MS 7583
Records of the National Council of Women of Australia



Scope and Content Note

The records of the National Council of Women came to the Library in three separate consignments. The first, received in 1976, has been catalogued at MS 5193. The latter two consignments were received in 1985 and 1986 and contain correspondence , conference records, board minutes, executive records, conference records and papers relating to submissions and campaigns. There is also a large section of papers relating to the International Council of Women, including the periodical literature of a number of overseas Councils. The correspondence is both within and outside the organisation and includes correspondence with the Department of Transport, Postmaster General and the International Council of Women.

Administrative History

The National Council of Women of Australia was established in New South Wales in 1896. It is now an umbrella organisation for eight state and territory councils. It represents over 470 different affiliated organisations and over 700 associate members, reaching more than three million women throughout Australia. The Council is non-party-political and non-sectarian and encourages the participation of women in all facets of community life.

The Council is an active affiliated member of the International Council of Women, a federation of non-government organisations in many countries.

The National Council of Women has United Nations Consultative status.

For records of the Australian Council of Women See MS 5193

Series Descriptions

National Council of Women of Australia

Box 1
Triennial Conference, Adelaide, 1979                                  
Executive meetings, 1971-78                                            

Box 2
Board newsletters, 1970-79                                            
Board correspondence, 1967-76                                          
Canberra Office, 1976-80                                               

Box 3
State Branches:                                                       
ACT, 1976-80                                                          
Launceston, 1967-76                                                   
NSW, 1976-81                                                          
Northern Territory, 1970-80                                           
Tasmania, 1968-76                                                     
Townsville, 1971-77                                                   
WA, 1972-76                                                           

Box 4-5
Correspondence with Federal Ministers and Departments               

Box 6
Correspondence with agencies and Parliamentary committees.            
Australian Federation of Consumers Organisations, 1975-76             
National Women's Advisory Council, 1978-82                            
Senate Select Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, 1972     
Senate Select Committee on Mentall and Physically                     
Handicapped People, 1973-79                                           
Standards Association of Australia, 1975-80                           
Women's Welfare Issues Consultative Committee, 1976-77                

Box 7-8
Subject Files                                                       
Includes aborigines, environment, film and television, immigration     
policy, International Women's Year, pornography, UN Status of women     

Box 8
Unsorted correspondence                                              

Box 9-10
Financial records, 1965-76                                         
Also receipts and expenditure, 1945-60                                

Box 10
Publications                                                         

Box 11
Correspondence, 1969-82                                              
Very early minutes and notices, 1924-36                                

Box 12
Board minutes, 1924-44                                               

Box 13
Board minutes, 1945-64                                               

Box 14
Board minutes, 1964-75                                               

Box 15
Board minutes, 1975-84                                               
Board newsletters, 1978-82                                             

Box 16
Executive meetings - 1965-74                                         
Executive meetings - 1975-79                                           
Executive meetings - Brisbane, 1980                                    
Executive meetings - Hobart, 1981                                      
Campaign/Submissions etc. - including Women's Residence at University  
of Papua New Guinea, Pharmaceutical Benefits, estate duty, taxation,    
status of women and consumer affairs                                    

Box 17
Triennial Conference Reports, 1942-44, 1960-62, 1964-79 (1979-82 not 
published)                                                          
Triennial Conference, Canberra, 1976 - Records                         
State Councils                                                         
Endeavour : Women's organisations in New South Wales, 1896-1978        
National Council of Women of the Northern Territory Pacific and Asia   
Regional Seminar, 1984                                                  

International Council of Women

Box 18
Correspondence, 1968-82                                              
Executive (partly  Oslo Executive), 1978                               

Box 19
I.C.W. - Nominations, Resolutions, etc.                              
Standing Committees' files, 1976-82                                    
Standing Committees' reports, 1967-75                                  

Box 20
Standing Committee Reports, 1967-79                                  
I.C.W. Convenors                                                       
"NC" Files, 1979-82                                                    
"RR" Files, 1979-82                                                    
"PLE" Files                                                            
"Twinning" Program Australia-Thailand                                  
I.C.W. Regional Conference, Brisbane, 1964                             

Box 21
I.C.W. Regional Meeting, Bangkok, 1970                               
I.C.W. Regional Conference, 1973                                       
I.C.W. Regional Conference, New Delhi, 1977                            
I.C.W. Regional Seminar, Manilla, 1977                                 
I.C.W. Kenya Conference, 1979                                          

National Council of Women of Australia

Box 21
I.C.W. questionaires                                                 
United Nations                                                         

Box 22
UNESCO                                                               
UNICEF                                                                 
International Year of the Child, 1979                                  
International Year of the Disabled Person, 1981                        
Publications (mostly periodicals) from France and India Councils       

Box 23
Publications (mostly periodicals) from Italy, Korea, New Zealand,    
Rhodesia, South Africa and the United States                            
Miscellaneous publications                                             

Box 24
Miscellaneous publications                                           
Compiled February 1996. Last updated 17 October 1996