Kerryn Williams
More than 1000 people joined rallies and marches on March 13 to mark International Women's Day. These followed rallies in a range of cities a week earlier.
Kathleen Scott reports that in Sydney, 500 people marched to Hyde Park, including representatives from the Maritime Workers Union, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union, the NSW Rape Crisis Centre, the Greens and the Socialist Alliance.
Speakers included feminist author Anne Summers, who rejected the "crisis in masculinity" and instead talked of the "crisis in women's equality", including unequal pay and sexual violence becoming a "group sport".
Anna Samson from the Stop the War Coalition urged participation in the March 20 global day of action against the occupation of Iraq and gave a powerful evocation of the international struggle women face, particularly at present in Iraq. "Occupation is not about making Iraq safe for women, but making Iraq safe for corporations and US military interests."
Melanie Sjoberg reports that 300 women gathered in Adelaide's Victoria Square to acknowledge women's fight against poverty in Australia and internationally. Stephanie Key, state minister for the status of women, took the opportunity to launch the state ALP government's new discussion paper around women and safety, titled "valuing South Australia's women".
Under the theme "Women unite! Money for jobs, health and education, not war and detention", more than 100 people marched in Wollongong, reports Ben Waters. Dr Marg Perrott from the People's Medical Centre and the Socialist Alliance told the rally: "[The federal government is] deliberately creating a two-tier health system, just as [it is] deliberately creating a two-tier education system".
Jill Merrin, Greens Lord Mayor candidate for the Wollongong City Council election, discussed how women as organisers of social movements are written out of history. "The Battle of Bulli in 1887 was an important miners' struggle waged by women", she said. Freda Botica, of the Illawarra Women's Centre told the rally that "IWD has a very black history and a very militant history".
According to Kamala Emanuel, 100 people attended a rally in Hobart. Speakers included peace activist Penelope Ann and Merryn Smith from Amnesty International.
In Newcastle, Katie Cherrington reports that 60 people rallied under the banner "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere!" Socialist Alliance activist and Australian Nursing Federation member Judy Morley spoke about the need to stop the privatisation of the Mater hospital. Domestic violence prevention officer Jillian Meyers-Brittain also addressed the rally.
From Green Left Weekly, March 17, 2004.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.