In the wake of International Women’s Day, over 100 Hunter allies came together on March 12 to protest women’s rights in the workplace, demanding change and gender equality for all.
Organised by the Hunter Workers Women’s Committee, the protest started at 10 am and heard speeches in Birdwood Park, followed by a march along King Street towards Civic Park, where more speeches were held.
The Women’s Militant Movement organised the first-ever International Women’s Day March in 1931 and continued the tradition every year until the Newcastle Earthquake in 1989.
Hunter Workers Women’s Committee revived the event this year, calling on the government to prioritise gender equality and women’s rights in the workplace.
The Saturday morning event was accompanied by prominent local leaders, including Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon, State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen, and State Member for Charlestown Jodie Harrison.
Hunter Workers Women’s Committee Leanne Holmes said the event was not only about celebrating the achievements of women but giving them a voice.
“It’s not good enough that we still have one woman a week being murdered by her partner,” Holmes said.
“It’s not good enough that we don’t have paid domestic violence leave.
“And it’s not good enough that we (still) have these same battles about pay equity and being taken seriously.”
Some other key speakers included Worimi elder Aunty Therese, Vice President of the Australian Labor Party Mich-Elle Myers, disability advocate Suzy Trindall and activist and educator Arden Cassie.
As well as being the Vice President of the ALP, Mich-Elle Myers is also the National Divisional Women’s Representative of the Maritime Union of Australia.
Myers said the day was about drawing attention to inequality, discrimination, and mistreatment in society.
“Almost a year ago we were on the lawns of Parliament House with the March4Justice, hundreds of thousands of us around the country marched because of what was going on in the highest workplace in the land—on that hill in Canberra, the treatment of women was an absolute disgrace,” Myers said.
“What happened to Brittany Higgins shouldn’t happen to anyone, but it certainly shouldn’t happen in Parliament House—so women marched, and they were angry, but disgracefully we were ignored and dismissed.
“If you’re not angry about the gender pay gap, if you’re not angry about an alleged rape in Parliament House, if you’re not angry that the Federal Government has failed to implement the whole 55 recommendations from the Respect@Work Report, which includes 10 days paid domestic violence leave … then your simply not paying attention.”
State Member for Charlestown and Shadow Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said workplace discrimination was prevalent in many workplaces, even in her own.
“We don’t have equal representation of men and women in governments. We don’t have safety for women in positions of power, in places of power, let alone along the streets we walk,” Harrison said.
“In my own workplace during question time, there are women who are called ‘witches’, there are women who are told that they should ‘go home and stir their cauldron’ and there are women who are catcalled—and what’s even worse, is when other women are doing that.”
“We need to stand together and say that we’ve had enough – we have been sitting around waiting for change to happen for too long.”
Hayley McMahon