Guide to the Papers of Liz Noonan
MS 9649
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Noonan, Liz
- Title
- Papers of Liz Noonan
- Date Range
- 1980-1994
- Collection Number
- MS 9649
- Extent
- 4.23 metres (8 ms boxes + 5 cartons + 1 map folio + 1 folder + 40 sound/av carriers)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection comprises papers accumulated by Liz Noonan and her husband, Dr Anthony Noonan, during the course of their involvement with the Northern Territory Chamberlain Support Group's campaign for the release of Lindy Chamberlain. The Noonans were in contact with key figures involved in both the case and the campaign, including Michael Chamberlain, Stuart Tipple and Fred Smith, witnesses Greg and Sally Lowe and Judy West and supporters Betty Hocking, Malcolm Brown, George Rollo and R.A. (Birdie) Swift. Included in the papers is correspondence with individuals and other support groups, campaign literature, government documents, court transcripts, newspaper cuttings and copies of papers produced by other support groups. There is also a copy of a detailed report prepared by J. Lloyd-Jones in 1984-1985 on the possibility of a second appeal by the Chamberlains.
There are 23 audio cassettes and 17 video cassettes which contain recordings of events, radio broadcasts and television programs relating to the Chamberlain case. The include audio recordings of a public meeting in Darwin in 1984 and an Australia-wide telephone link-up meeting of the Chamberlain Innocence Committee.
The Northern Territory Chamberlain Support Group in Darwin was the focal point for all the support groups, Australia-wide and the papers in this collection document the discussions and arguments between these groups.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2559796).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Liz Noonan, National Library of Australia, MS 9649, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was purchased by the Library from Liz Noonan in 1995.
Related Materials
The following collections in the Manuscript Collection relate to Lindy Chamberlain:
MS 7400 Papers of Chamberlain support groups
MS 7551 Papers of Guy and Phyllis Boyd
MS 7845 Records of the National Freedom Council
MS 8292 Papers of Norman Young
MS 8424 Papers of Zillah Williams
MS 9180 Papers of Lindy Chamberlain
MS 9315 Papers of Michael Ward
MS 9514 Papers of Margaret Neale
MS 9573 Papers of Tony Paynter
MS 9648 Papers of Veronica Flanigan
MSD 100 Belinda Wilson, MA thesis entitled 'The making of a modern myth: the Chamberlain case and the Australian media'
Arrangement
The papers were arranged into subject Files by Liz Noonan, and this arrangement has been retained by the Library. The papers have been listed by box and File/item number.
Biographical Note
Liz Noonan and her husband, Dr Anthony Noonan, were leading figures in the Northern Territory Chamberlain Support Group, Darwin, which campaigned for the release of Lindy Chamberlain.
Item Descriptions
Personal papers, 1980-1992 (File 1-4) - Box 1
Letters to the Noonans from Michael Chamberlain, Cliff and Avis Murchison, Malcolm Brown, Alexander Lindsay and L. Parry; letters written by A. Noonan; copies of letters written by F.H. Smith, J. Driscoll and C. Driscoll; original draft of a press release by Michael Chamberlain (1984); an extract from the transcript of a police interview with Lindy Chamberlain (1982); a brochure for a literary lunch for Lindy Chamberlain (1992) and photographs of Michael Chamberlain's second marriage (1994).
Letters to the Noonans from Cavell Driscoll, Les Harris, Greg and Sally Lowe and Ann Warburton (File 5) - Box 1
General correspondence, 1983-1990 (File 6-11) - Box 2
Letters from individuals and other support groups relating to the Chamberlain case. Correspondents include Wes Allen, Margaret Buegge, Betty Hocking, Greg and Sally Lowe, George Rollo, Helena Mantz, Stuart Tipple, Judy West and Zillah Williams.
Northern Territory Chamberlain Support Group papers, 1983-1987 (File 13-14) - Box 3
Included is a small amount of correspondence, draft constitution, minutes of meetings, trust deed for the Chamberlain Fighting Fund (1984), rough notes of meetings, sheets of signatures for two submissions to the Northern Territory Attorney-General and publicity material
Papers relating to the Northern Territory Chamberlain Support Group's submission to the Morling Royal Commission, 1986 (File 15) - Box 3
Draft of Liz Noonan's submission to Judge Morling regarding compensation for the Chamberlain family, 1991 (File 15) - Box 3
Copies of documents, 1982-1987 (File 16) - Box 3
Included are forensic reports, transcripts of interviews, reports of trial proceedings, law reports, journal articles, handwritten notes of proceedings of the Morling Royal Commission (1987) and a memo from E. Robertson to Chester Porter QC
Typescript entitled 'Matters relied upon by the Crown before this Commission' (31pp), nd (File 17) - Box 3
Legal papers, 1980-1987: copies of sworn affidavits and witness statements and copies of Federal Court Notices of Appeal (1982 and 1987) (File 18) - Box 3
Copies of papers prepared by J. Lloyd-Jones QC, 1984-1985 (File 19-21) - Box 4
In relation to the possibility of a second appeal by the Chamberlains. They include two reports containing detailed analyses of witness statements, forensic evidence, previous trials and reports of the case and a bound copy of Lloyd-Jones' conclusions. There is also a copy of a letter from Lindy Chamberlain to Lloyd-Jones' legal firm, detailing her concerns about delays in progress being made in the case.
Copies of letters sent to Lionel Bowen (Commonwealth Attorney-General), Marshall Perron (Northern Territory Attorney-General) and the Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen, petitioning for a review of the Chamberlain case (File 22) - Box 4
Government papers, 1986 (File 23) - Box 4
A copy of 'Statement to the Legislative Assembly by the Hon Marshall Perron, MP - Chamberlain case - judicial enquiry' and a copy of the second reading speech of a Bill to establish a Commission of Inquiry into the Chamberlain convictions
Papers produced by the Chamberlain Innocence Committee, 1984-1985 (File 24-25) - Box 4
The Chair of the Committee was Sir Reginald Sholl, and Dr Noonan was a member. Other members included Pro Hart, Guy Boyd, members of parliament and medical practitioners. They comprise correspondence, meeting agenda (July 1985), press release and a membership list.
Northern Territory electoral rolls and lists of Members of Parliament, used for lobbying purposes, 1983-1984 (File 27) - Box 5
Papers created by Professor Barry Boettcher, 1984-1985 (File 28-29) - Box 5
They include letters to the Noonans enclosing large quantities of photocopies of papers relating to the case, other correspondence on forensic evidence and comments on a report by B. Martin, the Northern Territory Solicitor-General. Boettcher was Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Newcastle.
Newspaper cuttings (1985-1987) relating to the deaths of Girly and Malcolm Douglas, members of the Chamberlain Support Group (File 30) - Box 5
Copies of letters written to the Queen and politicians by Helen Mantz, a fellow prisoner of Lindy Chamberlain in Berrimah Goal, 1985 (File 32) - Box 6
Papers from George Rollo, 1984-1992. They include copies of reports he wrote on various aspects of the case and a copy of his booklet The Azaria mystery: a reason to kill (File 33) - Box 6
Newspaper cuttings relating to Phil Ward, an investigative journalist and supporter of the Chamberlain campaign, 1984 (File 34) - Box 6
Copies of newsletters and correspondence by campaign supporter R.A. (Birdie) Swift, 1985-1987 (File 35-37) - Box 6
Copies of newsletters and correspondence by campaign supporter R.A. (Birdie) Swift, 1988-1993 (File 38-42) - Box 7
Ephemera relating to the Chamberlain case: car stickers, publicity flyers, petition forms, information sheets and circular letters (File 46) - Box 8
Copies of the following booklets: Terence O'Keeffe, The dingo shakes it's head, nd; George Rollo, The Azaria mystery: a reason to kill, 1984; Veronica Flanigan, The Azaria evidence: fact or fiction, 1984 (File 46) - Box 8
A photograph of a dingo near a car, together with a note about an incident in which the dingo entered a tent (File 47) - Box 8
Card index of exhibits tabled at the two inquests and the trial of Lindy Chamberlain (File 49) - Box 8
Typescript proofs of articles by Malcolm Brown, a journalist covering the Morling Inquiry for the Sydney Morning Herald, 1986-1987 (File 50) - Box 9
Transcript of proceedings: Royal Commission of Inquiry into Chamberlain Convictions, 6 March 1987 - 19 March 1987 (File 51-52) - Box 9
Photocopies of miscellaneous newspaper cuttings relating to the two inquests and the trial (File 53) - Box 9
Cuttings from and copies of various magazines and current affairs journals, 1982-1994 (File 62-64) - Box 12
23 audio cassettes (File)
Includes L. Noonan interviewed by Julie Lester (17 August 1983); Darwin cassettes meeting - Chamberlain witnesses (4 March 1984); Darwin public meeting - P. Wilson and others (October 1984); Chamberlain Innocence Committee (27 October 1985); Nightline, Darwin (4 November 1985); ABC interview with Annie Warburton; Azaria rally, Sydney Town Hall; City Hill rally; Brisbane rally; Fred Smith interview; John Bryson interview on Darwin ABC radio and L. Chamberlain book launch, Adelaide
Brisbane Luncheon 5.8.84, 5/08/1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004852) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, C90, Compact cassette tapeThe Chamberlain Case Brisbane Rally 1 26.2.84, 26/02/1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004853) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Gtape 60, Compact cassette tapeThe Chamberlain Case Brisbane Rally 1 Feb 26, 26/02/1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004854) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Gtape 60, Compact cassette tapeCity Hall Rally Aug 83, dud?, 1/08/1983 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004855) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, C-90, Compact cassette tapeChamberlain Innocence Rally, 27.10.85?, 27/10/1985 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004856) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Sony HF30, Compact cassette tapeMore info on case
ABC Radio Darwin 'After 8' Programme, John Bryson (side B) (Item NLA.MS-SAV004857) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, TDK ADX 60, Compact cassette tapeTape 1 Azaria Rally, Sydney Town Hall (Item NLA.MS-SAV004858) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Compact cassette tapeNightline Talkback radio Darwin 8DN, Geoff Weston talking to Dr Fred Smith (Chamberlains) 4.11.85, 4/11/1985 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004861) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Compact cassette tapeTrial Witnesses Speak out (Chamberlain), 1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004863) - Cassette-Box 267
1 item, Compact cassette tapeMore info in case, commercial recording
with Annie Warburton from Darwin, ABC Late night Adelaide, Verity Lambert, Lindy Book launch in Australia, Liz with Julia Lester 5AN ABC Adelaide 17/8/93, 17/08/1993 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004865) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, BASF 60, Compact cassette tapeDr Greg Woods QC Darwin,Ted Splatt Darwin, 16.10.84, 16/10/1084 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004866) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, Compact cassette tapeMore info in case
Prof Paul Wilson Darwin, Resolution Questions Darwin 16/10/85, 16/10/1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004867) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, Compact cassette tapeMore info in case
The Chamberlian Witnesses Darwin 4/3/84, 4/03/1984 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004870) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, Compact cassette tapeThe Chamberlian Witnesses Darwin 4/3/84, Boettcher, Kuth (Item NLA.MS-SAV004871) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, Compact cassette tapeMore info on tape
The Chamberlain Case Brisbane Rally 1 (Item NLA.MS-SAV004872) - Cassette-Box 268
1 item, Gtape 60, Compact cassette tape17 video cassettes (File)
Includes television news excerpts, Darwin (1985); Four corners; 7.30 Report; Sunday Morning (1986), 60 Minutes (1986-1992) and Chamberlain Report (June 1987)