Guide to the Records of the National Freedom Council, 1980-2000

Summary

Collection number:

MS 7845

Creator:

National Freedom Council and Hocking, Betty

Extent:

2.19 metres and (9 MS Boxes + 3 Cartons)

Language:

English

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]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

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).

Provenance:

The records of the National Freedom Council were transferred to the National Library in four instalments between March 1989 and November 2000.

Arrangement:

The records have been arranged by the Library in chronological order within broad groups based on record types.

Indexed terms

Names:

Hocking, Betty

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]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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