Trade Portfolios, 1977-80

Component identifier:

Series 19

Content Summary:

After the December 1977 election, Garland succeeded John Howard as Minister for Special Trade Representations. He also assisted Doug Anthony as Minister for Trade and Resources, acting in that portfolio on a number of occasions. Garland's job as Special Trade Representations Minister was in effect to head a small task force of specialists, with the aim of improving Australian access to overseas markets. A particular focus of his attention was the Europe and the European Economic Community. He negotiated a bilateral agreement between Australia and Iraq, and also visited North America, Europe and Asia.

The papers in this series have been arranged in five groupings. With the exception of the first, there has been no attempt to separate papers relating specifically to the Special Trade Representations or Trade and Resources portfolios. Much of the material in the series was created or received in Garland's Special Trade Representations role.

The bulk of the series is from the period 1978-79.

The files in this series are to be replaced and renumbered. Until this work is complete, users should exercise care to maintain the existing order of the files.

(i) Correspondence schedules, copies of correspondence (mostly outwards).

(ii) Cabinet submissions: Departmental minutes (mostly copies), drafts, briefings and other papers.

(iii) Papers on office matters including relations with other departments, finance and budgets, the economy, mining, parliament, the Liberal Party, publicity, travel, and visits by foreign dignitaries. These papers are part of an office filing system.

(iv) Papers concerning industry and business associations, the Crawford Study Group on Structural Adjustment, trade promotion and relations, multilateral trade negotiations, European Economic Community negotiations, and other topics. There are a number of briefs for overseas visits by Garland and others between 1978-80, including his attendance at the 1979 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Lusaka..

(v) Cables.

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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