MS 7845
National Library of Australia
View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
-
National Freedom Council
- Title
-
Records of the National Freedom Council
- Date Range
-
1980 - 2000
- Collection Number
-
MS 7845
- Extent
-
2.19 metres (9 MS Boxes + 3 Cartons)
- Language of Materials
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English
- Repository
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Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection contains material assembled by the Plea for Justice Committee and the National Freedom Council in the course of their campaigns to promote justice for Lindy and Michael Chamberlain. The documents were maintained by Mrs Betty Hocking, initially as Co-ordinator of the Plea for Justice Committee, and then as President of the National Freedom Council.
The records include correspondence, transcripts, reports, submissions, debates, articles, media releases, newspaper cuttings, books, 6 video cassettes and 5 audio cassettes. Among the correspondents are Lindy and Michael Chamberlain, the Commonwealth Ombudsman, the Human Rights Commission, members of the public who supported the Chamberlains, and church ministers and pastors. There are copies of open letters written by Lindy Chamberlain during her imprisonment in Berrimah Jail, Darwin. Some of the correspondence is interfiled with newspaper cuttings and arranged in large binders (items 37-44).
The collection includes some documents produced by the Chamberlain Innocence Committee (folders 7-10). There are also submissions and other papers originating with Stuart Tipple, the Chamberlains' solicitor. There is a file on the English tourist James Brett whose death on Ayers Rock on 2 January 1986 led to the discovery of baby's clothing believed to belong to Azaria Chamberlain (folder 22).
There are a number of miscellaneous journals that contain articles about the Chamberlain case. Some of the journals were published by Christian organisations. There are some issues of Azaria newsletter published by the Chamberlain Information Service (folder 51).
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn459366).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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], MS 7845, National Library of Australia, Records of the National Freedom Council, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The records of the National Freedom Council were transferred to the National Library in four instalments between March 1989 and November 2000.
The records of other Chamberlain Support Groups are held at MS 7400. The papers of Guy and Phyllis Boyd are held at MS 7551.
Arrangement
The records have been arranged by the Library in chronological order within broad groups based on record types.
Administrative History
The National Freedom Council was formally constituted in 1984 as a non-profit, non-party political, non-denominational association. It grew out of the Plea for Justice Committees which came into existence in the wake of Lindy Chamberlain's conviction and life sentence on 30 October 1982. Mrs Betty Hocking, as the elected Family Team Member for Fraser in the Australian Capital Territory House of Assembly, was approached by a constituent and subsequently became involved in promoting justice for the Chamberlains through the establishment of the Plea for Justice Committee. In May 1984 the Committee submitted to the Goveror General, Sir Ninian Stephen, a petition which sought a judicial review of the Chamberlain case and that Lindy Chamberlain be released from prison pending the outcome of that review.
The National Freedom Council was also involved in other cases where forensic science and circumstantial evidence had majored in convictions. The Council was phased out in 1990.
Reference: Letter from B. Hocking to G. Powell, 15 November 2000.
Item Descriptions
Series [unnumbered]. Correspondence
General correspondence, 1982 (File 1) - Box 1
General correspondence, 1983 (File 2) - Box 1
General correspondence, 1984 (File 3) - Box 1
General correspondence, 1985-88 (File 4) - Box 1
Correspondence with Glenn Rosendahl, 1985 (File 5) - Box 1
Letters from R.A. Swift to Justice T.R. Morling, 1986-87 Chamberlain Innocence Committee (File 6) - Box 1
General documents (File 7_8) - Box 1, 2
Memorandum for Federal Members (File 9) - Box 2
New forensic evidence in support of an Inquiry into the Convictions of M. and L. Chamberlain [1985] (2 copies) Reports and other documents (File 10) - Box 2
Miscellaneous papers, 1982-84 (File 11) - Box 2
Miscellaneous papers, 1984 (File 12) - Box 2
Miscellaneous papers, 1984-90 (File 13) - Box 2
Statements by Nipper Winmati, 1980-82 (File 14) - Box 2
'Crown's denial that a dingo caused …', 1982 (File 15) - Box 2
5 Affidavits, 1983 (File 16) - Box 3
Chamberlain appeal to the Federal Court, 1983 (File 17) - Box 3
'Forensic report' submitted by Professor Barry Boettcher, 1984 (File 18) - Box 3
'Implementation of recommendations contained in the report of Dr. A. Curry on forensic science services in South Australia', 1984 (File 19) - Box 3
Crammond Report, 1984 (File 20) - Box 3
Submissions made by Brennan, Blair Tipple, 1985 (File 21) - Box 3
David Brett file, 1985-87 (File 22) - Box 4
NFC Queensland Branch 'Justice for Queensland Fund', 1988 (File 23) - Box 4
Martin Report (n.d.) (File 24) - Box 4
Annotated 'Draft reply to the Northern Territory Solicitor General's Report regarding submissions made on behalf of the Chamberlains for an Inquiry into their Convictions' (n.d.) (File 25) - Box 4
Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Chamerlain Convictions documents (File 26) - Box 4
'Forensic science in Australia' by Peter Hodgson (n.d.) (File 27) - Box 4
Series [unnumbered]. Hansard
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly debates, 21 November 1985 and 18 March 1986 (File 28) - Box 4
Senate debates, 13 November 1985 (File 29) - Box 5
Senate debates, 5 December 1985 (File 30) - Box 5
House of Representatives debates, 11 February 1986 (File 31) - Box 5
Senate debates, 12 February 1986 (File 32) - Box 5
Series [unnumbered]. Articles
Miscellaneous articles (File 33) - Box 5
'The forensic pathologist and 'expert' evidence in criminal proceedings' by V.D. Plueckhahn (1985) (File 34) - Box 5
'The Azaria Chamberlain case: crime as theatre' by Paul R. Wilson (1986) (File 35) - Box 5
'Forensic evidence: the new trial by ordeal?' by Stuart Tipple (1986) (File 36) - Box 5
Series [unnumbered]. Newspaper cuttings
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1980-84 (File 37) - Box 6
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1982-84 (File 38) - Box 6
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1984-85 (File 39) - Box 6
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1984-85 (File 40) - Box 7
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1985 (File 41) - Box 7
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1985 (File 42) - Box 7
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1985-86 (File 43) - Box 8
Press cuttings and correspondence, 1987 (File 44) - Box 8
Press cuttings, 1986, 2000 (File 45) - Box 8
Series [unnumbered]. Journals
The Australian magazine, (Aug. 11-12, 1990 and July 15-16, 2000) (File 46) - Box 9
The Australian women's weekly (Mar. 1986) (File 47) - Box 9
The Australian women's weekly (Sept. 1988) (File 48) - Box 9
The Australian women's weekly (Oct. 1991) (File 49) - Box 9
Australia's new day, No. 50 (Sept. 1985) – no. 51 (Oct. 1985) (File 50) - Box 9
Azaria newsletter, No. 12 (July 1986) + Suppl. – no. 13 (Dec. 1986) + Suppl. (File 51) - Box 9
National Freedom Council newsletter, No. 2/1985 – no. 3 (Nov. 1988) (11 issues) (File 52) - Box 9
New idea, (Aug. 3, 1985 and Oct. 12, 1985) (File 53) - Box 9
On being, Vol. 12, no. 7 (Aug. 1985) and v. 13, no. 11 (Dec. 1986-Jan. 1987) (File 54) - Box 10
Renewing Australia, No. 7 (Sept. 1987) and Signs, Vol. 103, no. 8 (Aug. 1988) (File 55) - Box 10
Women's day, (Mar. 17, 1986 and Sept. 5, 1989) (File 56) - Box 10
Women's day, (Sept. 3, 1991 and June 1, 1992) (File 57) - Box 10
Series [unnumbered]. Books
Brien, Steve, Azaria: the trial of the century (Melbourne: Progress Publications, 1984) (File 58) - Box 10
Bryson, John, Evil angels (Ringwood, Vic.: Viking, 1985) (File 59) - Box 10
Criminal law advocacy, edited by Geoff Eames (Kent Town, S.A.: Legal Services Commission of South Australia, 1984) (File 60) - Box 11
Flanigan, Veronica A., The Azaria evidence: fact or fiction? (Wahroonga, N.S.W. : V.A. Flanigan, 1984) (2 copies) (File 61) - Box 11
Justice in jeopardy: twelve witnesses speak out, edited by Guy Boyd (G. Boyd, 1984) (File 62) - Box 11
Rosendahl, Glenn, The dark side of the law, (Weston Creek, A.C.T.: G. Rosendahl, 1984) (File 63) - Box 11
Simmonds, James, Azaria: Wednesday's child, (Melbourne: TPNL Books, 1982) (File 64) - Box 11
Young, Norman H., Innocence regained: the fight to free Lindy Chamberlain (Annandale, N.S.W.: Federation Press, 1989) (File 65) - Box 11
Series [unnumbered]. Video cassettes
"Willesee at 7: Terry Willesee with Michael Chamberlain", 1984 (2 copies) (File 66_67)
Terry Willesee (edited) Michael Chamberlain (Item NLA.MS-VID000084) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, Palsonic E-180, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
Willesee At 7 Terry Willesee Michael Chamberlain, 28/03/1984 (Item NLA.MS-VID000085) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
"Joy Kuhl" (File 68)
Joy Kuhl (Item NLA.MS-VID000086) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, His Masters Voice E-30, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
"Azaria: a question of evidence", documentary by Kevin Hitchcock, 1984 (2 copies) (File 69_70)
"Azaria" A Question of Evidence (uncut) (Item NLA.MS-VID000087) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, Palsonic E-180, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
"Azaria" A Question of Evidence channel 10 documentary (Item NLA.MS-VID000088) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
Untitled (File 71)
S DVD (Item NLA.MS-VID000089) - Shelf-Tall OH1-18-002
1 item, Consumer formats - VHS, S-VHS etc.
Series [unnumbered]. Audio cassettes
'Lindy Chamberlain' (File 72_73)
Lindy Chamberlain [cassette tape], 1980s (Item NLA.MS-SAV000351) - Cassette-Box 23
1 item
L Chamberlain [cassette tape], 1980s (Item NLA.MS-SAV000349) - Cassette-Box 23
1 item
'Chamberlain dinner', 12 September 1984 (File 74_75)
On Cover: Initial Intro RD Hunter. Intro: Betty Hockins. Wendy Hilton "My Lord Jesus Holds My Hand". Betty on National Freedom Council, literature and Dr Clift in UK. Senator Colin Masch, Betty Hockins, Edward Splatt. Side 2. Splatt (contd). On spine: New Master Tape - 12/9/84. Chamberlain Dinner [cassette tape]On tape: Interdenominational Service. Lyneham High School (Prayer for Righteousness Justice) Tape 1 of 2, 28.8.83 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000348) - Cassette-Box 23
1 item
New Master Tape. Chamberlain dinner [cassette tape], 12.9.84 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000347) - Cassette-Box 23
1 item
'Thanksgiving Service', 8 February 1986 (File 76)
Thanksgiving Service 8.2.86. CR Murchison [cassette tape], 1986 (Item NLA.MS-SAV000350) - Cassette-Box 23
1 item
