AEU Federal Women’s Conference
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 8, 2 November 2022, page no. 16
After two years online, this year’s AEU Federal Women’s Conference was held face-to-face in Melbourne, providing an opportunity for women activists and allies to meet and reconnect.
The conference focused on finding your voice as an ally and using that voice to highlight the issues that disproportionately impact upon women.
AEU President Correna Haythorpe opened the conference, discussing her experiences as a woman in power, including media attacks for not being feminine enough and being too direct. Correna reminded the conference that gender equality needs to remain at the forefront of the union movement, as inequities continue around pay, sexual harassment and higher workload expectations at the workplace and home.
The conference keynote speaker was Lara Watson, the ACTU Indigenous Officer, who outlined the Voice Treaty Truth campaign. She explained the Uluru Statement of the Heart and the importance of a permanent First Nations voice to Parliament. Lara reminded us that the union movement must remain present and active in the campaign, not only to achieve the necessary outcomes, but also to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through what is likely to be a difficult and draining campaign.
The “Exploring Intersectionality” panel discussion provided the opportunity for people of different backgrounds to share their stories, experiences and goals moving forward.
Neha Madhok, Board Director for Democracy in Colour, shared her experience of being a student at a multicultural school and the cultural shock of attending university as a person of colour. She discussed the influential teachers who openly discussed and taught about white supremacy and colonialisation.
Disability campaigner El Gibbs outlined the importance of inclusive education. She proposed a significant increase in inclusive education funding to allow people with a disability to secure equitable access.
Trans and gender diverse campaigner Jackie Turner shared her story as a transgender person who feared the response in her workplace if she came out. She highlighted the limited information and protections available for transgender people, and the importance of workplace policies and safety plans to ensure support in workplaces.
During the “Exploring the Context of the Times” panel, four panellists outlined current issues and the direction forward.
Climate change activist Maddie Sarre spoke of the challenges of climate change, outlining the impact that it has and will continue to have on First Nations peoples.
Dr Fiona MacDonald from the Centre for Future Work discussed the unpaid care economy and how it is undervalued, increasing the gendered pay gap.
Julianne Bryce of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation outlined the impact of the health crisis, particularly on nurses and midwives, and the delays patients face in accessing elective medical treatments.
ACTU President Michele O’Neil outlined the mistakes of the previous government and highlighted the way in which women united to shape the conversations in Australia. She reminded the conference that although the current government has made commitments to improve rights and protections for women, it is up to us to ensure that those commitments are followed through.
The final panel was made up of education union leaders: Cara Nightingale (Vice-President Early Childhood of AEU Victoria), Cresta Richardson (QTU President), Jan Murphy (Vice-President of AEUSA) and Maxine Sharkey (NSWTF General Secretary). Together they identified and explored the challenges facing each education sector.
Lisa Chesters MP, Chair of the Federal Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training, urged patience while the new government rebuilds, and called on the union movement to hold the government to account on the commitments made. She acknowledged the failure of Closing the Gap, starting with inadequate access to early childhood education.
The final sessions were workshop based. Presenters shared experiences of insecure employment and challenged delegates’ understanding of what it is to be an ally. The conference concluded with each state identifying the challenges ahead and considering ways to overcome them.