The Australian Women's Register

2 digital audio tapes (ca. 213 min.) Edwards talks about her father, John Wear Burton, and his influence on her achievements; effect of Petrov controversy on family and school life. She then talks about her tertiary studies in economics at Canberra University College and University of Melbourne; marriage in 1963; time spent in Malaya and Bangkok; teaching managerial economics at Canberra College of Advanced Education and difficulties encountered in doing her PhD on the income unit for tax and social security and whether it should be the individual, family or household. Edwards then discusses her involvement in the women’s movement, joining WEL (Women’s Electoral Lobby) in 1973 and producing “Financial arrangements within families”. She joined the Public Service in 1984 and she describes the various departments that she has been involved with such as Dept of Education, Prime Minister and Cabinet, head of Social Policy Div. in Dept of Social Security, Dept of Education, Employment and Training, Director of National Housing Strategy and Deputy Secretary of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Edwards then discusses the changes and developments in Australia’s economic situation; balancing demands of family and working life and the current role of the Office of the Status of Women.