MS 8725 comprises various papers relating to Richard Hall's career in politics and his career as an author and journalist. The papers are arranged in 36 series. Series 1-11 pertain to Hall's published works and include research material relating to The makers and the breakers, The secret state, The real John Kerr, Greed, Disorganised crime, A spy's revenge, Costello, Noumea, The Rhodes scholar spy, The untold story: Labor in rural N.S.W., and National security and the agent. Series 12-14 include research notes relating to unpublished works and writings such as Ezra Norton, Coleman book, and Bailey. Other writings include plays, television typescripts and various journalistic articles for publication.
Series 15-17 cover Hall's political career and include correspondence and research material relating to his work for Gough Whitlam, Gordon Bryant and Kep Enderby. The 1972, 1974 and 1977 federal election papers are included. Series 18-20 contain miscellaneous papers relating to the Australian Institute of Political Science, Rosemary Creswell Publications, Australian Society of Authors, Writers in the Park, Australian Authors' Fund, South Africa Defence and Aid Fund in Australia, and Freedom from Hunger. Some correspondence is included (132 boxes, 3 fol. boxes).
Political adviser, journalist and author. Richard Victor Hall was born in 1937 and grew up in Sydney where he attended St Aloysius College and later the University of Sydney. Hall worked initially as a journalist for The Bulletin during the 1960s and subsequently wrote for many newspapers and magazines such as the Sydney morning herald, Australian, Australian financial review, Guardian (United Kingdom), Age monthly review and New statesman. He was the author of biographies and non-fiction works that focus on the worlds of politics, crime and espionage. He also wrote crime thrillers and several plays, some of which have been publicly performed.
During the 1960s and 1970s Hall worked in politics, as press secretary for Gough Whitlem and ministerial assistant to Gordon Bryant (the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs) and Kep Enderby (the Minister for Manufacturing). In 1973, he was one of the founding members of the Australia Council's Literature Board and, in 1975, as founding chairman of the Australian Authors' Fund, he oversaw the establishment of Public Lending Right. In 1976, he was appointed to the Cultural Affairs Advisory Body by New South Wales Premier, Neville Wran, and, with Donald Horne, was involved in establishing the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards. Hall died in Sydney in 2003.
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