Liberal Party, 1948-75

Component identifier:

Series 13

Content Summary:

Osborne was elected to Parliament as the Liberal Member for Evans in 1949. The correspondence in this series dates from his early years as a parliamentarian, through to his defeat in the 1961 election, and his subsequent period of service on the State Executive of the NSW Liberal Party. The papers, arranged chronologically, include correspondence, memoranda, minutes and research bulletins.

The papers dating from Osborne's time as Member for Evans include general Liberal Party correspondence with the General Secretary Sir John Carrick, other Liberal Party members, and Evans electorate branches. The correspondence documents Liberal Party policies and general election arrangements, and such subjects as industrial relations, television, trade unions, immigration, defence, and communism.

As a member of the State Executive, Osborne corresponded with other senior members of the Liberal Party regarding federal and state party funding, Commonwealth/State relations, coalition with the Australian Country Party, policy speeches, invitations, candidates, campaign publicity and costs, electorate divisions, electorate conferences, and the party leadership. The series includes memoranda exchanged with Carrick on the restructuring of the Party and reform of the NSW Legislative Council. During this time Osborne was a member of the Staff Planning Committee, State Finance Committee and Steering Committee.

The major correspondents include Carrick, Sir Frank Packer, Sir William Spooner, Sir Robert Cotton, Harold Holt, Lyle Moore, Sir Robert Menzies, Sir Philip McBride, Sir Daniel McVey, Charles Lloyd Jones, John Pagan, Charles Locke, Sir Robert Southey, Robin Askin, William McMahon, and James Wolfensohn.

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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