Other politics collections
Published material
Australian politics and government
The Library has actively collected biography and memoir with a focus on prime ministers, World War II leaders, political parties and the men and women of Australian politics.
The Library Rare Books collection also includes books covering the history of the Australian colonies, the development of the Australian Commonwealth, Royal Commissions, parliamentary government and the Australian Constitution.
John Dawkins collection
Photo by Garry Hanson, Auspic
The Hon. John Dawkins AO (born 1947) was a West Australian Labor politician elected to the House of Representatives (Tangney) in 1974, a seat he lost after only one year. In 1977 he was elected as the Member for Fremantle, which he held until retiring in 1994. In the Hawke Government he served variously as Minister for Finance; Trade; Public Service Matters; assisting the Prime Minister for Youth Affairs; and Employment, Education and Training (1987-1991), then as Treasurer in the Keating Government from 1991-1993.
The collection relates to Dawkins’ terms in Parliament.
Geoff Gallop collection
The Hon. Dr Geoff Gallop (born 1951) was elected to the WA Legislative Assembly (Victoria Park) for the Labor Party in 1986. He became the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 until 2006. Following his resignation from parliament he took up the position of Professor and Director of the Graduate School of Government at the University of Sydney.
The collection focuses on Dr Gallop’s years in the West Australian Parliament and reflects his interests in Labor Party history, electoral reform and the Australian Republic Movement.
Hazel Hawke collection
Hazel Hawke (1929-2013) was the wife of Australia’s 23rd Prime Minister, Robert J (Bob) Hawke. The Hawkes lived in Melbourne during Bob Hawkes early career with the Australian Council of Trade Unions, before he was elected Federal Member for Wills for the Labor Party. The Hawkes lived in Canberra from when Hawke became Prime Minister in 1983, until he lost the leadership of the party in 1991.
The collection is predominantly related to Hazel Hawke’s activities as the wife of Prime Minister Bob Hawke and reflects her particular interests in social issues, music and the arts. Together with official records relating to her duties, it also includes private papers, family photographs, and Hazel Hawke’s personal library.
Carmen Lawrence collection
Dr Carmen Lawrence (born 1948) was the first woman to become Premier of Western Australia (1990-1993). As a member of the Labor Party she was first elected to the WA Legislative Assembly (Subiaco) in 1986. She resigned from the WA parliament in 1994 and then won the federal seat of Fremantle, which she held until 2007. The Carmen Lawrence Collection relates to her time in the West Australian Parliament. Most papers date from her term as Premier.
Alexander McCallum collection
Alex McCallum (1877-1937) was a West Australian Labor politician (Member for Fremantle), General Secretary of the Australian Labour Federation, and Director of the Westralian Worker. He was elected to the WA Parliament in 1921, where he held several ministerial portfolios, and served as Deputy Premier, until 1935.
The collection reflects McCallum’s political career, duties as a West Australian government minister, and family interests. This large collection of papers includes newspaper cuttings, souvenirs of the centenary of the cities of Fremantle and Perth, invitations from the Royal Visits of 1927 and 1934, and many photographs taken on travels in Western Australian, interstate and overseas, from 1913 to 1934.
DFAT Papers: Records from research for the ‘Documents on Australian Foreign Policy’ series
This collection includes about 80 metres of records created by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), transferred to the JCPML by the National Archives of Australia and DFAT. These records comprise the working papers accumulated in the course of preparing the 16-volume publication Documents of Australian Foreign Policy 1937-1949
The research potential of these records is significant as only about 10% of the working papers were used in the published volumes and the contents and subjects covered are broad – from war cabinet agenda and minutes to major world events such as Hitler’s peace offensive, the fall of France, appeals to Roosevelt, war crimes, refugees, Imperial Defence, League of Nations, post war planning, and Pacific rim events concerning Japan, New Guinea, Timor and US Pacific interests.