Bertram Wainer
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Bertram Wainer (December 30, 1928 - January 16, 1987) was a Melbourne doctor who successfully campaigned for legal access to abortion for women in Victoria. In the process there were at least three attempts on his life, including shootings and arson. He was also to uncover political and police corruption.
Born in Edinburgh, he left school at thirteen and migrated to Australia eight years later with 2s 6d in his pocket. He did many odd jobs while attending night school and later Melbourne University where he obtained his medical degree in 1958.
He became an army doctor in 1960 but resigned in 1966 as commander of a military hospital to go into private practice in St Kilda, Melbourne.
In 1967, a young woman came to Wainer's Melbourne surgery seeking emergency treatment after a backyard abortion. For Wainer it marked the beginning of a long struggle to overturn laws that made abortion an offense, punishable by up to fifteen years in jail.
In mid 1969 Wainer, raised allegations of police corruption in protecting back-yard abortion rackets. His claims were published in stories written by journalist Evan Whitton in Melbourne's Truth newspaper. On 9 December 1969, a series of affidavits were handed to the Solicitor-General, Basil Murray QC. They alleged that police were protecting doctors as well as back yard abortionists, including Charles Wyatt, a former Victorian police officer.
During the six months Wainer had complained, Jack Ford had been promoted to the head of the Homicide squad. An inquiry which commenced in early 1970 headed by William Kaye QC saw Ford and another Superintendent, Jack Matthews, jailed for five years. Martin Jacobsen, a constable, was jailed for three years.
The inquiry revealed an institutionalised and systematic graft dating back to about 1953, two years before Bolte's arrival, and in the days of Premier John Cain (senior).
He opened a Fertility Control Clinic in East Melbourne in 1972: the first in Australia where public access to abortion could be obtained with no upfront fees.
In 1975, Wainer was interviewed on the ABC TV Norman Gunston show.
He died of a heart attack in 1987 at Ararat, Victoria.
