the women's title in 2:46:00.^{[39] [40]}
• 6 November – Black Knight wins the Melbourne Cup.^[41]

Births

• 1 January – Michael Witt, rugby league player
• 10 January – Trent Cutler, rugby league player
• 26 January – Ryan Hoffman, rugby league player
• 7 March – Jacob Lillyman, rugby league player
• 22 March – Tara Simmons, musician (died 2019)
• 30 March – Samantha Stosur, tennis player
• 3 April – Allana Slater, gymnast
• 10 April – Peter Veness, journalist (d. 2012)
• 13 April – Kris Britt, cricketer
• 26 April – Petrina Price, high jumper
• 3 May – Jacqui Dunn, artistic gymnast^[42]
• 4 May – Kiel Brown, field hockey midfielder
• 10 May – Alana Boyd, pole vaulter
• 15 May
  • Samantha Noble, actress
  • Beau Scott, Australian rugby league player
• 31 May – Jason Smith, actor
• 3 June – Todd Reid, tennis player (died 2018)
• June 14 – Jay Lyon, actor, musician and model
• 9 July – Alexandra Croak, gymnast & diver
• 20 July – James Mackay, actor
• 24 July – Patrick Harvey, actor
• 30 July – Trudy McIntosh, artistic gymnast^[43]
• 4 September – Adam Marshall, politician
• 20 September – Jason Chatfield, artist, comedian
• 3 October – Jarrod Bannister, athlete (d. 2018)^[44]
• 8 October — Laura Wells, International Plus Sized Model and Environmentalist.
• 17 October – Michelle Ang, actress
• 30 October – Cameron Ciraldo, rugby league player and coach
• 9 November – Delta Goodrem, singer and actress
• 13 November – Jamie Soward, rugby league player
• 14 November – Courtney Johns, Australian footballer
• 25 November – Peter Siddle, cricketer
• 28 November – Andrew Bogut, basketball player
• 8 December – Tim Paine, cricketer
• 12 December
  • Sophie Edington, swimmer
  • Daniel Merrett, Australian footballer
• 25 December – Lisa and Jessica Origliasso, singer/songwriters

Deaths

• 9 January – Bob Dyer, television host (born in the United States) (b. 1909)
• 21 January – Alan Marshall, writer (b. 1902)
• 17 May – Nigel Drury, Queensland politician (b. 1911)
• 26 May – Hilda Abbott, Red Cross leader and wife of the administrator of the Northern Territory (b. 1890)
• 19 June – Sir Phillip Lynch, Victorian politician (b. 1933)
• 21 June – Denis Murphy, Queensland politician (b. 1936)
• 6 July – Mina Wylie, swimmer (b. 1891)
• 13 August – Clyde Cook, actor (b. 1891)
• 29 September – Hal Porter, author and playwright (b. 1911)
• 6 November – Kylie Maybury, murder victim (b. 1978)
• 20 December – Grace Cossington Smith, artist (b. 1892)

See also

• 1984 in Australian television
• List of Australian films of 1984

Notes and References

1. News: Malone. Paul. 18 January 1988. New leader Sinclair faces questions on credibility. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 18 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190418112011/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116385061. live.
2. News: . Jon Seiben on visit anyway. The Canberra Times. 28 January 1985. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185225/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122480628. live.
3. News: Dempsey. Shelley. 30 January 1985. 2CC chats with performers at Narara. The Canberra Times. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183051/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116387336. live.
4. News: . Rain drowns the music, and floods leave festival fans stranded in the mud. The Canberra Times. 31 January 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182630/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116387452. live.
5. News: . Teething troubles likely for Labor's newborn Medicare. The Canberra Times. 1 February 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183710/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116387586. live.
6. News: . Police to investigate allegations about judge. The Canberra Times. 3 February 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183521/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116387926. live.
7. Web site: Miller . Julie . Rocketman: Elton John’s Forgotten 1984 Wedding to Renate Blauel . Vanity Fair . 23 June 2019 . en . 24 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200924160234/https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/05/rocketman-movie-elton-john-wife-wedding-renate-blauel . live .
8. News: Coulthart . Ross . Investigation exposes the dad accused of an unsolved crime spree that killed four people . 8 September 2014 . The Sunday Telegraph . 7 July 2013 . Australia.
9. News: Malone. Paul. 7 March 1984. Judge named by Qld minister. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 14 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240714075857/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/124994472. live.
10. News: Malone. Paul. 25 March 1984. Labor back, but about 11 seats lost. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183218/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/124998794. live.
11. News: . New $100 note on Monday. The Canberra Times. 21 March 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183141/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/124997744. live.
12. Book: Sheedy, Chris . 100 Great Icons . Jenny Bond . 2006 . Random House Australia . Milsons Point, New South Wales . 978-1-74166-501-7 . 34–35 . 21 September 2016 . 11 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230911220010/https://books.google.com/books?id=OJgQh7pd8Y4C . live .
13. News: . 'Advance Australia' national anthem. The Canberra Times. 12 April 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183120/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125003111. live.
14. News: . Green and gold our official colours. The Canberra Times. 20 April 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183038/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125004945. live.
15. News: . New, shiny, $1 coin raises some eyebrows. The Canberra Times. 15 May 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184440/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126995651. live.
16. News: . NSW Assembly passes homosexuality law reform. The Canberra Times. 17 May 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183044/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126996052. live.
17. News: . Homosexuality Bill passes all stages . The Canberra Times . 19 May 1984 . 4 July 2021 . 9 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182833/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126996580 . live .
18. News: . Family Court judge's wife killed, home damaged. The Canberra Times. 5 July 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182309/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127212193. live.
19. Web site: 20 November 1985. Report of the Royal Commission into British Nuclear Tests in Australia. 17 January 2021. Australian Parliament House. 7 (PDF). 14 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240714075845/https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/publications/tabledpapers/HPP032016010928/upload_pdf/HPP032016010928.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf#search=%22publications/tabledpapers/HPP032016010928%22. live.
20. News: . Three states to join national crime body. The Canberra Times. 3 July 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183007/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127211891. live.
21. News: Waterford. Jack. 22 July 1984. Top ACT judge enters fray over 'Mr Justice Policeman'. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184208/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127215384. live.
22. News: . Mother, daughter killed in beds. The Canberra Times. 10 August 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184246/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127218988. live.
23. News: Jolly. Nathan. 1 December 2019. Why the murders of mother and daughter Margaret and Seana remain unsolved. news.com.au. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182654/https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/why-the-murders-of-mother-and-daughter-margaret-and-seana-tapp-remain-unsolved/news-story/e119219dfada953cc2c60560123ffc53. live.
24. News: Morris. Joan. 19 August 1984. Television history being made. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183455/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127220763. live.
25. News: . Seven shot dead at hotel. The Canberra Times. 3 September 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182349/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136913957. live.
26. News: Jeffrey. Brian. 2 October 1984. Archive grew out of concern for film and sound heritage. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184633/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136919537. live.
27. News: . Body of girl, 6, found in gutter. The Canberra Times. 8 November 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183229/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122527072. live.
28. News: . Jackson needed to raise money, Crown alleges. The Canberra Times. 27 November 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182946/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122530854. live.
29. News: Jones. Bruce. 26 November 1984. Peacock's 'impressive performance'. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184514/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122530771. live.
30. News: Malone. Paul. 2 December 1984. Informal vote takes icing off ALP cake. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709182543/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122531887. live.
31. News: Coyle. Kerry. 8 December 1984. Peacock, Howard returned. The Canberra Times. 4 July 2021. 14 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240714075859/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122533104. live.
32. News: . Franklin award to Winton. The Canberra Times. 15 May 1985. 1 August 2021.
33. News: . Olympics telethon aims for LA and beyond . The Canberra Times . 3 February 1984. 4 July 2021.
34. News: . Qld TV channel buyer pursuing media interest. The Canberra Times. 6 May 1984. 4 July 2021. 25 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210925235335/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/126993525. live.
35. News: . Winners at last.... The Canberra Times. 30 September 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183314/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136919091. live.
36. News: . Melbourne ruckman Peter Moore wins second Brownlow. The Canberra Times. 25 September 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183357/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136918227. live.
37. News: . Canterbury the best. The Canberra Times. 24 September 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184748/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136917959. live.
38. News: . De Castella confident despite losses. 7 April 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184554/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125001871. live.
39. Web site: Wang Australian Marathon 1984 results (page 1). . ausrunning. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709190908/https://ausrunning.net/marathon/australian-championship-1984/1. live.
40. Web site: Wang Australian Marathon 1984 results (page 3). . ausrunning. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184520/https://ausrunning.net/marathon/australian-championship-1984/3. live.
41. News: . The Melbourne Cup in pictures.... The Canberra Times. 8 November 1984. 4 July 2021. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183632/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122527191. live.
42. Web site: Jacqui Dunn . m2002.thecgf.com . 18 January 2021 . 28 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128003117/http://m2002.thecgf.com/results/default.asp?ath=2133 . dead .
43. Web site: Trudy MCINTOSH - Olympic Gymnastics Artistic Australia . Olympic.org . . en . 20 June 2016 . 23 June 2019 . 22 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190622110826/https://www.olympic.org/trudy-mcintosh . live .
44. Web site: Jarrod Bannister . Olympic.org . . 5 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161005141232/https://www.olympic.org/jarrod-bannister . live .