Today is International Women’s Day. This day recognised by the United Nations as late as 1977, the same year women were attacked and arrested by Qld police for standing up for their rights. The following year a large rally celebrating IWD was once again attacked by police after the government had banned street marches.
In 2021 there were two international women’s rallies held in Brisbane on Sat 6 Mar, both were, sadly, quite small even though there has been strong attacks on women by senior members of parliament and their staff.
The government has engaged in a cover up of rapes of women by senior Liberal Party figures.
The sage advice of senior counsel is that Christian Porter can not be charged with the rape of a 16 year old girl in 1988.
Even Pell was put under suspicion of sexual assault on the evidence of two men, one of whom had committed suicide before Pell was charged.
Pell faced questions from an investigation team in Rome and was required to return to face charges of sexual assault.
The former head of the Catholic Church in Australia was then tried and convicted on the evidence of the two men.
The jury clearly believed their version of events.
Pell refused to give evidence.
Why can’t the Attorney General, Christian Porter, be required to answer questions about his alleged rape of a person now deceased? His claim of a denial needs to be placed under scrutiny.
For decades Porter and his family have been at the forefront of industrial relations legislation that has always placed the onus on workers and their unions to disprove allegations by bosses.
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Paradgm Shift 4ZZZ fm 102.1 Friday 5 Mar 21
Sat 6 Mar 2021
AT 1 PM IWWD RALLY ACTION:
Poverty is a war on women, stop the LNP attacks
King George Square, Brisbane
Listen at https://www.4zzzfm.org.au/program/paradigm-shift
Sian and Ian discuss International Working Women’s Day organised by Feminist Action and Qld Anti-Poverty Network.
Issues discussed were:
1. What is international working women’s day IWWD? Was is Feminist Action and the Anti Poverty Network about?
2. Why do we need to celebrate IWWD in 2021? Can you tell us about the government’s social security changes on job seeker that will affect women?
3. What are your plans for Saturday?
4. Are there any specific issues you wish to raise at the rally tomorrow? Anything else you wish to raise?
5. From the outset unions were involved trying to assist women. From the outset working women set up their own unions in industries like Textiles, Nursing, Teaching, Public Service and Telephony. What do you see as the role of unions?
Snr Cnst John Watt arrests a woman at IWD in 1978 in Brisbane
Playlist
Jumping Fences – Brisbane Barrio
Kamikase Theatre Troup – Bjelke Blues
Allie Sherlock – Can’t Breathe
Jumping Fences – I Never Sing
Annie Holcombe – Grace Revolution
Please note that this show was made in memory of Eurydice Dixon brutally murdered in Melbourne in 2019.