Meanings
- AustraliafigurativelyUsed to evoke the values of the Australian Labor Party.
1949 June 12, Ben Chifley, speech, 2009, Pamela Robson (editor), The Light on the Hill, Great Australian Speeches, unnumbered page, We have a great objective—the light on the hill—which we aim to reach by working for the betterment of mankind not only here but anywhere we may give a helping hand.
2 more examples
The traditional ethic of the fair go was resurrected, the light on the hill reignited, and the government promised that those currently unemployed would not be left to stagnate.
2002, Francis Gordon Clarke, The History of Australia, page 186Tellinglly, when asked to give an example of how he understood equality, he replied ‘I want every kid to have a desk, with a lamp, and his own room to study.’ The light on the desk replaced the light on the hill.
2009, Stuart MacIntyre, A Concise History of Australia, Third edition, page 237
Origin
Used by Ben Chifley and since adopted as a catchphrase by members of the ALP.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
light on the hill. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/light%20on%20the%20hill
“light on the hill.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/light%20on%20the%20hill. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “light on the hill,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/light%20on%20the%20hill.
Source: light on the hill on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.