Hi everyone, thought you folks may be interested in this conference. The call for abstracts are closed, but if anyone is inspired to give a paper, if they get it in quickly, it will be considered. There is not a hint of any birthing issues in this conference so far. There is something about reproductive rights ie IVF and abortion. Considering it is called Trust the women, seems appropriate to me that birthing issues are included. What do you think?
warmly, Carolyn Hastie TRUST THE WOMEN NATIONAL BULLETIN No 3 � 9 May 2002 COORDINATING COMMUNITY ACTION BY WOMEN AND LEADING TO TRUST THE WOMEN: WOMEN'S CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 11-13 June 2002, Canberra 1. WELCOME! 2.1 "Trust the Women": the Image 2.2 Australian Republican Movement Women's Network - Senator Marise Payne 3. ARTICLES 3.1 An honour and a privilege! - Lotte Weiss 3.2 The Centenary of Suffrage - Senator Natasha Stott Despoja 4. WOMEN'S CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION 4.1 Program working group - papers and workshops 4.2 Call to Indigenous Women 4.3 Bookmarks 4.4 Website now active 4.5 RRR Assistance 5. Books and articles 6. FORTHCOMING EVENTS 6.1 2002 ATSIC elections 6.2 Canberra workshop 6.4 Community workshops 6.5 A Just Republic Conference 6.6 Public Lecture 7. CONTACTS National Coordination Office National Community Coordinators Conference Coordinator 8. SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS 9. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1. WELCOME! There is now little more than a month to go before the Women�s Constitutional Convention. The conference brochure has been distributed widely but if you haven't received one please contact the National Coordination office or use the convention web site. This issue of the fortnightly bulletin features contributions by Senator Marise Payne, Lotte Weiss and Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, news about the Convention and other coming events. 2.1 �Trust the Women�: THE IMAGE The image for the convention, (website reference, http://www.wcc2002.asn.au ) was designed by Canberra-based cartoonist Judy Horacek. While the original �Trust the Women� banner, from which the Convention takes its title, reflected the imperial ties that defined Australian society at the dawn of the 20th century, in 2002 the convention image represents diverse contemporary women, singing out from the ballot box or from their podiums. Judy Horacek was awarded the �Edna� for feminist humour at the annual presentations of the Ednas in Sydney on 3rd May. The NSW Branch of WEL hosts the awards each year in commemoration of the life and work of the late Edna Ryan. We heartily congratulate Judy on her deserved award and we know that her unique view of feminism is making women�s issues more visible across our communities. Judy�s exhibition, �I Am Woman, Hear Me Draw�, is currently showing at the National Museum in Canberra. For details, see the link on the Trust the Women website: http://www.wcc2002.asn.au 2.2 Australian Republican Movement (ARM) Women�s Network: Senator Marise Payne As a Senator I not only have the opportunity to become involved in issues like paid maternity leave and IVF treatment for single women, but also I have the chance to get involved in women�s groups that discuss the gamut of government policy. For example as a member of UNIFEM I am informed of international developments and I also support organisations and companies (like Citicorp�s Australian head office) that run women�s networking and discussion groups. Women�s views vitally important to political decision making, as they represent slightly more than 50% of the population. Obviously not all women hold the same views and other demographic factors account for the diversity of opinion. Nevertheless in some ways it is true that women as a group will act in a certain way � for example we tend to be more conservative in our voting patterns. With this in mind it has been interesting to follow the work of the Australian Republican Movement�s Women�s Network - an association focused on a constitutional reform and the push for an Australian Republic. Recognising that fewer women than men had voted in favour of a republic in 1999, women in the ARM have developed a Women�s Network. Currently its convenor is republican and feminist Susan Ryan. Several hundred women in favour of an Australian Head of State have already joined the Network, which supports grass roots forums around Australia aimed at getting more women involved in the debate and making sure their voices are heard. As well, the network has hosted an International Women�s Day event in Sydney and an open forum for women�s organisations at St Kilda in Melbourne. The network is open to any female member of the ARM. Suggestions from women on constitutional and community issues around an Australian Head of State can be posted on the ARM website. When Australia finally becomes a republic, we want to be sure that Australian women have played an equal part in deciding the form of our republic. Marise Payne is a senator for New South Wales and the former Deputy Chair of the Australian Republican Movement. 3. ARTICLES We are encouraging women to express their views on a wide range of issues relating to citizenship through their own life experiences. This section of the bulletin will include these personal views as short articles on the broad themes of women, citizenship, leadership and women and the federal vote. 3.1 �An honour and a privilege!�: Lotte Weiss, Sydney I was born in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia, 78 years ago. I enjoyed my early childhood immensely, being surrounded with love and care, in the midst of my dear parents, three sisters and two brothers. The happiness of our dear family drastically changed in 1938-1939, when dark clouds appeared on the horizon. With the rise of National-Socialism, Europe became a very dangerous place. Our country was divided in two and Bratislavia became the capital of the Slovak Republic. The change brought terrible anti-Jewish laws into our country which threatened not only our livelihood, but, unfortunately our lives. The government was a staunch ally of Hitler�s Germany and carried out the most vicious crimes against the Jewish population, which resulted with the deportation of almost all Jewish citizens to the concentration and extermination camps. My whole family was deported to the largest factory of death, Auschwitz. Through utmost miracles I managed to survive more than three years in Auschwitz and five more camps. The rest of my family was consumed by the gas chambers of Auschwitz. After returning to Bratislava after my liberation I suffered greatly as I missed my beloved family and found myself all alone in this world. A year later, I was fortunate to meet my future husband and we were married in 1947. My husband was also a survivor of Niederorschel and Buchenwald. We tried to emigrate from Czechoslovakia because in February 1948 it became a communist state. We succeeded to leave Czechoslovakia and settle somewhere very far away from Europe which has caused us so much pain and sorrow. We were very lucky to get a permit to New Zealand where we were reunited with my husband�s brother and his family. There we learned for the first time that women were entitled to vote. What a privilege and honour!! We enjoyed and cherished our new freedom and to be accepted as citizens of the beautiful new adopted country. After the death of my husband, in 1982, my sons and their families moved to Sydney in 1983. I followed them and arrived in this beautiful country, Australia, in the 16 March 1986. I have settled very well in this lovely City of Sydney and becoming an Australian citizen. I enjoy all rights, including casting my vote at every election. My greatest gratitude goes to those wonderful women, who despite a lot of opposition, succeeded in achieving this wonderful result. April 2002 Lotte Weiss lives in Bondi Junction, Sydney and is a volunteer guide at the Sydney Jewish Museum 3.2 The Centenary of Suffrage: Another century before equality? Senator Natasha Stott Despoja This centenary is an opportunity to celebrate women�s democratic achievements, reflect on our progress and plan where we want to go. I am proud that my home state of South Australia led the field, pioneering women�s right to vote and stand for Parliament in 1894. At the South Australian referendum on Federation the voting papers said: �Every man and woman whose names are on the roll can exercise a vote as powerful as the highest in the land.� We should remember that our votes are powerful and strive to hear more female voices in the Parliament. It was many decades after the majority of white women were allowed to vote and stand for Parliament before women entered Federal Parliament in 1943 and not until the 1980's that numbers were more than minimal. Today, just over one in four Australian parliamentarians are women (27%). Women are under-represented in our Parliaments as in all public spheres of power and decision-making. The higher up, the fewer women. We have one female Chief Minister but no female Premiers nor Opposition Leaders. Currently I am the only female leader of a national political Party. Women are still woefully under-represented in Cabinets and Shadow Cabinets. At this rate we will not reach equal representation in our Parliaments until the turn of the next century. These statistics should not depress us, but motivate us to encourage more women to get involved in politics and to support them when they do. I take seriously my responsibility as a female legislator to provide networks and pathways for other women who wish to become politically active. When Janine Haines was elected Leader of the Democrats in 1986, she became the first woman to lead a national political party. The Democrats have had 5 female leaders. When Janine Haines, became the first Australian Democrat to enter the Senate in 1977, she joined seven other women. At that time, of the 177 Members of the House of Representatives, there was not one female member. A higher proportion of women has consistently been elected to the Upper House compared to the Lower house, which begs the question, �Which House is more representative?� It is also worth nothing that in 101 years there have only been two Indigenous members of the federal parliament and both were elected to the Senate: Senators Neville Bonner and Aden Ridgeway We should recognise the links between the women�s movement and the broader changes in social justice. In 1901 not only were most Australian women and Indigenous persons, denied the vote, but so were people of Indian, Chinese or South Sea Islander descent, people under the age of 21, and those with no permanent residence. Political participation is of course more than voting, it is also about having the motivation, knowledge and confidence to act. It is part of our democratic spirit to challenge, to debate and to protest against what is unjust. In 2002 we should celebrate our victories but we should also recognise how far we still have to go. In 1912, the Parliament passed a maternity allowance of 5 pounds to white women on the birth of a baby (Vida Goldstein publicly deplored the racial exclusions). Australia is now one of only two OECD countries that does not have paid maternity leave. I believe that more women in Parliament will make a different to women�s lives. Our nation has been a leader in many areas of constitutional innovation, with universal suffrage, women's suffrage, the secret ballot and postal voting introduced well before the UK and other democracies. Today, our system of government is recognised as one of the most successful and enduring democracies. A nation is a work in progress. We still have a long way to go before women are equally represented in our democracy. At times it feels a slow journey, but we are heading in the right direction. May 1, 2002 Natasha Stott Despoja is Leader of the Australian Democrats and South Australian Senator. She was the youngest woman to enter Federal Parliament and the youngest person to lead a political party in Australia. 4. TRUST THE WOMEN CONVENTION - CANBERRA 11-13 JUNE 2002 4.1 Papers and programs Erica Lewis, Trust the Women - Conference Coordinating Committee and Program Group Following the call for papers there has been a fantastic response for papers, abstracts and workshop proposals received by the Program Group by the time the April 30th deadline arrived. The broad themes of the conference are: - What we have achieved through political action and what is at risk? - Women's involvement in political reform and change (with a Constitutional element!) - Time for Action The aims are to increase women's knowledge, skills and confidence in individual and collective ability to influence public policy particularly related to the use and influence of the Constitution. Topics of papers and workshops range from reflection to action, theory to practice, and serious to humorous, and include: - Young women as political activists - Constitutional reform - Rural women�s representation - How women have used their vote - Women�s role in shaping policy With the convention only a month away, the Program Group is arranging the papers and workshops into a thematic order for presentation and following up on completed papers. 4.2 CALL TO INDIGENOUS WOMEN The National Network of Indigenous Women's Legal Services works to make the law fairer for our women and our people in the community. When white women got the federal vote in 1902, our women did not. In 1962, Indigenous people got the right to vote federally - but did it mean anything? The Women's Constitutional Convention is a time when all women - and especially our women - can name what we want for the future. What do we want in the federal constitution? And, how are we going to get it? Funds are available to assist a limited number of women from rural, remote and regional areas to attend the Convention. Applications close May 10. For further information contact Conference Coordinator: Christina Ryan. ph: 02 6247 6679. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For information about the NNIWLS, contact Network Coordinator: Denese Griffin ph: 08 9140 1613 http://www.nwjc.org.au/awlsn 4.3 BOOKMARKS!!! 20,000 of them, to be precise! The Convention Coordination Office has taken delivery of our major publicity item. Featuring Judy Horacek�s image and convention info in the green, violet and white colours of the suffrage movement, the bookmarks are an ideal way to get the convention message into every community across Australia. If you would like some bookmarks for your: - School - Library - Government offices - Business - Hospital - Community centre please contact Christina, Meredith or Robin in the office. Contact details at the end of the bulletin. 4.4 WEBSITE NOW ACTIVE! The Women�s Constitutional Convention 2002 � �Trust the Women� website is now active. The full registration brochure is available on the site and can be printed straight off, or downloaded in pdf format. Also on the website are links to other sites of interest, introductory reading, and frequently asked questions. The current winner for most asked question is �didn�t the vote happen for indigenous people in 1967?� Actually it really was 1962. Take this link http://www.wcc2002.asn.au/faq.htm to find out what the story is with a further link to the Electoral Commission website that has a good article on this topic. Also on the WCC 2002 website are discussion pointers to make you think about women�s suffrage and what it is doing or has done. Check out http://www.wcc2002.asn.au for more information. 4.5 Assistance for women from RRR Australia Written applications for regional, rural and remote assistance must be submitted by 10 May. As the result of the generous donation by the National Museum of Australia, women in regional, rural and remote Australia who: - are, or intend to become, leaders in their community, - will benefit substantially from attendance, - will contribute to the diversity and success of the Convention, and - would be unable to attend without assistance are encouraged to contact the coordinator of the Women�s Constitutional Convention, Christina Ryan (full contact details at the end of this bulletin), immediately. ***Submissions can be emailed or faxed*** 5. Books and articles of interest Some additions to our reading list. A Wealth of Women Dr Alison Alexander with Prue Torney-Parlicki (Commissioned and published by the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women, 2001) This book was launched by Australian author, Dr Colleen McCullough, at the National Portrait Galley, Old Parliament House, Canberra on 26th September 2001. The book was commissioned by the Office of the Status of Women and funded by the National Council for the Centenary of Federation. Much of the material in the book was sourced as the result of a national public call for contributions via the Australian Women�s History Search. It is these stories which bring the book to life. Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, Senator Amanda Vanstone, in launching the book, said: �The individual stories of women details in the book provide a fascinating insight into the opportunities, hardships and contribution to Australia of its women. ��It also contains many great photographs which humanise some of the different moments along our historical timeline. You realise how far we have come, for example, when you see the reproduced advertisement for �Lambert�s Improved Vertical and Reverse Current Syringe�. Thank goodness women no longer have to apply electrical current to themselves in the name of contraception! �A Wealth of Women heightens our understanding of our �ordinary� history and highlights how Australian women helped to make Australian women helped to make Australia the kind of nation it is today.� The book can be ordered through the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women. VOTES FOR WOMEN - THE AUSTRALIAN STORY Kirsten Lees, Allen and Unwin, 1995 IBSN 1 8637 630 1 This is an easy to read history of white women gaining the federal vote in 1902 and the federal vote for Indigenous people being achieved in 1962. The book is illustrated with photographs, cartoons and quotes from original documents. Lees recounts that in the 1890's women were lobbying hard for the right of women to vote to be included in the federal constitution that was being prepared. But when the constitution was adopted - it did not give this guarantee. In 1901 women lobbied again during the election campaign for the first federal Parliament because having been denied the vote as a constitutional right, they were determined to get it under federal law. Women did the numbers and they polled candidates about where they stood on the vote for women. And, the result: "At the opening of the first federal parliament the governor-general declared that women would soon have the right to vote: the bill was already in preparation. Soon to the government, however, was not soon enough to the suffragists. It was almost a year before women's suffrage was mentioned again in federal Parliament. IN April 1902, Richard O'Connor finally introduced a bill to the Senate which would give the federal vote to all non-Aboriginal women. ... Acting Prime Minister William Lyne then presented the same bill to the Lower House, where it passed without division. On June 12th.... votes for women became law: white Australian women could vote in federal elections, and stand as candidates in both houses of federal parliament" (pp. 45-46). The book features profiles on leading women including Catherine Helen Spence, Jessie Ackermann (South Australia); Edith Cowan (Western Australia); Louise Lawson and Rose Scott (New South Wales); Jessie Rooke and Alicia O'Shea Petersen (Tasmania); Margaret Ogg and Emma Miller (Queensland); Henrietta Dugdale, Brettena Smyth; Annette Bear-Crawford and Vida Goldstein (Victoria); and Faith Bandler and Gambanyi / Perl Gibbs in relation to the Indigenous vote. 6. FORTHCOMING EVENTS This is the section of the bulletin where you can list your events. The events will be promoted by the Australian Women's Constitutional Network and by all supporting national women's organisations. . 6.1 2002 ATSIC Elections ATSIC calls for more women and young people to stand for election Media Release 3 May 2002 Indigenous women and young people across Central Queensland are being urged to take up a greater role in the forthcoming ATSIC elections, due to be held later this year. Acting ATSIC Regional Council Chairperson, Heather Toby, said ATSIC wants to see more women and young people standing as candidates, as well as enroling and voting in elections. �The ATSIC Regional Council, which is meeting in Rockhampton this week, issued the call to coincide with today's Nulloo Yumbah Cultural Day at the Central Queensland University. Many of the next generation of potential leaders and their families from this region are studying at CQU and are at this Cultural Day today�, she said. Mrs Toby said community leaders within and outside ATSIC want to see more young people, students, and women stand for office and take on a greater leadership role in the community. "There is much talk about a generational change in leadership, and we want to encourage our younger generation, both male and female, to put their hands up and make their mark. "The ATSIC elections are one way they can start to do that. ATSIC is one of best vehicles we have got or are likely to get - to do that. There is a tremendous amount of talent, experience and skill in the indigenous community and in our organisations," she said . Mrs Toby said the call by Regional Council was recognition for the important role Nullo Yumbah plays in the life of the University and in the Indigenous community. "They do tremendous work for our community, particularly for the 220 young people who study at CQU , but also for our elders, such as the Fitzroy Basin Elders and other groups as well." Mrs Toby said ATSIC staff will be handing out a range of information to community members attending the Cultural Day, including election enrolment forms. Media Contact and Further Information: Mark Heward ATSIC Public Affairs (in Rockhmpton) 0417724292 6.2 Canberra workshop The Canberra lead-up workshop for the convention will be held on May 20 at the Legislative Assembly. Chief Minister and Minister for the Status of Women, Mr Jon Stanhope MLA, has been invited to host the workshop. Speakers include Human Rights Commissioner and former ACT Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett, and Dr Marian Sawer from the ANU. The workshop theme is �Changing the culture of politics�. For further information about the Canberra workshop, or for information on the resource kits, please contact Robin Tennant-Wood or Meredith Hinchliffe � full contact details at the end of this bulletin. 6.3 Community workshops Resource kits are available for communities wishing to hold their own workshop or public event in the lead-up to the convention. The kits contain information about the history of women�s suffrage and political involvement, ideas for women to take action on civic or political issues in their communities and information from Office of the Status of Women, the Australian Electoral Commission and ATSIC. If you are intending to hold a workshop or function and would like one of these resource kits, please contact Meredith or Robin at the office. 6.4 Conference: "WHY AN AUSTRALIAN REPUBLIC SHOULD HAVE A BILL OF RIGHTS". Organised by A Just Republic Australian citizens have no protection of their basic rights and freedoms and in spite of the NSW Government holding a Bill of Rights Inquiry in 2000/2001, no State or Territory Bill of Rights exists. There is currently a Bill of Rights Inquiry being held in the ACT. Please join with us to support a public debate on this issue. Date: Saturday 1 June 2002 Time: 1pm - 4.30pm Venue: Tom Mann Theatre 136 Chalmers St Surry Hills (near Devonshire St entrance of Central Stn) Speakers: Tony Maher, National President, Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union (Mining & Energy Division) Paula Abood, Migrant Community Worker Tony McAvoy, Aboriginal person, Barrister There will be a refreshment break followed by discussion and questions. Entry: Free of charge (donations welcomed). Contact: Nizza Siano (02) 9327 3423 Peter Murphy (02) 9211 4164 6.5 Public Lecture: 25 years of the politics of women, presented by Dr Marian Sawer The lecture will be held at noon on Sunday 19 May at Rydges Lakeside. Marian�s lecture will be introduced by Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, Leader of the Democrats. Entry will be by gold coin donation. More information on this lecture series can be accessed on the Australian Democrats site: http://www.democrats.org.au 7. CONTACTS National Coordination Office GPO Box 3148 Canberra ACT 2601 ph: 02 6247 6679 fax: 02 6257 3070 National Community Coordinators Meredith Hinchliffe ph: 02 6262 7916 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Robin Tennant-Wood ph: 02 6247 4669 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Conference Coordinator Christina Ryan ph: 02 6247 6679 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 8. SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS The Trust the Women Bulletin is a project of the Australian Women's Constitutional Network. The AWCN Steering Committee includes representatives from: - Australian Women Lawyers - National Women�s Justice Coalition - Women�s Electoral Lobby Australia - Women into Politics; - YWCA of Australia - Women for an Australian Republic Support is being received from the following: - National Foundation for Australian Women - National Council of Women (ACT) - Soroptimist International, Australia - Australian Federation of University Women - National Women�s Justice Coalition National women's organisations who would like to lend their support are invited to contact the National Coordination Office. 9. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Trust the Women lead up project is funded by the Commonwealth Office of the Status of Women We also acknowledge support and assistance from: - National Museum of Australia - Computer Assistance Support and Education (CASE) - Recon Furniture, Canberra - Ex-Government Furniture, Canberra - Altlantis Relocations - ANU Research School of Social Science Christina Ryan Conference Coordinator Women's Constitutional Convention 2002 "Trust the Women" Phone: 02 6247 6679 Fax: 02 6257 3070 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: www.wcc2002.asn.au --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.351 / Virus Database: 197 - Release Date: 19/04/02 ---- Send mail to this list at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Admin requests (subscribe, help etc) to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Other requests/comments to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
