Norma Jones discusses the attempt to expel her and her husband, Toowoomba City Councillor Lindsay Jones, from the South Toowoomba Branch of the ALP and the support they received from Senator George Georges.
Norma Jones discusses issues that diviided ALP branch members in Toowoomba including Ed Casey's leadership, preselection issues, money and the policy on abortion.
Norma Jones discusses the ALP in Toowoomba with some members becoming involved in Brisbane activities such as the Labor Women's Organisation. She discusses the feeling that the party needed to move along with social attitudes and the leaders needed to be open to new ideas.
Norma Jones recalls that ALP representation for Toowoomba was wiped out in the 1974 election when both Wood and Bousen lost office and the debate within the party about how to retrieve the situation.
Norma Jones remembers the Women's Conference held in Canberra in International Women's Year in 1975 and the impact of the report-back session held in Toowoomba attended by over 200 people, some of whom became very active around women issues and anti-war activity.
Norma Jones remembers that the two ALP state MPs for Toowoomba region were Peter Wood and Ray Bowsen. She discusses the impact of the Whitlam government in polarising the Toowoomba community. She recalls a meeting featuring Barbara Wertheim where the National Party brought in bus loads of conservative country women reported by the Toowoomba Chronicle. She recalls the Right to Life being very active in Toowoomba.
Norma Jones speaks about her early life, attending Kedron Park Teacher's College, participating in a protest against the visit of United States President, Lyndon Baines Johnson. She outlines her teaching in Toowoomba and recalls that the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education was newly established in Toowoomba and played a part in politicisation of the city's young people. She characterises Toowoomba as a very conservative city.
Michael Weise talks about his childhood and early education, which took place primarily in the Darling Downs, Queensland. He discusses his early work experience prior to becoming a union member.
