"Mrs Morgan, a full-blooded Aboriginal, who this week spoke in Melbourne (Australia) under the auspices of the International Women's Day Committee, of alleged injustices to her race.'' 1938. Mrs Morgan publicly spoke out against injustice and racism 60 years ago. Obviously no one heard her. For this year's International Women's Day, women around Australia have taken the unusual step of moving away from an exclusive focus on women's rights to also make clear and strong statements about indigenous rights. This move is the result of an accumulation of strong feelings. Many women have been surprised, then dismayed, angered and ashamed by the multiple government policies which have removed or sought to downgrade indigenous rights over the past two years. The list is long and growing. It includes:

• Overt and covert promotion of notions of an Aboriginal "industry'', and of an "Aboriginal rights pendulum'' which has swung too far and must be returned to the centre. This is an appalling position when Aboriginal people still have the lowest life expectancy, education, employment and housing levels, and the highest levels of poverty, infant mortality, alcohol and drug dependency, and incarceration. In other words, they are the single most disadvantaged group within Australia.

• Significant funding cuts to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, with the subsequent loss of employment and other services in Aboriginal communities.

• Major challenges to the Wik judgement and native title rights through a bill which is widely considered unjust, racially discriminatory and probably unconstitutional.

• Rejection of Aboriginal views and proposals for Wik conciliation.

• A refusal to fully acknowledge the depth of damage caused by the forcible separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families and give an unqualified government apology for the Stolen Children, whilst at the same time promoting the notion of a "black armband'' view of history.

• A lack of policy or political will to combat misinformation and racism. The result is an escalation of public expressions of racism and growing divisions over race issues in Australia. As we move further into 1998, women's organisations and individual women from all walks of life are speaking out. They want:

• Recognition of the connection between past loss of land and identity, and the current situation of indigenous communities.

• Acknowledgment that the removal of Aboriginal children was a gross violation of human rights, and respect for Aboriginal language, cultural heritage and kinship.

• A strong government commitment to the maintenance and strengthening of indigenous rights.

• A strong government commitment to working out solutions with Aboriginal people.

• As a matter of critical urgency, recognition of native title and support for the principle of coexistence.

What YOU can do

Attending IWD marches and rallies to publicly demonstrate that many, many women are committed to justice and native title is a great start. But it's not enough on its own. You can write letters to the newspapers. You can tell your friends. You can get involved in or start up a group to support indigenous rights and link the work of your group with others. You can also tell the federal parliament what you think by writing to the Prime Minister, leader of the opposition and senators, and visiting your local member of parliament.

We must maintain our rage for as long as it takes to achieve justice. There are many groups supporting native title and indigenous rights in Australia. There is more information on the internet: Try these for a start ...

• http://www.antar.org.au

• http://www.faira.org.au

• http://www.vmore.org.au

• http://www.peg.apc.org/~greenleft/

Contact Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR), a national network, for information about the groups near you at PO Box 154, Balmain 2041; phone (02) 9810 1382; fax (02) 9810 3033. Or look under Aboriginal Reconciliation in your telephone book.

Francis Parker - Sydney