Papers of Bill Morrison, 1962-1985 [manuscript]
- Bib ID:
- 1645540
- Format:
- Manuscript
- Author:
- Morrison, Bill, 1928-2013
- Related Online Resources:
- Finding aid at National Library of Australia
- Access Conditions:
- Part available for research; part Open With Exception; part not available for research. Not for loan.
- Description:
-
- [1962-1985]
- approximately 35.40 m. (208 boxes) + 1 folder.
- Summary:
-
The papers in MS 4957 document Bill Morrison's political career, 1968-1985, and his appointment as ambassador to Indonesia. They consist of files of correspondence with parliamentarians and numerous subject files. The latter cover the main policy areas of Morrison's ministerial responsibilities, his policy interests while in opposition and his participation in Joint Parliamentary Inquiries. They cover foreign affairs, defence, the environment, science and technology (research, standards, etc.), overseas aid, overseas visits, and Papua New Guinea (defence, aid, independence, etc.). The collection also contains papers on the Australian Labor Party, general policy areas like the economy, wage indexation and taxation, and Morrison's term as visiting fellow at the Australian National University (208 boxes).
The Acc10.147 instalment comprises two groups of papers relating to Morrison's diplomatic posting with the Australian Embassy, Moscow, 1961-1963. The first group comprises a series of cablegrams detailing events that led to Morrison being declared "persona non grata" by the Soviet Government and his subsequent expulsion from Moscow. The second group comprises reports prepared by Morrison relating to travel to the Baltic states and treaties between Russia and China (1 folder).
- Biography/History:
-
Politician and diplomat. William Lawrence (Bill) Morrison was a diplomat in the Department of Foreign Affairs between 1950 and 1969, with postings to London, Moscow, Washington, D.C., Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. He entered political life in 1969 and became the Labor Party member of the House of Representatives for St. George, New South Wales, in 1969-1975 and 1980-1985. In the Whitlam government, 1972-1975, he held the positions of Minister for Science, Minister for External Territories, Minister assisting the Minister for Foreign Affairs on matters relating to Papua New Guinea, and was Minister for Defence at the time of Indonesia's invasion of East Timor. From 1980-1985 Morrison was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. In 1976, he was a visiting fellow at the Australian National University's Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, and from 1979-1980 he was a research fellow at the University of New South Wales. He served as ambassador to Indonesia, 1985-1989. In the early 1990s he became a member of the Rockdale Council, Sydney. In 1988, Morrison was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the Commonwealth Parliament and to international relations.
- Notes:
- Manuscript reference no.: MS 4957, MS Acc10.147.
- Related Material:
- William Morrison interviewed by Mel Pratt; Located at; National Library of Australia Oral History collection ORAL TRC 121/81.
- Cited In:
- Guide to collections of manuscripts relating to Australia ; C1161.
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Finding aid available online.
- Subject:
-
- Morrison, Bill, 1928-2013 -- Archives
- Australia. Department of Foreign Affairs -- Officials and employees -- Archives
- Australian Labor Party -- Officials and employees -- Archives
- Politicians -- Australia -- Archives
- Ambassadors -- Australia -- Archives
- Diplomatic and consular service, Australian
- Environmental protection -- Australia
- Science and state -- Australia
- Technology and state -- Australia
- Australia -- Officials and employees -- Archives
- Australia -- Defenses
- Australia -- Foreign relations
- Australia -- Foreign relations -- Indonesia
- Australia -- Politics and government -- 1965-
- Time Coverage:
- 1962-1985
- Occupation:
- Copyright:
-
Copyright Undetermined
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- Reason for copyright status:
- A Manuscript Collection may have a range of formats and dates.
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Literary Dramatic Musical
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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