Don Dunstan: A Shorts Story

In this clip Dr Amy Morrison, Curator at the Centre of Democracy, talks about Don Dunstan wearing his famous pink shorts into parliament on 22 November 1972, and what this has come to represent in political history.

Don Dunstan is perhaps South Australia's best known politician. Premier of South Australia from 1967-68 and 1970-79, much has been written about his fashion choices, but his trail-blazing time in Parliament was notable for far more than his pink shorts. Dunstan led significant reforms, including in the areas of sex discrimination, Aboriginal land rights and consumer protection. He was a passionate advocate for social justice, arts, and education. Drinking laws were relaxed, protections were introduced in labour laws and welfare. Homosexuality, sex acts between consenting men over 21 years old, was decriminalised in 1975.