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Oral histories on the topic 'ben chifley'

Meryl Hunter

Meryl Hunter

Meryl Hunter worked as a telephonist in the provisional Parliament House from 1946 to1948. She also talks about her father’s work from 1927 to the 1950s as an attendant and House Keeper, her childhood involvement in the building, and early Canberra from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Topics: Parliamentary House Keeper, House Keeper’s Flat, Frank Bishop, Jean Cross, Hotel Wellington (Canberra), Ainslie, Canberra (1930s and 1940s), Blandfordia (Canberra), parliamentary attendants, transport officers, GPO telephone exchange, telephonists, Parliament House switchboard, Leslie Haylen, Robert Menzies, Russell Vick, childhood memories of the building, the courtyards, ‘Ho Chi Minh Trail’, the Depression (1930s), Jack Pettifer, Queen’s Visit (1954), Carol (Bunty) Wright, Gordon Pike, Larry Anthony, Canberra Table Tennis Club, Wilkie’s pie cart, Ben Chifley, Bill Littlefield (chef), Arthur Calwell, Charlie Russell, Fred Keane, Michele Grattan, H V Evatt, migrants in Canberra, Aborigines in Canberra, Hotel Canberra, Mal Strachan, Jimmy O’Halloran, Masonic Lodge, Albert Hall
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Hazel Craig (1914-2013)

Born in Sydney, Hazel Craig started work in Canberra in 1934 as a member of a typists’ pool in the Prime Minister’s Department. Between 1935 and 1976, she served on the secretarial staff of five Prime Ministers: Joe Lyons, Robert Menzies, Arthur Fadden, John Curtin and Ben Chifley. She was Menzie...
Topics: A J McLachlan, Abdication (King Edward V111), Air disaster, Canberra, Alan Reid, Alexander Downer, Allen Brown, Bank nationalisation, Bankstown, Ben Chifley, Billy Hughes, Buses, Cabinet anteroom, Cabinet Room, Civic, Communist Party Dissolution Bill, Darwin, Depression 1930s, Don Rogers, Earle Page, East Block, Eileen Lenner, Eileen Lenihan, Elizabeth Chifley, Elsie Curtin, Enid Lyons, Essington Lewis, Frank Forde, Frederick Shedden, G for George campaign, Gorman House, H C Coombs, H V Evatt, Harold Cox, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Kurrajong, Ian Fitchett, Joe Lyons, John Curtin, John Latham, John Storey, Kalgoorlie, Kings Hall, London, Manuka, Marge Grosvenor, Mary Martin, Pattie Menzies, Percy Sender, Perth, Peter Heydon, Peter Isaacson, Postmaster General, Press Gallery, Prime Ministers Department, Provisional Parliament House, Rex Harrison, Richard Casey, Robert Menzies, Royal Visit 1954, Secretaries, Shorthand, Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme, Stanley Baldwin, Telephone exchange, Thelma Caswell, Transport, Typists, USA, War Cabinet, West Block, Women, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), World War Two
Brian Walshe in 2007

Brian Walshe

Brian Walshe was an attendant in the House of Representatives in the provisional Parliament House from 1980 to 1988. He remained an attendant with the Parliament until retirement in 2007. He was born at Shepparton, Victoria, in 1934.
Topics: Alan Browning, Albury, Attendants, Baniana (Victoria), Ben Chifley, Benalla (Victoria), Billy Snedden, Bob Hawke, Bonegilla, Bruce Goodluck, Canberra Fruit & Vegetables, Chicken Man incident, Commonwealth Public Service Union, Conditions of work, Dick Currie, Dick Liscombe, Dookie (Victoria), Family, Female attendants, Fred Daly, Geoff Brecht, Hansard, Harold Whitby, Holder (ACT), Hours of work, Ian Cochran, Iannelli’s, Jacob’s Foodliner, Jock Bigge, Malcolm Fraser, Matthew Walshe, McPherson & Turner, Mick Young, Neville Gathercole, New Parliament House, Norm Crawford, Pat Smith, Paul Feldsman, Paul Keating, Queanbeyan, Question Time, Retirement, Routines of work, Sarah Crabbe, Shepparton (Victoria), St Augustine’s school, Tennis, Thelma Dixon, Uniforms, Valley Potatoes, Wodonga
John Farquharson. Museum of Australian Democracy Collection.

John Farquharson

Born in 1929, John Farquharson's eminent career as a journalist led him from the Goulburn Goulburn Post in 1951 to parliamentary reporter and New South Wales State Political correspondent for Australian United Press, and then to the Federal Press Gallery, Canberra, as parliamentary reporter (1952...
Topics: AAP-Reuters, Adelaide News, Ainsley Gotto, Alan Fairhall, Alan Fraser, Alan Morehead, Alan Reid, Albert Grundy, Albert Hall, Albert Lane, Angus McLachlan, Anzac (RAN ship), Archie Cameron, Argus, Arthur Calwell, Arthur Fadden, Arthur Shakespeare, ASIO, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australian Labor Party, Australian United Press, Bankstown Observer, Ben Chifley, Bernie Freedman, Bert Birtles, Bill Bailey, Bill Burke, Bill Dovey, Bill Hardigan, Billy McMahon, Bob Armstrong, Brigadier Spry, Brown-Fitzpatrick affair, Burns Philp, Canberra, Canberra Times, Charles Meakam, Charlie Morgan, Clive Evatt, Courier-Mail, Court reporters, Cumberland Newspapers, Daily Express, Daily Telegraph, Damien Parer, David Bowman, Democratic Labour Party, Don Rogers, Don Whittington, Dorothy Tangney, East Block, Eddie Ward, Editors, Education, Elgin Reed, Eric Harrison, Eric White, Exchange Telegraph, Fairfax press, Federated Ironworkers Association, Fergan O’Sullivan, Four Corners, Frank Bishop, Frank Jost, Frank Stewart, Fred Daly, Fred Smith, George Johnston, George Neely, Gordon Bryant, Gordon Burgoyne, Gough Whitlam, Goulburn, Goulburn Evening Post, Gouzenko affair (Canada), Graham Freudenberg, H. V. Evatt, Hal Myers, Harold Holt, Hazel Craig, Heather Shakespeare, Helga Sundstrup, Hobart Mercury, Hotel Acton, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Civic, Howell Cox, Hugh Dash, Ian Fitchett, Jack Bunting, Jack Commins, Jack Pettifer, Jack Simpson, Jim Forbes, Jim Fraser, Jim McGirr, Jo Gullett, Joe Arthur, Joe Cahill, John Bennetts, John Curtin, John Dennis, John Gorton, John Kerr, John McEwen, John Pringle, Journalists, Keith Hatcher, Ken Hurdy, Ken Shapeland, Ken Slessor, Kevin Power, Khemlani Affair, Kings Hall, Labour Daily, Lady Lloyd-Jones, Lawley House, Les Dwyer, Les Heylen, Marmion Dart, Matt Mullins, Max Prisk, Michael McGeorge, Michael Thwaites, Molotov letter, New Guinea, Norm Hurley, Parramatta, Paul Hasluck, Petrov Affair, Phil Gibbs, Press conferences, Press Gallery, Press Gallery Ball, Ray Maley, Ray Utting, Reg Wright, Rick White, Rob Chalmers, Rob Fraser, Robert Macklin, Robert Menzies, Rohan Rivett, Rowley James, Royal Visit (1954), Rupert Beaumont, Rupert Lockwood, South Pacific Post, Split (Labor Party 1955), Stan Hutchinson, Stan Keon, State Aid issue, Stewart Cockburn, Sydney Morning Herald, Technology, Teleprinters, television, Telex machines, The Age, The Herald, The Midnight Thing (newsletter), The Mirror, The Sun, Things I hear (newsletter), Tobruk (RAN ship), Tom Burke, Tony Eggleton, Typewriters, Voyage disaster (1964), Wally Hamilton, Warwick Fairfax, Winton Turnbull, Work conditions
Gail Tregear

Gail Tregear

Gail Tregear, born in 1940, talks about her late father, Allan Tregear, who joined the Parliamentary service in the Senate in 1920 and was Clerk of the House of Representatives from 1955 to 1958. She also recalls memories of childhood and teenage years in the Provisional Parliament House.
Topics: Air-raid shelters, Albert Hall, Allan Tregear, Ben Chifley, Brassey House, Canada, Canberra, Canberra University College, Childhood memories, Clerks (House of Representatives), Cricket, Depression (1930s), Diaries, England, Family life, Film industry, Frederick Shedden, Gary Cooper, Golf, Hollywood, Home movies, Hong Kong, Horse races, House of Commons (UK), Illustrated London News (newspaper), John Curtin, Joint House Department, Kensington, Liberal Party, Malcolm Moir, Marriage, Mugga Way, Munitions, Nellie Melba, Opening ceremony 1927, Parliament House (Melbourne), Parliamentary Service, Phillip Island, Politics, Port Melbourne, Punch (magazine), Queanbeyan, Railways, Red Hill, Religion, Robert Garran, Robert Menzies, Saturday Evening Post (newspaper), Tennis, United States of America, University of Melbourne
Morrie Adamson

Morrie Adamson (1926-2013)

Morrie Adamson, born 1926 in Queanbeyan, NSW, worked at Old Parliament House between 1964 and 1986, initially as Secretary to the Public Works Committee and subsequently as Secretary to a number of HOR standing and select committees. He became Senior Parliamentary Officer supervising HOR Committe...
Topics: Aboriginal Affairs Committee, Aboriginal protests, Acton, ad hoc committees, Administrative and Clerical Offices, Allan Fairhall, Andrew Peacock, annex, Arthur Calwell, Arthur Higgins, Australian National University, Ayers Rock, Bauxite, beef roads (Northern Territory), Ben Chifley, Bernie Harris, Bert Kelly, Bill Brimble, Bill Stanner, Bill Wentworth, Billy O’Connor, Black Mountain tower, Bob Fulton, Bob Hawke, Bob Thompson, Bryan Harvey, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Cabinet, Cabinet Room, Camp Hill, Canberra, Canberra High School, Canberra Times, Canberra University College, Commerce degree, committee secretaries, Committee system, Committees Secretariat, Commonwealth Department of Works, Commonwealth Parliament Association, David Reid, David Smith, Democracy, Demonstrations, Department of Administrative Services, Department of Civil Aviation, Department of Territories, Dick Hillier, Don Piper, Doug Anthony, Doug Blake, Duntroon, Edgar Prowse, Environment and Conservation Committee, Felix Dittmer, Fred Chaney, George Branson, George Henry Rottenverry, George White, gold mining, Gordon Pike, Gordon Scholes, Gough Whitlam, Gove Alumina, Government printing offices, Hansard staff, Harold Holt, Harold White, Harry Jenkins, HMAS Cerberus, Hotel Acton, Hotel Canberra, House of Representatives, Ian Emerton, Jack Marshall, John Button, John Ferguson, John Gunn, John Howes, John Knight, John Langmore, John Overall, Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory, Joint House Department, Ken Fry, Kerry Clancy, Kingston, Len Bosman, Liberal Party, Linguists, Lionel Murphy, Malcolm Fraser, Maldon (Victoria), Manfred Cross, Manuka Swimming Pool, Margaret Reid, Max Neutze, Methodist Overseas Mission, Military service (WW2), National Capital Development Commission, National Library, National Mint, National Parks, New and Permanent Parliament House Committee, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, Parliament House, Paul Hasluck, Phillip Lynch, Phillip Ruddock, President Johnson’s visit (1966), Press Gallery, Prime Minister’s Department, Program officers, Project managers, Public Accounts Committee, Public Works Committee, Queanbeyan, Ralph Hunt, Raymond Court, Records officers, Reggie Wright, Retirement, Road Safety Committee, Robert Menzies, Roy Bullock, Royal Australian Navy, Rupert Myers, Security, Senate, senior parliamentary officers, Serjeant-at-arms, Softwood and Forestry Agreement Acts, statutory committees, stonemasons, Ted Egan, Telopea Park Primary School, The Dismissal (11 November 1975), Tom Uren, Tony Lamb, Transcripts, Travels for work, Tullamarine airport, Uluru, War Cabinet, West Block, Whitlam government, William Holford, Wilson Tuckey, World War Two, Yirrkala people
Stephen Mills

Stephen Mills

Stephen Mills was born in Victoria in 1954. From 1977 to 1983 he worked in the Parliamentary Press Gallery as a reporter for The Age. In 1986 he joined Prime Minister Bob Hawke's staff as a speech writer, a position he held until 1991 when he rejoined the Parliamentary Press Gallery working for t...
Topics: Aboriginal Tent Embassy, Alan Reid, Albury Border Mail, Alex Zubrzycki, Alistair Drysdale, Amanda Buckley, ANU, APEC, Arthur Calwell, Australian Associated Press, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australian Financial Review, Australian Journalists’ Association, Australian Labor Party, Authors, Bachelor of Arts, Barrie Cassidy, Bathurst (NSW), Be Just and Fear Not (book), Beaufort (Victoria), Ben Chifley, Bill Hartley, Bill Hayden, Bill Kelty, Blanche d’Alpuget, Bob Hawke, Bob Sorby, Brian Toohey, Brotherhood of St Lawrence, Bruce Juddery, Canberra, Canberra Times, Caravaners, Carol Thatcher, cassette tape recorders, Cathleen Frankovic, Chelsea, Children in poverty (speech), Chris Conybeare, Cigarette smoking, clergy, Clyde Holding, Cole Parks, Commonwealth Fund of New York, Craig Emerson, Creighton Burns, Croatia, Curly (nickname), Dennis Richardson, Dorothy Scurry, Editors, Election campaigns, England, Fairfax newspapers, Family background, Farmhouse Creek (Tasmania), Farrago (newspaper), Football, Franklin Dam decision, Gareth Evans, Gary Hart, Geelong, Geelong Grammar, Geoff Kitney, Geoff Walsh, Geoffrey Yeend, George Gear, George Schultz, George Zubrzycki, Glasnost, Golden Age Hotel, Gorbachev, Graham Evans, Graham Freudenberg, Graham McDougall, Graham Perkin, Graham Richardson, Grant Nile, Greg Hywood, Hansard, Harkness Fellowship, Harvard University, Heather Ewart, Hebrew University, Helen O’Neil, History degree, House of Representatives, Hunter S. Thompson, Ian McPhee, Ian Sinclair, Ian Wilson, Imre Salusinszky, Inverleigh State School, Israel, Jacaranda Press, Jean Sinclair, Jerry Noonan, Jesse Jackson, Jill Saunders, Jim Cairns, Joe Napolitan, John Barton, John Bowen, John Carrick, John Edwards, John Gorton, John Hewson, John Jost, John Kerin, John Mills, Journalism, Journalists, Judith Hoare, Kate Legge, Keating-Hawke challenge, Ken Wriedt, Kennedy School of Government, King’s Hall, Laurie Oakes, Lazlo’s canteen, Liz Dale, Lloyd O’Neil, Lobbyists, Lou Cullen, Malcolm Fraser, Manuka Travel Lodge, Margaret Guilfoyle, market research, Master of Public Administration, Melbourne, Melbourne Sun, Michael Mackellar, Michelle Grattan, Mick Young, Micro-cassettes, Middle East, Mike Codd, Mike Pezzullo, Moscow, Mungo McCallum, Nagra recorders, National Press Club, National U (newspaper), Neville Wran, New Delhi, New Guinea, New Parliament House, News Ltd., Nigel Balfe, Nigel Wilson, Non-Members’ Bar, Old Melbourne Stock Exchange, Overseas trvael, Ozzie Meneghello, Palestine, Pandora Livanes, Patrick Walters, Paul Keating, Paul Kelly, Peggy Noonan, Peninsula Boys’ School Mt Eliza (Victoria), Perestroika, Pete Steedman, Peter Abeles, Peter Harris, Peter Hollingworth, Peter Smark, Politics, Press Gallery, Primaries (USA), Prime Minister’s Office, Question Time, Rajiv Gandhi, Ranald McDonald, Red Hill (ACT), Rex Connor, Richard Wirthlin, Rod Kemp, Rod Sim, Rolling Stone (magazine), Ronald Reagan, Ross Garnaut, Russel Barton, Russian Jews, Sandy Hollway, Scott Milson, Seamus Dawes, Security, Senate, Shorthand, Simon Balderstone, Simon Crean, Simon Nash, SOCOG, South Korea, Speech writers, staffers, Steve Lewis, Steve Sedgwick, Steven Nesbitt, Stuart Harris, student journalism, Sydney, Sydney Morning Herald, Technology, Telex, Tennant Creek (NT), The Age, The Australian, The Bulletin, The New Machine Men (book, 1986), Tim Dodd, Tom Mockridge, Tony Abbott, Tony Walker, Typewriters, United States, University of Melbourne, US-Australia alliance, Vietnam War, Wal Merryman, Walter Mondale, Washington, Wayne Swan, White Australia policy, Wine and Brandy Producers’ Association, Writers
Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley (nee Hyde) speaks about her early associations with the provisional Parliament House, through working as a typist in the early 1950s to her husband Rob Chalmers’ long involvement with the Press Gallery as a journalist. Mrs. Hindley's daughter, Susan Pitt (nee Chalmers) sat in on th...
Topics: Aborigines, Adam Ingram & Son (Manuka, ACT), Air raid shelters, Alan Curtis, American servicemen (in Sydney), Archie Cameron, Arnott’s Biscuit factory, Australian Labor Party, Australian Press Services, Ballet Russes, Ballroom dancing, Barbara Brooks, Beauticians, Ben Chifley, Bill Dovey, Bill Lascott, Bill McMahon, Boarding houses, Bob Hawke, Bondi (Sydney), Brisbane Line (World War 2), Cold War, Communist Party of Australia, Daily Mirror (newspaper), David Fairbairn, Diplomats, Domestic Science, Don Whitington, Dot Moll [?], Dover Heights, High School (Sydney), Eda Hollitt, Election campaign (Labor, 1972), Family background, Faye Brooks, Federal Golf Club, Fred Coleman, George Kerr, Golf, Greg Hyde, Hairdressing college (Sydney), Harold Holt, Hastings Deering (Sydney), Havelock House, Hostels, Hotel Civic, Hugh Burn, Jack Commins, Joan Commins, John Gorton, John McEwen, Journalists, Journalists Ball (Canberra), Kevin Power, King’s Hall, Laddie Hindley, Lascott’s School of Ballroom Dancing, Lawley House, Les Love, Little Pattie, Madam Gossamer, Marcia Cain, Margaret Whitlam, Marriage, Melbourne Cup, Mick Burn, Mike Willesee, Mining engineers, Mount Isa (Qld), Narrabundah (ACT), New Norfolk (mental hospital, Tasmania), New Zealand, Peter Whitney, Press Gallery, Prime Minister’s Department, Primrose Coleman, Provisional Parliament House, Public Service Board, Ray Maley, Religion, Richard Carlton, Rob Chalmers, Robert Menzies, Ron McCawley, Rosa Hyde, Royal Canberra Golf Club, Rugby Union (North Island, New Zealand), Russia, Ruth Fairbairn, Sheila Phelan, Socialism, Susan Pitt, Sydney, Sydney High School, Tamie Fraser, Ted Cain, The Lodge, The Wellington (hotel), Wally Brooks, William Slim, World War Two, Zara Holt
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

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