Table 2. Who is this ‘we’?

Primary referent	Examples	N Uses by successful candidates	N Uses by unsuccessful candidates	N Total uses
Nation	“We need workers with hand, heart and head if we are to become a great nation.” (Robert Menzies, 1954)	1337	798	2135
	“We have more sheep than any other country in the world; and those, thanks to the enterprise, foresight, and patriotism of those engaged in the industry, produce the best merino wool in the world.” (Billy Hughes, 1922)	(62.6%)	(37.4%)
Government	“We must address the ageing of our population and we must balance our need for economic growth with protection of our precious environment.” (John Howard, 2004)	1670	389	2059
	“Fellow Australians, we have fulfilled the fundamental pledge we made to you twenty-one months ago — to bring Australians together in the great task of recovery from the economic crisis which then confronted our nation.” (Bob Hawke, 1984)	(81.1%)	(18.9%)
Political party	“Unlike Labor, we know that governments have no money of their own to spend — only taxpayers' money.” (Malcolm Fraser, 1980)	1891	1857	3748
	“The Labor Party's policy is constructive. We are not out to destroy, but to build up.” (James Scullin, 1934)	(50.5%)	(49.5%)
Other	“For me, that's not just a policy. It's a personal commitment. Janine and I have got a great, big mortgage. We live in a mortgage belt street. We come from a mortgage belt community.” (Mark Latham, 2004)	91	51	142
	“As individuals, we only get what we can pay for.” (Joseph Lyons, 1937)	(64.1%)	(35.9%)
Total		4989	3095	8084
		(61.7%)	(38.3%)

Primary referent, examples, and uses of “we” and “us” in official election campaign speeches by successful and unsuccessful Australian Prime Ministerial candidates since 1901.

Notes: Because George Reid did not deliver an election campaign speech in 1901 and because to date no transcript has been located for Andrew Fisher's election campaign speech in 1910, the overall sample size is reduced to N = 84. Percentages of total count within category are indicated in parenthesis.