Thousands of women and men turned out for International Women's Day marches and rallies around Australia this year.
Karen Fletcher from Brisbane report that around 1000 women responded on March 11 to this year's IWD rally theme of "Out of the House and onto the streets". Speakers at King George Square included Cait Calcutt from Children by Choice, who called for the decriminalisation of abortion, and Susan Austin from Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East (ASIET), who spoke about the need for solidarity with women fighting for liberation in Indonesia and East Timor.
Camille Barbagallo, on behalf of the National Union of Students, called for free education for all, and Jo Ball from the University of Queensland's Women's Collective gave a rousing speech against sexist advertising and set fire a Ralph magazine advertisement.
The protest marched on the state parliament, where Brisbane Resistance organiser Angela Luvera read out the demands collected from participants for a "log of claims". They included an end to mandatory sentencing; freedom from violence in the home and on the streets; free, safe, accessible abortion; and rights for lesbian parents.
The protest finished in the Botanical Gardens with a tribute to the Queensland branch of the Union of Australian Women's on its centenary this year. Long-time UAW and Communist Party activists Alice Hughes and Helen Barben reminded the protesters of the socialist and labour movement origins of IWD in Australia and internationally.
Barben's granddaughter, high school Resistance activist Stella Riethmuller, called on young women to get active all year round, join Resistance, and take courage and inspiration from the struggles of previous generations of feminists.
Liisa Rusanen and Keara Courtney in Sydney report that despite heavy rain, 800 women and men rallied at Hyde Park on March 11. Jenny Munro, chairperson of the Metropolitan Land Council, welcomed the rally and spoke of the importance of linking the struggles against racism and sexism.
Tara Toufik spoke about the violence that women in Iraq face. The laws in Iraq allow men to kill their wives, daughters, sisters and neighbours if these women do not obey them.
Greetings from Dita Sari, president of the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle and a former political prisoner, were read to the rally. Participants then marched to NSW Parliament House, where they heard Julia Murray from the Fairwear campaign explain the conditions that migrant women workers endure in sweatshops.
Resistance member Becky Fairall-Lee denounced the "beauty myth", saying, "Capitalism uses the beauty myth not only to create the cosmetic industry but to continue to make women feel like commodities rather than human beings".
Many women ignored police orders and marched back to Hyde Park through Martin Place and George Street. Susan Price from the IWD Collective, who chaired the rally, told Green Left Weekly, "Sydney City Council's and the police department's refusal to give permission for the march to take the IWD Collective's preferred route angered many women who rightly saw it as an infringement on their freedom of speech and action. But, despite the rain and the problems with the council and police, the rally was a great success."
On March 9, reports Claire Daniels, the first IWD march and rally to be held in Parramatta, in Sydney's western suburbs, took place. The march, organised by the Western Sydney IWD Collective, was joined by more than 50 people.
Led by women from the local Woromi Aboriginal people, the marchers left Prince Alfred Park and proceeded to the family law courts where collective member Natalie Bellew spoke about violence against women. Chanting "Not the church, not the state, women must decide their fate" and "Get your rosaries off our ovaries", the march then stopped outside federal Liberal MP Ross Cameron's office, where speakers demanded that all women have access to free and safe abortion.
The march ended in the Parramatta Mall amphitheatre where Grace Kong from the Woromi people welcomed the marchers to Aboriginal land. Speakers included Layla Muhammed from the Committee in Defence of Iraqi Women, and Susan Barley and Gail Lord from the Democratic Socialist Party (DSP).
In Melbourne, reports Mel Bull, 400 women marched on March 11. The event, under the theme "Women of the World Unite and Fight", emphasised building international links between women's separate but interrelated struggles. Solidarity greetings from trade unions and political organisations around the world — including New Zealand, Indonesia, Korea, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Pakistan and the Philippines — were read out.
Etervina Groenan from the East Timorese community and Melba Marginson from the Victorian Refugee Women's Coalition told the rally about the sexist and racist oppression migrant women are subjected to by the Australian establishment. Groenen also described the Indonesian government's forced sterilisation of East Timorese women before Indonesian troops withdrew last year. Lynette Dumble from the Global Sisterhood Network also spoke against forced sterilisation.
Pamela Kerr from Fairwear pointed out that Nike merchandise is made with the sweatshop labour of migrant workers in suburban Melbourne. Nike products are also made by predominately female factory workers in sweatshop conditions in south-east Asia.
Sue Bull, a long-time union activist and member of the DSP, pointed out that due to unfair hiring practices, family commitments and limited opportunities, women are concentrated in the part-time and casual labour force. Consequently, women earn less than 70% of the male wage and, alongside migrants, indigenous people, young people and the unemployed, are the poorest members of the population. Linda Waldron, women's officer from the University of Melbourne, also spoke.
Substantial financial contributions for the organisation of Melbourne's IWD rally were received from 13 unions, including the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and the Electrical Trades Union. The AMWU Workers First group had a contingent in the march and held a BBQ at the post-march festival.
In Geelong, Bronwyn Jennings told Green Left Weekly, 30 women gathered at Eastern Beach on March 11 to celebrate IWD, protest against the GST on tampons and relaunch the Geelong Women's Action Coalition (GWAC).
Anne Schofield from the Women's Health Resource Service explained that GWAC has existed on and off for the last 10 years and has organised Reclaim the Night events in Geelong. Judith Arnott from the Barwon Domestic Violence Outreach Service detailed the history of IWD and Wendy Bainger from the Progressive Labour Party outlined the horrific situation faced by the women of Afghanistan under the rule of the religious fundamentalist Taliban.
From Adelaide, Lisa Lines reports that more than 400 people rallied on March 11. Protesters tore up papers representing the federal government's anti-women policies and consigned them to the "green wheelie bin of history". Rebecca Bear-Wingfield from the Arabunna and Kokatha indigenous people highlighted the history and the continuing struggle of her people against the nuclear industry.
Trisha Reimers relates from Perth that more than 300 women marched on March 11. Although not as large as rallies in previous years, participants agreed that the march and rally were extremely inspiring. One of the most popular chants was, "No tax on tampons! No GST!".
The annual march and rally were well attended despite a separate IWD rally, organised by the Women's Electoral Lobby, being held earlier that day. The WEL rally was attended by about 80 people and addressed by Liberal, Labor and Greens politicians. Trades and Labor Council president Stephanie Mayman said she hoped that next year all women will be able to support one event.
From Darwin, Natalie Zirngast told Green Left Weekly that light rain did not deter 150 women from rallying on March 11. Angela Hassan from the YWCA's Palmerston domestic violence shelter spoke about women's right to freedom from violence, Jo Ellis from Resistance advocated reproductive choice, Amanda Vijars from the IWD Collective demanded economic independence for women and Sibylle Kaczorek from the DSP spoke against the GST.
In Hobart, Kamala Emanuel reports, 150 people rallied at the Parliament Lawns on March 11. The Sisongke choir launched the rally with inspiring songs of struggle. Speakers included Salamanca Arts Centre coordinator Rosemary Miller and ALP-endorsed candidate and WEL member Vicky Rutter, who spoke about the effect of the GST on women.
Participants marched to the Liberal Party headquarters where Nikki Ulasowski from Resistance spoke against the federal government's attacks. Back at Parliament Lawns, Karen Burgess, a resident of south-west Tasmania, spoke about issues facing women in regional areas and outlined the impact of the impact of cuts to local services by government and business.
Margot Roe, on behalf of the Women's International League For Peace and Freedom, outlined plans for the Australian leg of the World March For Women 2000. Merryn Smith from Amnesty International's women's committee also spoke.
On March 8, in Lismore, the Women's Collective of the Southern Cross University Student Representative Council (SRC) organised a lively speak-out. Several hundred students listened to SRC women's officers Shontelle Akhurst, who outlined the militant origins and history of IWD, and Kel Thomson, who discussed the need for an active women's collective on campus.
Keirryn Davis spoke on the high level of domestic violence in rural areas. Kath O'Driscoll from ASIET told of her recent meeting with feminists in East Timor.
In Wollongong, on March 4, 50 people attended the IWD march and rally. A nurse from Shellharbour Maternity Unit was the keynote speaker and the nurses' contingent led the march. The Shellharbour Maternity Unit is being closed, forcing women to travel more than 45 minutes to give birth in Wollongong Hospital.