Harry Christian Giese Collection
Harry Christian Giese AM MBE (1913-2000) made a major contribution to health and education in the Northern Territory. He played a key role in the establishment of the Menzies School of Health Research, bringing together stakeholders, the NT government, the University of Sydney, the Menzies Foundation and the embryo Northern Territory University, to organise the now-thriving School meeting the challenges of living in tropical and arid regions, and improving the health of Indigenous Australians.
Giese was a passionate Territorian, advocating and working towards self-government for the Northern Territory, and helping formulate policy and programs after it was won in 1978. He also became the Territory's first Ombudsman. A member of the Darwin community from 1954, he came to the Territory to build what became the largest department of the Northern Territory Administration, the Welfare Branch, and with fellow reformers help create the infrastructure of modern life from the ruins of World War II.
He was the longest-serving member of the NT Legislative Council, from 1954-73. Born in Greenbushes, Western Australia, Harry Giese was the descendant of a German family which arrived in Australia in the 1870s. Educated at the Universities of Western Australia and Melbourne, from 1944-47 he was Queensland's first Director of Physical Education, after military service and a similar job in WA. He then worked in Canberra for the Public Service Board and in 1954 was appointed to the newly-created job of NT Director of Welfare. He served the Administration until 1973, in "arduous and controversial" roles at the centre of Australian federal government policy.
This collection reflects his 50-year dedication to establishing and building Territory community organisations and working with fellow citizens to build groups operated and managed by the community itself. Director of Welfare, Northern Territory Administration, 1954-73; Founding Chairman, NT Committee and Member, National Executive, Menzies Foundation, 1979-85; Member, Menzies School of Health Board, 1985-95, Deputy-Chairman, 1987-95; Legislative Council of the Northern Territory, 1954-73; Special Advisor and Consultant to NT Chief Minister and NT Assembly, 1976-80; Chairman, History Unit, 1980-82. Foundation President and Life Member of community organizations including Royal Life Saving Society, Carpentaria Disability Services, Royal Institute of Public Administration, NT Rugby Union, Wanderers Football Club, NT Historical Society, Darwin Probus Club.
ProvenanceRecords donated by the Giese family and arranged by CDUCreatorGiese family with Charles Darwin UniversityLocationArafura Research Archive. Please contact the askthelibrary@cdu.edu.au for more information.Box List AvailableNoItem List AvailableYesShelf Metres1.3Cultural AdviceAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers are advised that this collection may contain images or names of people who have since passed awayCopyright© copyright. Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that permission has been obtained for items included in CDU Digital Collections. If you believe that your rights have been infringed by this repository, please contact askthelibrary@cdu.edu.auKeyword(s)Health - Northern TerritoryMenzies School of Health ResearchEducation - Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory UniversityAboriginal Australians - Northern TerritoryCommunity organisations - Northern TerritoryNorthern Territory historyHarry Christian GiesePhysical DescriptionManuscripts, photocopies, published and unpublished printed matter (books, journals, pamphlets, fliers), clippings, photographs, maps, etc.Related Material1. Held by NT Archives Service: ref NTRS 226, TS 755 oral history interviews incl. transcripts, April 1987-Sept 1991|2. Held by NT Archives Service: ref NTRS 1043/P1; PAC 33 Menzies School of Health Research: letters, minutes, draft legislation, objectives and planning, applications for positions and grants, and priorities for research|3. Held by the Arafura Research Archive, CDU: 15-037 Nancy (Nan) Giese CollectionURLNancy (Nan) Giese CollectionOur Beginnings - Menzies School of Health Research