Demands

 

Kath Hale

 

* Free 24hr Quality Childcare

* Abortion on Demand

* Defend Aboriginal Rights

* Full Legal Rights for Lesbian Relationships

On International Women's Day we have fun. We are here to celebrate, but it is also very political. We come together and take to the streets to demand change for women. This year we demand ...

* Free 24hr quality childcare In 1996 Howard seriously eroded women's right to work, by cutting funding to childcare. Childcare centres that previously had government funding will now need to raise their own funds. There is no doubt that this will lead to increased waiting lists, which are already far too long - increased fees, which for some families are already too high, and a reduced quality of services and that's what's important, we need quality childcare.

* Abortion on demand as an international right. Abortion is easily accessible to women in Sydney but in rural areas and in other states, it is still difficult to access. What does this do to those women's lives? As long as it remains on the crimes act, as it does in Australia today, our access to abortion can be restricted and this is just not on!

* Defend Aboriginal Rights including jobs, housing, health and self determination, and we want that NOW. We want to highlight the Aboriginal people in Redfern who are campaigning to defend the first piece of land that was handed back to the Indigenous people of Australia.

The collective would also like to extend our greetings to the first ever IWD Aboriginal women's gathering which happened yesterday at Parramatta. We would like to extend our greetings to all our Aboriginal sisters here today.

* Full Legal Rights for Lesbian Relationships The recent court case in Queensland deciding on the rights of lesbian couples to have children reminds us that we still need to campaign for the rights of lesbians.