What did a ‘fair go’ originally mean to Australians?

ABSTRACT ‘Fair go’ is one of the most pervasive and enduring expressions in Australian cultural and political discourse. While the phrase is routinely used by politicians, commentators and scholars, no one has systematically studied what a fair go originally meant to Australians. A mixed-method textual analysis of all Australian newspaper mentions of ‘fair go’ before Federation was conducted to determine the dominant values associated with the expression and the contexts in which it was used. The data show the fair go phrase mainly referred to striving for success in sporting competition, the pursuit of power in politics and civil society, and conformity to norms and rules in sport and legal matters. This historical analysis contributes knowledge about the social and political values associated with Australia’s ‘fair go tradition’ and provides a framework and methodology for further research to trace the evolution of a key component of Australian political discourse.