Guides: Archives and Special Collections: Chris Hurford

Chris Hurford Collection

Access Conditions

Location: City West Campus - Jeffrey Smart Building, Level 4

Loan: Not for loan

Access & Further Information: Please contact the Ask the Library

Search: Chris Hurford Collection in the UniSA Library Archives

Collection Overview

The Chris Hurford Collectio n includes personal papers, lecture notes, exam papers, correspondence, speeches, photographs, research files and papers, newspaper clippings, audiovisual material and realia. The collection covers the time period from Hurford's days as a student through to his retirement from Federal parliament.

The collection was previously held by the National Archives of Australia and was transferred to the UniSA Library in 2001.

Biography

The Hon Chris J. Hurford, AO, studied at the London School of Economics and worked as an accountant before he entered parliament in 1969, as Member for the House of Representatives for Adelaide. He held this seat until his retirement in 1987.

Hurford's political career included serving as a Labor Shadow Minister for seven years and a Minister of the Hawke Government for five years. Hurford was the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs between 1984 and 1987 and the Minister for Community Services in 1987. One of Hurford's major contributions was developing a skills-based immigration policy to help build the economy.

Hurford resigned from politics in 1987 and served as Australia’s Consul General in New York for four years. Since retirement, Hurford has continued his interest in political matters, particularly Australian Constitutional Reform.