Guide to the Papers of Ian Wilson, 1958-1992

Summary

Collection number:

MS Acc10.208

Creator:

Ian B. C. Wilson

Extent:

14.25 metres and (92 boxes + 1 folio box)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Ian Wilson, National Library of Australia, MS Acc10.208, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Part available for research; part Open With Exception. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The Ian Wilson Papers document his years as Federal Member for Sturt in South Australia (1966-69 and 1973-93), his service as Minister and Shadow Minister and on Parliamentary committees, and his interest in policy and reform in a number of areas, notable taxation, family and social policy and constitutional affairs. There are extensive files relating to election campaigns, speeches, press cuttings, minutes and agendas of committees, some correspondence, and source documents and background papers. Official papers relating to Wilson's ministerial offices have been deposited with the National Archives of Australia.

Biographical Note:

The Hon. Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson was born 2 May 1932, the son of Sir Keith and Lady Elizabeth (nee Bonython) Wilson, and educated at St Peter's College, the University of Adelaide (LL.B) and Oxford University (B.C.L) (South Australian Rhodes Scholar 1955). On his return to Adelaide he was admitted as a barrister, solicitor, proctor and attorney of the Supreme Court and became a partner in the law firm of Genders Wilson and Partners (1958).

Wilson was involved in politics from his University years and was the first State President (1951-54) of the South Australian Young Liberals. In 1959 he stood unsuccessfully as the Liberal candidate for the Federal electorate of Adelaide. In 1966 he was elected to the House of Representatives for the Sturt electorate, previously held (from 1955) by his father, K.C. Wilson. He lost the seat at the 1969 election but was re-elected in 1972 and successfully contested nine subsequent elections to hold the seat until his retirement in 1993.

From 1968 Wilson was a member of various Parliamentary Party Committees (Social Services, Urban and Community Affairs, Federal Affairs, Community Services Social Security, Banking Finance and Public Administration) and Parliamentary delegations. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister from November 1980 to March 1981, as Minister for Home Affairs and Environment (March 1981-May 1982) and as both Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister Assisting the Minister for Social Security between May 1982 and March 1983. He was also a Member of the Advisory Council for Inter-Government Relations from May 1978-June 1981.

Throughout his Parliamentary career Wilson was an advocate for tax and social security reform, and had a special interest in income security for the aged, aged health care and nursing homes and in Commonwealth, State and Local Government relations and constitutional issues.

These papers reflect those interests and Wilson's involvement in social security and services, urban affairs, Aboriginal affairs and Federalism/Federal affairs arising from his Ministerial appointments and his membership of Parliamentary Party Committees and Opposition task forces. The papers also document his involvement in the Liberal Party from his University years, his election campaigns from 1958, and his activities as the Federal member for Sturt from 1966.

Immediate Source of Acquisition:

The papers were created and maintained by Ian Wilson and donated to the National Library by him in 2010.

Arrangement:

The original order of these papers had been much disturbed and many files were untitled or bore no clear relationship to tiles ascribed, and papers on the same subject were found widely scattered. As a result, most of the 'series' have been artificially created, as has the order within them (and within some individual files). Multiple copies of speeches, reports etc., printed papers of conferences and a large quantity of working papers (particularly in relation to taxation reform) were not taken into the collection: however, there are still minimally sorted papers and likely duplication in some series (particularly 11 and 12).

Indexed terms

Names:

Ian B. C. Wilson

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn5178819).

Conditions Governing Use:

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Ian Wilson, National Library of Australia, MS Acc10.208, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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