Subject Files, 1953-80

Component identifier:

Series 7

Content Summary:

This large series of 63 boxes contains papers mostly received from Garland's Perth office. Most span the period from his time as a Minister in the McMahon government up to 1980. There are different sequences of material; some reflect office filing systems, while other papers were kept by Garland's staff for research and reference. There is a wide variety of topics, ranging from Cabinet policy to routine electoral matters. Documents represented include Cabinet and departmental papers (mostly 1971-72), correspondence, copies of articles, cuttings and other printed matter, notes and typescripts by Garland and his staff. There are also papers on the attempted defection of Russian violinist Georgi Ermolenko in 1974, and a libel suit brought against Garland by Senator Syd Negus in the same year.

This series consists of six groups of material, arranged as follows:

(i) Research system. This numbered sequence of files has both subject and personal arrangement. Most papers are in the period 1971-75, and a substantial number are Departmental and Cabinet papers relating to Supply and Treasury matters during 1971-72. The largest subject groups within this system are under the headings Economy, Foreign Affairs, Defence, Attorney-General and Social Security. (files 1 to 388)

(ii) Office papers and subject files. The original order of these files is unknown. (files 389 to 464)

(iii) (iv) Two sequences of files received from Perth office. Papers on the Ermolenko defection incident are in files 469-475. (files 465 to 487)

(v) Miscellaneous subject files and office research/ reference material. (files 488-590)

(vi) Files concerning a libel writ brought by Senator Syd Negus against Garland and the Weekend news newspaper in 1974. (files 591 to 596)

Copies of original office file lists pertaining to subject files in sub-series (i), (iii) and (iv) have been placed in file 597. These lists provide an indication of the original office filing systems.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The first instalments of the Garland Papers were presented to the Library by Victor Garland in 1975. Between 1976 and 1981 eight further instalments of papers were received from Garland's Perth electorate office and his office in Parliament House, Canberra. Further papers were received from Sir Victor in London in 1993.

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