Abortion Law Reform Association – ALRA - ACT Collection - NJSN_AC-019 circa 1967 - 1978

ARRANGEMENT OF CONTENTS:
Box 1: Series 1-10; Files 1-35.
Box 2: Series 11-15; Files 36-47.
Box 1
Series 1: Constitution and objectives:
This series contains a copy of the ALRA (ACT) constitution, a draft copy of the ALRA of the ACT objectives and a copy of the constitution of ALRA (WA). All are undated.
File 19
Series 2: Minutes 1972-1973:
This series is made up of copies of minutes taken at ALRA (ACT) meetings on 18 December 1972 and 12 February 1973.
File 20.
Series 3: Annual report 1970:
Comprises the First Annual Report of ALRA 1970 written by James Grieve President of ALRA (ACT).
File 21.
Series 4: Correspondence 1969- 1973:
This series comprises correspondence of ALRA (ACT). Some of the letters are from James Grieve, President of ALRA (ACT); Beryl Henderson, founder of ALRA (ACT); M D Cass, member for Maribyrnong; Kep Enderby MP; Nic Haines, ANU; Professor Carl Wood, Monash University; Beatrice Faust; Diane Munday, General Secretary of ALRA England; T E F Hughes, Attorney General ACT; Anne Barley SA; and Professor H Tarlo, University of Queensland Law School.
Files 22a & 22b.
Series 5: Reports 1971-1980:
This series comprises a number of reports:
Report of the Council ALRA (ACT) 1971; Investigation of abortion laws and practices in Europe and America by I K Furler FRCOG Visiting Medical Specialist Gynaecology Department, Queen Victoria Hospital, C1973; An ANOP study of attitudes towards abortion laws and abortion clinics in the ACT, 1977; Report on the working party on Intra-Uterine Contraceptive Devices, National Health and Research Council, 1977; The Family Planning Association ACT Incorporated, Sixth Annual Report, 1976-77; The Family Planning Association ACT Incorporated, Ninth Annual Report, 1979-1980.
File 23.
Series 6: Review c1967:
This series contains a review of the working of the Abortion Act, 1967, ‘The First Two Years’, (England), October 1970; and another annotated review (undated) which appears to be part of the same series of articles.
File 24.
Series 7: Submission c1969:
This comprises a Submission by the Expert Committee of the Abortion Law Reform Association (Victoria) to the Victorian branch of the AMA ‘Procedural Advice On Abortion: Out Of Step With The Law’.
File 25.
Series 8: Conference and Seminar papers 1971-1977:
This series comprises a programme and a number of papers given at conferences, namely: ‘Modernisation, Population, And Women’, Rosalie Fanale, 14th world Conference, Abidjan (undated); ‘Social Implications Of Abortion Law Reform’, Carl Wood, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Monash University, Melbourne. Seminar on the implications of change in the law, ‘Abortion, Repeal or Reform?’, 1971; ‘Possible Social and Political Responses To Certain Proposed Changes of Laws on Abortion’, A L Burns, Professor of Political Science, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra: Seminar on the implications of change in the law, ‘Abortion, Repeal or Reform?’, 1971; ‘Legal Questions’, Robin Millhouse, LL B, MP, Deputy Leader of the Opposition S A Parliament: Seminar on the implications of change in the law, ‘Abortion, Repeal or Reform?’, 1971; Programme for a seminar on the implications of change in the law, ‘Abortion, Repeal or Reform?’, 1971; ‘Report to AIS Counsellors’, Denise White, Women’s Health Conference, Brisbane, Queensland, 1975; ‘Prevention Is Better Than Cure’, Henny Ligtermoet: National Conference for the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital in Sydney, 1977.
File 26.
Series 9: Discussion paper 1973:
This series comprises a discussion paper produced by the ACT Health Services, entitled ‘Interim Health Centre For A Population of 10,000’ produced by Commonwealth of Australia 1973.
File 27.
Series 10: Papers:
This series comprises a collection of papers arranged under subject headings. They relate to medical, legal and political subjects. It also contains working papers created in the setting up and production of the newsletter ABRA.
File 28: Political, c.1968-1971.
File 29: Abortion c.1970.
File 30: Karman Cannula Campaign (undated).
File 31: Miscellaneous c.1973 related to abortion law reform.
File 32: Legal matters concerning abortion law reform 1969-1972.
File 33: Fertility control clinic (undated).
File 34: Leichhardt Women’s Health Centre (undated).
File 35: ABRA working papers 1970-1972. Box 2
Series 11: Publications:
This series contains Australian and overseas publications which were accumulated by ALRA (ACT). They pertain to women’s issues particularly abortion, abortion law reform, pregnancy and women’s health.
File 36: Publications/Extracts from British publications relating to abortion issues 1970-1973. Included in the folder are ALRA’S newsletter numbers 27 & 28, 1970, and the members’ bulletin for Birth Control Campaign 1972-1973. It also includes a reading list prepared by ALRA in England.
File 37: Publications/Extracts from medical journals that relate to abortion and pregnancy. The folder contains extracts from numerous medical journals. There are some handwritten references to articles, which give details of title, date of publication, and page numbers. Some articles are typewritten and some are photocopied.
File 38: Publications and pamphlets relating to abortion law reform. Included in this folder are: ‘Abortion: A matter of Life or Death, Dr. R S J Simpson, ACTS Publications Melbourne, 1969; ‘Abortion Law Reform?’, John Bennett Civil Liberties Publication, Melbourne, 1969; ‘Your Family and the Law’, Anna Frenkel, LL B Barrister at Law, Hodder & Stoughton, Sydney, 1971; ‘What every woman should know’, Workingwomen’s Group Women’s Liberation 1971; ‘Abortion in Sydney: A Perspective on Change’, Emmi Snyder, B A (Sociology) Research and Education Officer, The Preterm Foundation, Sydney and Susan Wall (Treloar) B Soc. Stud. (Hons). Research Social Worker, Dept. of Preventative Social Medicine School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Sydney University, Published by Preterm Foundation Surry Hills. 1976; ‘Abortion a woman’s right to choose’, published by the Australian Union of Students. (Undated); ‘Birth Control Services… A Plan for Change’, Carol Hawker with Jenny Banfield, Dept. of Preventative and Social Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Sydney University, 1976.
File 39: Publications /Extract s of articles relating to abortion 1967-1972.
File 40: Publications/ Extracts of articles relating to women’s health c1970.
File 41: Publications /Pamphlets and handouts from various women’s organisations 1970-1974. Publications in this file relate to abortion, women’s issues, aboriginal babies, pregnancy and labour.
Series 12: Newsletters 1971-1973:
This series is made up of collection of newsletters accumulated by ALRA (ACT), produced by ALRA (ACT) and ABRA a bi-monthly publication from the Abortion Law Reform Association of the ACT, NSW, SA and Victoria, the Abortion Law Repeal Association of WA and the Children by Choice Association of QLD. Other newsletters included in the series are from Australian pro-abortion groups.
File 42: Newsletters, ALRA (ACT), (Incomplete series. 2 only), May 1970, undated, possibly January 1973.
File 43: Newsletters ABRA, (Incomplete series 5 only), Vol. 1970 No 3 Sept 1, 1970; Vol. 1970 No 4 Nov 11, 1970; Vol. 1971 No 5 March, 1971; Vol. 1971 No 8 Nov. 15,1971; Vol. 1972 No 10 May, 1972.
File 44: Newsletters various other pro-abortion organization 1971-1973.
Series 13: Information Circular 1970.
The series comprises an information circular written by James Grieve President of ALRA (ACT). It gives facts regarding new council members and the Executive. It is number 1 in a series of circulars and dated 9 December 1970.
File 45.
Series 14: Press Clippings 1969-1978.
Included in this series are a number of newspaper clippings accumulated by ALRA (ACT). Most of the clippings are from Australian newspapers particularly the Canberra Times. They relate to women’s issues and questions concerning abortion law reform with an emphasis on activities in the ACT.
File 46
(**At some time the clippings need to be photocopied on to archival paper for preservation purposes.)
Series 15: Ephemera:
This series comprises a cardboard sign stating “COUNSELLING IN SESSION”. It measures 35.5 cm x12.75 cm, and probably was used on the door of a room used for counselling.
File 47.

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Files are numbered as per original arrangement and description 7.5.2001.

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

ALRA grew out of Humanist Societies and Councils for Civil Liberties. It operated between 1969 and 1973. In 1969 Beryl Henderson founded ALRA in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). ALRA (ACT) recognised the need to repeal the abortion laws in ACT, which were based upon the outdated 1900 Crimes Act. Members of ALRA (ACT) were elected to an executive council annually. The executive council consisted of nine members and included a President, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer. Beryl Henderson was the first President [Canberra Women’s Liberation, ‘The Movement in Canberra’, June 1972, page 1]. Henderson translated the text of ‘Abortion: Bobigny Affair’ from French to English. It was used to launch the Women Abortion Action Association (WAAC) during International Women’s Year, 1975.

The Women’s Archive was started early in 1982 by a small group of students at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra. It was supported although not funded by ANU. The collection documents the history of the second wave feminism movement in community women’s groups in Canberra. The “Canberra Women’s Archives” as Woman’s Archive became known, consists of the records of thirty-five community women’s organisations which were established in the ACT during the 1970s and 1980s. The ALRA papers are part of this collection.
In 1993 it became impossible for the Archive to continue its operations due to lack of funds. Mary Hutchison and Frances Sutherland donated the material to JSNWL. Conditions of the donation to JSNWL were that that the collection was to be kept together and not subsumed into a major collection because it is so unique. When JSNWL took custody of the Canberra Women’s Archive in July 1993 the collection was deposited at the Petersham Town Hall repository of the Marrickville Town Hall for safe keeping until funding was arranged.

In 1995 an archival policy was implemented by JSNWL through a Special Research Project at the University of New South Wales coordinated by Dr. Peter Orlovich. Student archivist Martine Bright undertook to appraise the Canberra Women’s Archives. She compiled a report and submitted it in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the Graduate Diploma In Information Management Archives/Records.

In 1999 the Archives were brought to the library’s new home in Town Hall House, Sydney when the library received a state government grant through the Ministry for the Arts. This enabled the library to employ two part time archivists to work on the collection.

RESTRICTIONS ON REPRODUCTION
Library permission and acknowledgement is required to copy material for research purposes.

DATE OF ACQUISITION:
July 1993.
EXTENT:
2 standard archive boxes.

INFORMATION RELATING TO COPYRIGHT STATUS:
Copyright holder is JSNWL.

English.