Graham Freudenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1934-05-12)12 May 1934 Brisbane,Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 26 July 2019(2019-07-26) (aged 85) Bribie Island,Queensland, Australia |
| Occupations | Journalist, author and speechwriter |
| Years active | 1952–2010 |
| Known for | Speechwriter to a number of leaders of theAustralian Labor Party, |
| Notable work | "It's Time" speech forGough Whitlam |
Norman Graham FreudenbergAM (/ˈfruːdənbɜːrɡ/; 12 May 1934 – 26 July 2019) was an Australian journalist, author and political advisor andspeechwriter who worked with theAustralian Labor Party for over forty years, beginning when he was appointedArthur Calwell'spress secretary in June 1961.
Freudenberg was born inBrisbane, Queensland.[1] He was ofJewish origin.[2] His father was a soldier who fought atGallipoli and, being a patriot, he named his son after a former colonialgovernor of Queensland, Field Marshall SirHenry Norman.[3] Freudenberg was educated at theChurch of England Grammar School in Brisbane.[4] He then studied journalism inMelbourne and worked for some years with theMelbourne Sun.[5]
He wrote the documentaryThis Is Television (1960).[6]
Freudenberg wrote over a thousand speeches for several leaders of theAustralian Labor Party at both thefederal andstate level, representing New South Wales.[7]
Senior Labor Party leaders for whom he prepared speeches includedArthur Calwell,Gough Whitlam,Neville Wran,Bob Hawke,Barrie Unsworth,Bob Carr andSimon Crean.[8] He was "centrally involved" in policy speeches for fourteen federal elections and nine New South Wales State Elections.[9] Freudenberg was principal speechwriter for the leading campaign"It's Time" speech that Labor leader Gough Whitlam presented at the launch of the Labor campaign for the1972 Australian federal election.[10]
In 1990 he was appointed a Member of theOrder of Australia (AM) in recognition of "services to journalism, to parliament, and to politics".[11]
From 1995 to 1998 he served on the council of theNational Library of Australia.[12]
In June 2005, Freudenberg was inducted as a lifetime member of theAustralian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch).[13]
He won the 2009Walkley Book Award forChurchill and Australia.[14]
He lived in retirement onBribie Island, Queensland.[9] Freudenberg died on 26 July 2019, aged 85, after a long illness.[15]
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