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 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).

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 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.

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 ‘Crown’s 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 General’s 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 women’s weekly, (Mar. 1986)

48 The Australian women’s weekly, (Sept. 1988)

49 The Australian women’s weekly, (Oct. 1991)

50 Australia’s 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 Women’s day, (Mar. 17, 1986 and Sept. 5, 1989)

57 Women’s 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: Wednesday’s 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