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One dozen Coalition MPs attend Canberra rally
Canberra political reporter Katina Curtis reports there are about a dozen coalition MPs at the rally in Canberra, including ministers Jane Hume and Zed Seselja, and Nationals senate leader Bridget McKenzie.
ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee is also present, along with other ACT Liberals.
“On Mondays we smash the patriarchy”: Crowds in Canberra have gathered near Parliament House.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Watch: Sydney Women’s March 4 Justice live from the sky
The aerial shots of the Sydney rally show full streets and plenty of passion. We’ll let this livestream run for a little while.
What you said: Why are you attending the rallies?
We asked you earlier in the blog if you were planning to attend one of the 40 rallies around the country. Here are some of your responses:
“Absolutely. I’m sick of crying every time I hear about the victims of our misogynistic systems. I’m angry and pissed off. The whole system has to change. Consent laws have to be based around a question asked and an informed “yes” obtained. People have to be safe in their work places. In particular our political system needs a good kick up the backside. My vote is my most important weapon; I intend to use it wisely.” Margaret
Hundreds of protesters have gathered at Treasury Gardens in Melbourne.Credit:Eddie Jim
“Yes I will be attending the Sydney march because I feel strongly about how women have been treated appallingly by the Liberal government. Also the issue surrounding the AG has triggered a recurring issue for a very good friend of mine who was sexually assaulted as a child by a friend of the family and she wasn’t believed by her father.” Ron Bogan
“I’m a bloke on school pick-up duty today. I wish I could be marching, such a great thing to see happening. My mum taught me and my brother as boys in the 1980s and 90s to respect girls and women - especially her and our sister! So I am fortunate to have lived and breathed her feminism (which today just looks like common sense fairness and humanity, funny that), and to find today’s changes afoot plainly needed and - unlike many more powerful men than me - no great challenge to my values or self-concept. Thanks Mum xx.” Dr Matthew Roberts
“Sexually violated, abused, silenced and gaslighted throughout my life as result of systemic misogyny. Enough!!!” Marie
“I will be marching because it is time that we all become equal and that all girls and women can be safe and feel safe at anytime of the day anywhere. All men need to take notice, including politicians.” Lats Hoffman
“Yes, I’ll be marching, with my wife. She was raped by her step father, and my mother was raped by my father. And Morrison still thinks its 1952.” Liam
“I will be attending, enough is enough. We will no longer be shut down. We need an independent inquiry to ascertain whether Christian Porter is a fit and proper person to sit in the Parliament.” Christine Parker
Hundreds gather outside Sydney’s Town Hall
By Lucy Cormack
Hundreds of protesters are gathering at the Sydney March 4 Justice rally, with many dressed in black.
“Enough!“, “Hear us now” and “It’s time to believe women” are some of the hand painted placards in the crowd.
Michael Bradley, the lawyer for Christian Porter’s accuser, at Sydney’s rally on Monday. Credit:Nick Moir
Among protesters is Michael Bradley, the lawyer for Christian Porter’s female accuser, who said he was glad to see so many people.
“It’s the fact we’re having this conversation, I’m glad to know that these issues are being exposed,” he said.
“Because there is such a need for change. There’s a lot about the way it’s played out that is unfortunate, and regrettable, but we’ve got an opportunity to make something positive out of this now.”
Mr Bradley expressed surprise at Mr Porter’s decision to launch defamation action against the ABC on the same day as the rally.
“I have no idea whether it’s coincidental or not. I don’t know. The timing is, I think, unfortunate, but it could be an accident,” he said.
“Well, I guess it’s good that there’ll be some kind of forum for some parts of the story to be explored. But a defamation case isn’t optimal forum, because it puts the onus of proof on the media.”
Watch: Women’s March 4 Justice rally in Canberra
EDIT: Apologies, we’re having trouble with this livestream. We’ll put it back up as soon as we can.
And it’s showtime! Here’s a livestream from the Canberra rally. The early audio isn’t amazing but our tech team is working on it. We’ll be bringing you speeches and colour from rallies around the country. Stay with us.
‘It was a visceral anger’: The tweet that spawned nationwide protests
It’s probably a good time to look back at why tens of thousands of mostly women, but plenty of children and men too, are taking to the streets today.
Senior reporter Jewel Topsfield, who is covering the rally on the ground in Canberra today, spoke to organiser Janine Hendry about how it all started. And given it’s 2021, you won’t be surprised with what spawned the Women’s March 4 Justice rallies across the nation...
A tweet from academic, designer and mother Janine Hendry formed the spark for protest marches across the country.Credit:Simon Schluter
It started with a tweet.
Janine Hendry, a 58-year-old Melbourne academic, designer, entrepreneur and mother pondered on Twitter how many “extremely disgruntled” women it would take to link arms around Parliament House and stand in silent protest against discrimination and alleged sexual abuse in the nation’s Parliament.
Ms Hendry said her tweet was sparked by the government’s handling of the alleged rape of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, the disturbing testimonies of harassment and assault from former schoolgirls collected by Chanel Contos, who is petitioning for consent to be taught earlier in schools, and the historical rape allegation against Attorney-General Christian Porter. Mr Porter denies the allegation.
“It was a visceral anger … just this growing frustration and sense amongst my followers and friends this is outrageous, we have had enough,” Ms Hendry says.
Within two hours she had a very precise response from “some lovely person”. If there were two people per metre, they tweeted, it would take 3770 people.
“Ok, thanks, now to find 4000 angry women and their supporters,” Ms Hendry responded.
This turned out not to be difficult.
Ms Hendry created a Facebook page to give people a space to direct their anger and organise the event. “I thought at best it would be me and and seven of my mates standing outside Parliament with our little placards,” she said.
Thousands gather at Melbourne rally
By Rachel Eddie
Thousands of women have started streaming into Treasury Gardens in Melbourne for the Women’s March 4 Justice.
Hundreds of protesters are gathering at Treasury Gardens to demand action on violence against women. Credit:Eddie Jim
Police were standing at corners of Treasury Gardens for the action, which organisers said now has approval for 5000 people to attend.
The crowd, mostly women by 11.20am, is expected to swell before the action officially begins at 12 noon.
The Melbourne action does not include a march, with supporters laying down picnic rugs ahead of speeches, though a splinter group plans to march to the Victorian Liberal headquarters.
Police mounted on horses are also watching on.
Where are today’s rallies?
By Rachael Dexter
At least 40 planned rallies are happening around Australia today. If you’re in a capital city here’s where and when things will take place. All times are in local time:
- Sydney: Sydney Town Hall, noon
- Melbourne: Treasury Gardens, noon
- Brisbane: King George Square, noon
- Canberra: Upper Federation Mall, noon
- Hobart: Parliament Lawn Hobart, noon
- Adelaide: Victoria Square/Tarntanyangga, noon
- Perth: Forrest Place, 11am
- Darwin: Raintree Park, noon
You can see the full schedule here.
Qld Premier to march with Brisbane crowd in the rain
By Lydia Lynch
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will march in the rain alongside thousands in Brisbane today because she believes “more needs to be done to allow women’s voices to be heard”.
The Brisbane march will start at King George Square in the heart of the CBD and make its way down to Parliament House from noon.
Ms Palaszczuk said she did not have concerns about COVID-19 risk because the march was outside.
Queensland Annastacia Palaszczuk will join the Brisbane rally.Credit:Matt Dennien
“After speaking with female ministers in my cabinet, we feel very strongly about this and we will absolutely showing our support,” she said.
“We will be going down to Parliament House to show our support for a large number of women, I think right across Australia, who support that more needs to be done to allow women’s voices to be heard.”
Attorney General and Women Minister Shannon Fentiman said she was “angry, frustrated and saddened by the words and inaction of our nation’s leaders, more so than ever”.
“Yet, I am in constant awe of the courage and bravery women continue to show in sharing their stories of violence committed against them.”
“Remember to be COVID-safe by using the check-in QR code and wear a mask. ”
‘I became a survivor when I was 17’: Madeleine is marching to protect her younger sister
By Jewel Topsfield
Madeleine Chia is marching today because she never wants her younger sister to go through what she did.
“I became a survivor when I was 17 and I would not wish that on anyone so I am marching today to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other young people,” the 20-year-old says.
Ms Chia, the education officer at Australian National University students’ association, says she was assaulted at university.
Katchmirr Russell, Madeleine Chia, Avan Daruwalla and Aoibhinn Crimmins ahead of the Women’s March 4 Justice at Parliament House in Canberra.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
“It doesn’t just affect women in parliament … it’s super prevalent in universities. We just want to stand up today and say no.”
Ms Chia will be delivering a joint speech at today’s Women’s March 4 Justice in Canberra with Avan Daruwalla, the women’s officer at the ANU student’s association.
She says there will be a “massive” contingent of marchers from ANU.
“I know a lot of students are angry. University students have been fighting for an end to sexual violence and institutional betrayal for so many years.”
Ms Chia says she believes this is a moment for all women to stand together.
“We need to make sure our voices are heard and sexual violence isn’t just something that happens to women, and happens to non-binary people especially, it’s something that should not happen within society,” she said.
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2021-03-15 01:14:18Z
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