The New South Wales Branch of the A.L.P. has taken some initiatives to stimulate interest in its history and hopefully increase the primary and secondary sources of its history.
- Graham Freudenherg – Official Centenary Historian Graham will produce a short history of the Branch for the Labor Centenary. Ken Turner and Jim Hagan have also expressed interest in writing a fuller history for the National Bicentennial.
- Chifley Prize The NSW Branch will award annua1 prizes of $750, $500 and $250 for undergraduate essays on the Labor Party.
- Biennial Conference of Labor Historians The NSW Branch will sponsor a Conference for al1 people currently writing on the Labor Party, Le., academics.,journalists or others. The first Conference wil1 be held in May 1984.
- W R Coulbourne Library A tentative budget of $30,000 over three years has been approved for a library at the NSW Branch Office to house primary documents and study facilities.
- Oral Histories There is a crying need for oral histories of the NSW Branch, as no official records exist prior to 1953. ANYONE who can interview individuals, or provide suggestions for prospective interviewees with questions, or provide existing interview tapes for duplication, 3hould contact the NSW Branch Office. Further details can be obtained from Tom Whee1wright, NSW Euucation and Research Officer, Ph: 264 2732.