Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 2017 (Creation)
- 1973-2000 (Creation)
Level of description
Series
Extent and medium
7 folders, 1 item.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Australian cartoonist and author born and raised in Melbourne.
Name of creator
Administrative history
Women's Abortion Campaign (WAC) was a not-for-profit activist group that campaigned for the decriminalisation of abortion in Queensland, access to free and safe abortion, and sex education in schools through lobbying, rallies, and information-sharing. It was based in West End, Brisbane, and received funding largely from donations and membership subscriptions. An earlier iteration of the Women's Abortion Campaign was the Women's Campaign for Abortion (WCA), which formed in 1979 but disbanded around 1986. WCA then re-established in April 1991 as WAC, after individuals interested in abortion matters in Queensland began meeting again from 1989. WAC disbanded between the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Publicists - Debra McLoughlin, Mary Barram, Unna Liddy, Felicity Farmer, Frances Somers, Lorna Owen, Annette Liddy, Anna McCormack, Susan Price, Katrina Barben, Philippa Stanford, Nannette Wight, Jenny Hughie and Alison Stewart.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Photographs of rallies and marches, an original artwork by Kaz Cooke, newspaper cuttings, and publicity ephemera created or collected by WAC, such as stickers and song sheets.
Parcel 1
Folder 1
Newspaper cuttings, both original and photocopies, of media reports relating to abortion issues in Australia and internationally; court cases, such as the case of R v Bayliss and Cullen (1986); raids and attacks on abortion clinics; WAC's political activities; and the activities of other activist organisations. Most of the cuttings come from Queensland newspapers. Some cuttings are annotated in pen. Dated: 1973 to 1981, 1983 to 1991.
Folder 2
Newspaper cuttings, both original and photocopies, of media reports relating to abortion issues in Australia and internationally; court cases; raids and attacks on abortion clinics; WAC's political activities; and the activities of other activist organisations. Most of the cuttings come from Queensland newspapers. Some cuttings are annotated in pen. Dated: 1992 to 2000.
Box 3
Item 1
Circular pink badge with 'Pro-choice' slogan in white text, 4 cm.
Folder 1
Eight photographs, colour, 10 x 15 cm and smaller, from International Women's Day (IWD) marches in Brisbane in 1979 and 1987, and London in 1983.
Folder 2
Eight photographs, colour, 10 x 15 cm and smaller, of street marches and rallies in Brisbane in 1980, 1992 and 1993, and Townsville in 1981. The 1992 photograph was taken at a WAC August 1992 rally; all other photographs are from May Day marches and rallies in their respective years. The 1993 photograph features possible WAC members or supporters wearing the Kaz Cooke 'Make it legal' t-shirts.
Folder 3
29 stickers and bumper stickers created or collected by WAC, featuring slogans such as 'Trust women, decriminalise abortion'; 'Repeal all abortion laws'; 'Abortion a trade union issue'; 'Free safe abortion on demand'; and 'ALP conscience vote stops women's abortion rights'. Also includes cutouts of emblems, possibly intended to be used as designs for badges and leaflets, with slogans such as 'Abortion: a woman's right to choose' and 'Repeal all abortion laws', as well as a cutting of a manila folder covered in used stickers with slogans such as 'Not the church, not the state, women shall decide their fate'. Most of the stickers appear to be from c 1980s and c 1990s. At least two sticker designs are from c 2017; one of the two, an illustration of a uterus accompanied by the text 'Cuterus', was designed by a Brisbane artist known as 'Talia'. Dated: 1985 to 1995, 2017.
Folder 4
Typed song sheets and chants seemingly written by WAC for marches and rallies. Most song sheets are from 1992. One is from 2017 when WAC reformed as the Women's Abortion Rights Campaign (WARC).
Folder 5
Records relating to the 'Make it legal' t-shirt designed by Kaz Cooke for WAC. Includes the original pen and black ink cartoon illustration 'Make it legal' by Kaz Cooke, 1992, along with a photocopy of the illustration; handwritten t-shirt size chart; a handwritten sign advertising sale of the t-shirts; and a brochure for the screen-printing company used to make the shirts.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
This series is divided into folders according to the function of the materials, and materials are arranged chronologically within the folders, by processing archivist.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
In copyright. Can be reproduced for personal research and study. For other uses see About copyright. Please attribute the Fryer Library.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Parcel 1 Folders 1-2. Box 3 Item 1, Folders 1-5.
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Cooke, Kaz, 1962- (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Full
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created, Kymberley Doyle, 08-Jul-2024.