Summary heading
Prime Ministers' Papers Project.
Function and purpose
The series comprises speech files maintained by William McMahon's Ministerial staff during the periods when he was, successively, Minister for Labour and National Service, Treasurer and Minister for External Affairs. Most of the files cover his time as Treasurer (1966-1969). The files include correspondence, briefing material, historical notes, reports, press releases, travel itineraries, programs, speech drafts and final copies, newscuttings, publications and photographs.
The speeches were given to business groups, branches of the Liberal Party, religious and other organisations. The occasions varied considerably and frequently involved interstate travel. Subjects covered in the speeches include the Australian economy, employment, industrial relations, accountancy, manufacturing industry, conscription, education, Liberal Party, Communism, South East Asia and other international issues.
Related legislation
Using the series
Language of material
Physical characteristics
System of arrangement and control
The speeches are essentially arranged in chronological order, with a single number system imposed on the series by Ministerial staff in late 1969 or early 1970. This appears to have been done as part of a culling process of a larger number of files, accounting for some gaps in the sequence. Those files with an 'A' suffix have been intersorted in an attempt to maintain the chronological order. A few files, previously unnumbered, have been allocated a number within the system by National Archives.
Relationships with other records
Finding aids
Access conditions
Subject to the Archives Act 1983.
Series history
The series registration was completed in August 2001 as part of the Prime Ministers' Papers Project.
Provenance
The Minister's Office within the Departments of Labour and National Service, the Treasury and External Affairs.
Immediate source of acquisition
The records in this series were transferred to archival custody by the Department of Foreign Affairs on 19 July 2001.
Custodial history
Quantity in agency custody
Disposal history
Publication note
Additional information
End notes
Sources