Campaigning for women's right to choose abortion since 1972
WAAC Timeline, 1972 - 1981
The early days of WAAC occurred at a time of great change and upheaval in Australian society. Many existing traditons were found inadequate to meet the needs of the changing times, laws were subject to critique and demands for personal liberties grew. A WAAC member took the time to piece together this brief timeline of WAAC's first nine years. Anyone able to contribute further to this Timeline is invited to contact WAAC:
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August 1972 |
Women’s Abortion Action Campaign (WAAC) formed |
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May 1973 |
McKenzie/Lamb Bill, Commonwealth Parliament |
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30 June 1973 |
WAAC demonstration |
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1973 |
Right to Choose edition No. 1 |
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7 March 1974 |
Public meeting and production of "What Have You Done for me Lately?" |
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early 1974 |
Right to Choose edition No. 2 |
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11 May 1974 |
WAAC demonstration one year after McKenzie/Lamb Bill |
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May 1974 |
Right to Choose edition No. 3 |
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mid 1974 |
Preterm opens |
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June 1974 |
WAAC National meeting in Melbourne |
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July 1974 |
Right to Choose edition No. 4 |
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July to August 1974 |
WAAC sponsored national tour of Jessica Star from WONAC |
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September 1974 |
WAAC national meeting in Sydney |
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December 1974 |
Right to Choose edition No. 5 |
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1975 |
International Women’s Year WAAC receives $10,000 from Federal Government for conference(June). Publication of A Women’s Guide to Abortion – "Why, How & Where". Publication in migrant languages |
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February to March 1975 |
Right to Choose edition No. 6 |
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April 1975 |
Preterm burns down. PSI opens |
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1975 |
Throughout 1975 WAAC forums |
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14 & 15 June 1975 |
WAAC organises national abortion conference in Sydney, includes: production of packages entitled abortion & you, sponsoring visit by French abortion activist Giselle Halimi & launchof English translation of her bookBobigny Affair. As a result of June conference a liaison committee formed to continuenational organisation. |
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mid 1975 |
Right to Choose edition No. 7 |
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August 1975 |
WAAC speaks at Government-sponsored conference – Women’s Health in our Changing Society – in Brisbane |
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late 1975 |
Organisation around Harrold Bill – first reading |
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October 1975 |
Right to Choose edition No. 8 |
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6 December 1975 |
National WAAC demonstration |
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December 1975 |
Right to Choose edition No. 9. First hearing of the Liverpool case |
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February 1976 |
Liverpool Abortion Defence Committee (LADC) formed |
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March 1976 |
Right to Choose edition No. 10. Second hearing of Liverpool case |
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12 March 1976 |
WAAC public meeting at Leichhardt Town Hall re Harrold Bill |
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April 1976 |
WAAC survey of candidates in State election |
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20 April 1976 |
Public meeting of WAAC & LADC at Teachers Federation Auditorium |
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1 May 1976 |
Labor elected as State Government |
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May 1976 |
Harrold Bill lapses and Harrold loses his seat in the State election Right to Choose edition No. 11 |
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Spring 1976 |
Right to Choose edition No. 12 |
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late 1976 |
WAAC launches repeal bill campaign |
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November 1976 |
National WAAC conference in Brisbane |
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December 1976 |
“No Bill” granted in Liverpool case |
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early 1977 |
Right to Choose edition No. 13 |
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February 1977 |
Control referral service moves to Dymocks building |
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Autumn 1977 |
Right to Choose edition No. 14 |
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July 1977 |
Bessie Refuge opens |
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September 1977 |
Preterm sacks founder Emmi Snyder Repeal Bill quashed (see page 12, Right to Choose No. 15) |
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December 1977 |
Repressive abortion laws pushed through in New Zealand |
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early 1978 |
Right to Choose edition No. 15 |
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February 1978 |
WAAC organises demonstration re New Zealand laws |
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early 1978 |
Government ordinance to prohibit abortion clinics in Canberra |
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February 1978 |
Hunt enquiry (re health funds & abortion) WAAC leaflets & petitions |
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June 1978 |
International Campaign for abortion rights in London |
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Winter 1978 |
Right to Choose edition No. 16 |
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July 1978 |
Right to Choose “Extra” |
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August 1978 |
Joan Shields, New Zealand abortion activist tour |
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Spring 1978 |
Right to Choose edition No. 17 |
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sometime 1978 |
Migrant booklets completed & launched |
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15 September 1978 |
WAAC demonstration in solidarity with New Zealand day of action |
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October 1978 |
Susan Ryan presents motion to disallow Canberra clinic ordinance – lost |
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November 1978 |
Lusher motion introduced in Federal Parliament to remove all benefits for abortion. WAAC questions parliamentarians & sends petitions |
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20 December 1978 |
Darling St Women’s Health Centre opens |
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Feb/March 1979 |
Right to Choose edition No. 18 |
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31 March 1979 |
International Day of Abortion Action – WAAC demonstration |
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May 1979 |
Bulletin publishes Morgan Gallup Poll showing 73% in favour of legal abortions |
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sometime in 1979 |
Lusher motion defeated |
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mid 1979 |
Socialist Workers Party leaves WAAC |
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August 1979 |
Beginning of Qld Bill campaign |
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20 October 1979 |
WAAC Sydney demonstration against Right to Life Week of the Unborn |
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October 1979 |
Right to Choose edition No. 19 |
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March 1980 |
Right to Choose edition No. 20. WAAC joins anti Depo Provera campaign |
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May 1980 |
Qld Bill defeated |
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October 1980 |
WAAC surveys candidates in Federal election |
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25 & 26 October 1980 |
WAAC national activists workshop Sydney |
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Summer 80/81 |
Right to Choose edition No. 21 with new magazine format |
