MS 7845
Records of the National Freedom Council
Scope and Content Note
Creator: National Freedom Council (Australia)
Title: Records
Date range: 1980-2000
Extent: 2.19 m. (9 boxes + 3 archival boxes)
Reference number: MS 7845
Administrative Information
Access: Available for reference
Provenance
The records of the National Freedom Council were transferred to the
National Library in four instalments between March 1989 and November 2000.
Related materials
The records of other Chamberlain Support Groups are held at MS 7400. The
papers of Guy and Phyllis Boyd are held at MS 7551.
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 babys 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).
Organisation
The records have been arranged by the Library in chronological order
within broad groups based on record types.
Historical Note
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 existance in the wake of Lindy
Chamberlains 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.
Source
Letter from B. Hocking to G. Powell, 15 November 2000.
Series List
Folder/Item
Correspondence
1 General correspondence, 1982
2 General correspondence, 1983
3 General correspondence, 1984
4 General correspondence, 1985-88
5 Correspondence with Glenn Rosendahl, 1985
6 Letters from R.A. Swift to Justice T.R. Morling, 1986-87
Chamberlain Innocence Committee
7-8 General documents
9 Memorandum for Federal Members
10 New forensic evidence in support of an Inquiry into the Convictions
of M. and L. Chamberlain [1985] (2 copies) Reports and other documents
11 Miscellaneous papers, 1982-84
12 Miscellaneous papers, 1984
13 Miscellaneous papers, 1984-90
14 Statements by Nipper Winmati, 1980-82
15 Crowns denial that a dingo caused
, 1982
16 5 Affidavits, 1983
17 Chamberlain appeal to the Federal Court, 1983
18 Forensic report submitted by Professor Barry Boettcher,
1984
19 Implementation of recommendations contained in the report of
Dr. A. Curry on forensic science services in South Australia, 1984
20 Crammond Report, 1984
21 Submissions made by Brennan, Blair & Tipple, 1985
22 David Brett file, 1985-87
23 NFC Queensland Branch Justice for Queensland Fund, 1988
24 Martin Report (n.d.)
25 Annotated Draft reply to the Northern Territory Solicitor
Generals Report regarding submissions made on behalf of the Chamberlains
for an Inquiry into their Convictions (n.d.)
26 Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Chamerlain Convictions documents
27 Forensic science in Australia by Peter Hodgson (n.d.)
Hansard
28 Northern Territory Legislative Assembly debates, 21 November 1985 and
18 March 1986
29 Senate debates, 13 November 1985
30 Senate debates, 5 December 1985
31 House of Representatives debates, 11 February 1986
32 Senate debates, 12 February 1986
Articles
33 Miscellaneous articles
34 The forensic pathologist and expert evidence in
criminal proceedings by V.D. Plueckhahn (1985)
35 The Azaria Chamberlain case: crime as theatre by Paul R.
Wilson (1986)
36 Forensic evidence: the new trial by ordeal? by Stuart
Tipple (1986)
Newspaper cuttings
37 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1980-84
38 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1982-84
39 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1984-85
40 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1984-85
41 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1985
42 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1985
43 Press cuttings and correspondence. 1985-86
44 Press cuttings and correspondence, 1987
45 Press cuttings, 1986, 2000
Journals
46 The Australian magazine, (Aug. 11-12, 1990 and July 15-16,
2000)
47 The Australian womens weekly, (Mar. 1986)
48 The Australian womens weekly, (Sept. 1988)
49 The Australian womens weekly, (Oct. 1991)
50 Australias new day, No. 50 (Sept. 1985) no. 51
(Oct. 1985)
51 Azaria newsletter, No. 12 (July 1986) + Suppl. no. 13
(Dec. 1986) + Suppl.
52 National Freedom Council newsletter, No. 2/1985 no. 3
(Nov. 1988) (11 issues)
53 New idea, (Aug. 3, 1985 and Oct. 12, 1985)
54 On being, Vol. 12, no. 7 (Aug. 1985) and v. 13, no. 11 (Dec.
1986-Jan. 1987)
55 Renewing Australia, No. 7 (Sept. 1987) and Signs,
Vol. 103, no. 8 (Aug. 1988)
56 Womens day, (Mar. 17, 1986 and Sept. 5, 1989)
57 Womens day, (Sept. 3, 1991 and June 1, 1992)
Books
58 Brien, Steve, Azaria: the trial of the century (Melbourne:
Progress Publications, 1984)
59 Bryson, John, Evil angels (Ringwood, Vic.: Viking, 1985)
60 Criminal law advocacy, edited by Geoff Eames (Kent Town,
S.A.: Legal Services Commission of South Australia, 1984)
61 Flanigan, Veronica A., The Azaria evidence: fact or fiction?
(Wahroonga, N.S.W. : V.A. Flanigan, 1984) (2 copies)
62 Justice in jeopardy: twelve witnesses speak out, edited by
Guy Boyd (G. Boyd, 1984)
63 Rosendahl, Glenn, The dark side of the law, (Weston Creek,
A.C.T.: G. Rosendahl, 1984)
64 Simmonds, James, Azaria: Wednesdays child, (Melbourne:
TPNL Books, 1982)
65 Young, Norman H., Innocence regained: the fight to free Lindy
Chamberlain (Annandale, N.S.W.: Federation Press, 1989)
Video cassettes
66-67 Willesee at 7: Michael Willesee with Michael
Chamberlain, 1984 (2 copies)
68 Joy Kuhl
69-70 Azaria: a question of evidence, documentary by Kevin
Hitchcock, 1984 (2 copies)
71 Untitled
Audio cassettes
72-73 Lindy Chamberlain
74-75 Chamberlain dinner, 12 September 1984
76 Thanksgiving Service, 8 February 1986
Box List
| Box |
Folder/Item |
| 1 |
1-7 |
| 2 |
8-15 |
| 3 |
16-21 |
| 4 |
22-28 |
| 5 |
29-36 |
| 6 |
37-39 |
| 7 |
40-42 |
| 8 |
43-45 |
| 9 |
46-53 |
| 10 |
54-59 |
| 11 |
60-65 |
| 12 |
66-76 |
November 2000 |