Guide to the Records of Greenpeace Australia

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MS 9472

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Greenpeace Australia
Title
Records of Greenpeace Australia
Date Range
1986 - 1994
Collection Number
MS 9472
Extent
2.4 metres (16 MS Boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
NLA

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The records of the GPA Head Office, in Sydney, include files on a range of administrative and policy matters reflecting the organisation's internal operations, its campaign activities, legal issues as well as its relationship with Greenpeace International.

The correspondence in the collection derives principally from files maintained in the Office of the Chief Executive Officer. Correspondents include the Sydney Rainforest Action Group, the Sydney Water Board, the Public Health Association of Australia, the Forest Rescue Coalition, the Australian Science and Technology Council and various animal welfare groups. There are also letters from Greenpeace supporters and members of the public interested in environmental issues. Ministerial correspondents include Graham Richardson, John Fahey, Gareth Evans and Wayne Goss.

There are several files of papers for meetings of the GPA Board that include the Chief Executive's Reports to the Board, discussion papers, data on membership and renewals and the results of Board Finance Committee meetings. There are also papers documenting the Annual General Meetings held in 1992 and 1993, which include the Chairperson's and Executive Director's Reports, applications for membership, appointments of proxies, membership votes, ballot papers for the election of members of the General Assembly (voting membership), and financial statements.

Correspondence between the Company Secretary and various organisations covers a range of business and legal matters: work experience under the Australian Traineeship System; a proposed Japanese study team visit to the GPA Head Office; banking arrangements with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia; amendments to the Articles of Association, restructuring of the membership of Greenpeace and amendments to the Constitution; the conduct of merchandising and the implementation of the licensing agreement. Documents pertaining to the salary and benefit review process which began in 1989 include internal memoranda, newspaper cuttings and 1990 staff lists. The collection also includes correspondence from the Chairperson and Horwath and Horwath dealing with the taxability of Greenpeace funds and the organisation's status as a non-profit company.

Other matters documented by the collection include the 1993 GPI Board decision to dismiss Paul Gilding as the International Executive Director, the agreement that existed between GPA and the Oceanic Research Foundation, and the proposed new Industrial Policy and Personnel Policy. Between 25 January and 25 April 1993 the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior undertook an Australian tour to test coastal waters and to launch a range of green solutions to environmental problems. The Rainbow Warrior 'Cities and Coasts' Tour records include a letter from the Aboriginal Government of Australia, guidelines for an ecological Olympic Village design, a proposal for the sewerage campaign, drafts of the 'Cities and Coasts' booklet, funding proposals, a media schedule and a Tour evaluation report. Files on GPA fundraising include attrition tables, draft contingency options, a proposal for a new structure for fundraising, the Report of the GPI Canvass Meeting (28 February-2 March 1994) and internal memoranda on staffing changes in the GPA Fundraising Division.

The work of the Community Action Division (CAD) is documented in the collection through internal memoranda regarding the position of National Community Campaign Co-ordinator, the 'Melbourne Greenspeak Report' and a report on CAD's activities. GPA State Office records include the 1994 Community Campaigners Skillshare and State Offices Planning Day agendas.

Greenpeace International

The collection incorporates agenda and other papers for the Stichting Greenpeace Council (SGC) Annual General Meetings held in 1990, 1992 and 1993. These papers include campaign proposals, spending proposals, summary financial papers, operational reviews, information of the status of national offices, internal correspondence from the SGC to the Trustees, and minutes. Similar records document the SGC Regional Trustees Meeting held in 1993, as well as the 'Southeast Asia regional report' and other Regional reports. Greenpeace International is also represented in the collection through its 'Statement of purpose' and the 'Report to the Board of the Strategic Plan Matching Team', both issued in 1993.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1965760).

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], Records of Greenpeace Australia, National Library of Australia, MS 9472, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The records of Greenpeace Australia (GPA) were transferred to the National Library from the Noel Butlin Archives Centre at the Australian National University in 1999.

The records of the Greenpeace Australia Antarctic Campaign are held at MS 9432.

Arrangement

The file arrangement used by the GPA Head Office has been retained by the National Library.

Administrative History

Greenpeace is an independent organisation campaigning to ensure a just, peaceful, sustainable environment for future generations. Greenpeace began in Canada in 1971 and today has a presence in more than 40 countries. Greenpeace Australia was established in 1977 and is the country's largest environmental organisation. Greenpeace campaigns to protect biodiversity, prevent pollution, end all nuclear threats and promote peace, global disarmament and non-violence. State Offices play a role in maintaining and developing local campaigns.

Greenpeace Australia is classified as a limited company and operates in a manner prescribed by government guidelines. It operates as part of Greenpeace International and is responsible to its supporters. The Greenpeace Australia Board appoints and delegates authority to the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is responsible to the Board for the development and implementation of policies as approved by the Board, and the overall management of Greenpeace Australia. Greenpeace Australia is funded by voluntary donations of individuals.

Greenpeace International is the coordinating body of all Greenpeace offices. It is governed by the Stichting Greenpeace Council (SGC) which is comprised of Trustees who are elected by the national offices. Regional Trustees are also elected. Trustees and observers attend the SGC AGM which discusses and debates planning and campaign issues through a consultative process involving the entire organisation.

Sources
  1. Greenpeace International site: www.greenpeace.org
  2. About Greenpeace: an overview of the vision, campaigns, history, funding and structure of Greenpeace, 2nd ed., [Surry Hills, N.S.W.: Greenpeace], 1996.

Item Descriptions

Series. Correspondence

General correspondence, 1992-93 (File 1) - Box 1

General correspondence, 1993 (File 2_3) - Box 1

General correspondence, 1994 (File 4_6) - Box 1

Ministerial correspondence, 1993-94 (File 7) - Box 1

Series. Meetings and Conferences

Annual General Meeting, 30 May 1992 (File 8_9) - Box 2

Extraordinary General Meeting of Members, 6 March 1993 (File 10) - Box 2

Annual General Meeting, 29 May 1993 (File 11_17) - Box 2, 3

Board Meeting, 29 May 1992 (File 18) - Box 3

Board Meeting, 31 July-1 August 1992 (File 19) - Box 3

Board Meeting, 2 October 1992 (File 20) - Box 3

Board Planning Meeting, 27 November 1992 (File 21) - Box 3

Board Meeting, 6 February 1993 (File 22_23) - Box 3

Board Meeting, 6 March 1993 (File 24) - Box 4

Board Meeting, 29 May 1993 (File 25) - Box 4

Board Meeting, 30 July 1993 (File 26_28) - Box 4

Board Meeting, 8 October 1993 (File 29_30) - Box 4

Board Meeting, 11 December 1993 (File 31_34) - Box 5

Finance Committee Meeting, 29 May 1992 (File 35) - Box 5

Finance Committee Meeting, 13 July 1992 (File 36) - Box 5

Finance Committee Meeting, 22 September 1993 (File 37) - Box 5

National Management Team (NMT) Retreat, May 1994 (File 38) - Box 6

National Management Team (NMT) Meetings, 1994-95 (File 39_40) - Box 6

Life After the Rainbow Warrior Conference, 16-18 June 1993 (File 41) - Box 6

Series. Financial Records

Financial statements, 1990-91 (File 42) - Box 6

Budget projections, 1990-92 (File 43) - Box 6

Financial reports and statements, 1992-93 (File 44) - Box 6

Financial forecasts and plans, income and expense statements, 1993 (File 45) - Box 7

Financial reports and statements, 1993-94 (File 46_47) - Box 7

International finance, 1989-93 (File 48) - Box 7

Financial Plan, correspondence on financial support for GPI, 1993 (File 49) - Box 7

Series. Other Business

'Alternative NRG' CD, 1993-94 (File 50) - Box 7

Australian Traineeship Scheme, 1988-92 (File 51) - Box 7

Bank documents, 1987-93 (File 52) - Box 8

Board Search Committee, 1992 (File 53) - Box 8

Community Action Division (CAD), 1993 (File 54) - Box 8

Fundraising, 1994 (File 55_58) - Box 8

Gilding, Paul, 1993-94 (File 59) - Box 9

Industrial policy, 1988-92 (File 60_61) - Box 9

International Womens Education Association of Japan (IWEAJ), 1993 (File 62) - Box 9

Membership Response Unit (MRU), 1993-94 (File 63_65) - Box 9

Memorandum and Articles of Association, 1987-93 (File 66_67) - Box 10

Merchandising, 1989-93 (File 68_69) - Box 10

Motor vehicles, 1988-93 (File 70) - Box 10

Oceanic Research Foundation, 1990-92 (File 71_73) - Box 10, 11

Rainbow Warrior 'Cities and Coasts' Tour, 1993 (File 74_78) - Box 11

Salary reviews, 1988-91 (File 79) - Box 11

State Offices, 1993-94 (File 80) - Box 12

GP Statement of purpose 'Under one banner - In one house', 1993 (File 81) - Box 12

GP Submission to Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry into the Shoalwater Bay Area, Capricorn Coast, Qld., Sept. 1993 (File 82) - Box 12

Taxation, 1987-90 (File 83_84) - Box 12

Series. Greenpeace International (GPI)

GPI 1990 proposals (File 85_86) - Box 13

SCG Trustees information and correspondence, 1986-93 (File 87_88) - Box 13

SCG AGM, November 1990 (File 89_90) - Box 13

GPI Finance Committee Meeting, 29-30 September 1992 (File 91_93) - Box 13, 14

SGC AGM, 24-28 October 1992 (File 94_101) - Box 14, 15

SGC AGM, 23-26 October 1993 (File 102_3) - Box 15

SGC Regional Trustees Meeting, 24-25 April 1993 (File 104_5) - Box 15

GPI 'Strategic plan', 1993 (File 106_9) - Box 16

GPI 'Statement of purpose', 1993 (File 110) - Box 16


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