Subject files, 1945-59

Component identifier:

Series 12

Content Summary:

Throughout his term as a federal member, Osborne maintained a series of subject files on various topics of interest. Many of these relate to Osborne's membership in numerous parliamentary committees, including Defence Services Committee, United Nations Charter Revision Convention Committee, Tactics Against Communism Committee and Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The diverse range of subjects documented in this series includes communism, foreign affairs, industrial arbitration, trade unions, the stevedoring industry, banking legislation, taxation concessions for church and independent schools, and the 1951 Boyer Television Report. The papers relating to foreign affairs include correspondence regarding Osborne's visits to Papua New Guinea and Malaya during 1950-58, and correspondence regarding South-East Asian - Australian relations. There are also papers relating to Osborne's membership in the Round Table Group, although these are not comprehensive.

Among the correspondents are Lord Casey, W. C. Wentworth, Harold Holt, Dudley Fowler, George McLeay, Donald McKay, Sir Alexander Downer, Sir John Carrick, Sir Frank Packer, Sir Robert Menzies, Arthur Calwell, Sir Arthur Fadden, Sir Eric Harrison, Sir Allen Fairhall, and Sir Paul Hasluck.

The files include such material as correspondence, minutes of meetings, committee reports, research reports, newspaper cuttings and press statements, research material and handwritten notes, including notes for speeches on these topics. The papers within each folder are generally arranged in chronological order. Printed material regarding the Foreign Affairs Committee is contained in series 3.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Frederick Osborne presented the first instalment of his papers to the Library in 1973, and a second instalment was received from him in 1995.

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