A climate of possibility In the twenty years between Don Dunstan's leaving State politics and his death last week a generation of babies have reached adulthood. They have not experienced the leadership and service of an exceptional man. But they have been benficiaries of his work. Since much has been written over this last week about Don Dunstan's legacy to the state of South Australia my account, with the benefit of hindsight, will only focus on one incident the anti-discrimination legislation. My surmising could be entirely wrong but I believe in the adage that people are known by their deeds. Why did Don take until 1974 to pass the antidiscrimination legislation? Because he had to build a level of acceptance in the community. What I find most admirable about his work is that he built consensus at every level, within the ALP and within the community. How did he do it with this legislation? I can't remember or don't know all the things he did, the talking, the education and so on but in this case he let part of the work be done by his opponent. In early 1973 women's issues were the flavour of the month. WEL had been involved in both a Federal and State election and the parliamentarians were beginning to realise that the women's vote was important. David Tonkin as the leader of the Liberal opposition introduced a private members bill, an anti sex discrimination bill, and a parliamentary select committee was set up to look at the issues. Together with other groups in the community WEL wrote a submission and on 16 November 1973 three of us gave WEL's verbal submission, additional to the written material, to the committee. And the bill was not passed! I could not understand how David Tonkin could be so nice about it all. When he spoke to me he said, not to worry about it; as a private member's bill it would not have had any money to back it. Don had promised him, he said, that the government would introduce a similar bill next session and it would have the necessary monetary appropriations too. And that was what happened. A well crafted antidiscrimination bill discrimination was duly passed. The passage of the bill seemed to me at the time to be boringly uncontentious. Once it was passed I was really surprised, it included all sorts of things such as race, religion, much more than my own particular focus of women. I was surprised, but it felt exactly right, and, I was conscious at the time, was widely accepted by my colleagues at work. Looking back I see that the Liberals had a vested interest in the legislation because they too had had their moment of glory. Many women worked hard on the aspects of sexism in society; on issues such as education, part time work, health care, crisis care and so on. We knew we had to prove our case, but we worked knowing that change was possible. If we could show it was necessary and it was what we wanted we could have it. It was our government serving us. Denise Tzumli -- in sisterhood and solidarnosc Denise Tzumli Mile End , South Australia +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + From the Preamble: + + "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (is) a common + + standard of achievement ... that every individual and + + organ of society ... shall strive to secure their + + universal & effective recognition & observance." + + I ask you: Are not corporations "organs of society" and + + bound to uphold these rights? + + UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 23, pt 3: + + "Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable + + renumeration ensuring for themselves and their family an + + existence worthy of human dignity ... " + +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
