The WILPF dove will always fly you home to this page

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom

(Australia)

 

about wilpf
actions
journal
contacts
join wilpf
site map

Founded in 1915, WILPF empowers women to work for peace and justice in every Australian state and territory, and in 45 countries around the world. WILPF women stand for...

Read Statement on WILPF's 94th birthday

  • Political solutions to international conflicts
  • Disarmament
  • The promotion of women to full and equal participation in all society's activities
  • Respect for fundamental human rights and the right to development in a sustainable environment
  • Economic justice within and among states

  • Elimination of racism and all forms of discrimination.

  • Other WILPF websites

http://www.wilpf.int.ch http://www.reachingcriticalwill.org http://www.peacewomen.org

 

WILPF AUSTTRALIA on-line shop
http://www.cafepress.com.au/WILPFaustralia

Euro Shop for WILPF Goods On-line -
One Euro from each item purchased is donated to the International WILPF Headquarters in Geneva

USA Shop for WILPF Goods On-line
All profits go to WILPF

The dove at the top of each page on this WILPF site will always fly you back to this home page.

I support iCAN

Every three years, WILPF Australia Triennial Meeting

members of the Australian Section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom gather in a National Section Meeting. This year's Meeting was held 22nd to 24th May 2009 at Mercy Place, Bardon. Mercy Place is in a beautiful setting in suburban Brisbane near Mount Coot-tha.

Many WILPF women around Australia, and particularly members in the Queensland Branch, worked hard to make the Australian Section Meeting go so well. At the Meeting, members were welcomed to country, heard fine speeches, participated in workshops and plenary sessions, sang songs, enjoyed performances by the Queensland WILPF Performers for Peace group, planned our work programme for the next three years and elected office bearers.

On Saturday morning 23rd May, we were welcomed to country by Maroochy Barambah of Turrbul/ Dippil ancestry. The Meeting was officially opened by the Governor of Queensland, Her Excellency, Ms Penelope Wensley AO. The Governor's opening speech is available at:
http://www.govhouse.qld.gov.au/the_governor/090523_wilpf.aspx

Our keynote speaker was WILPF International Vice President, Felicity Hill. Her speech is available here:


The speaker for the conference dinner on Saturday night was Senator Claire Moore, Labor Senator for Queensland.

At the annual general meeting on Sunday 24th May, members accepted the annual report. The annual report of the Australian Section for the year ended December 31st 2008 is available here:
A number of workshops were presented at the Meeting on these topics:
* Growing WILPF
* WILPF Communications
* On the Art of Stealing Human Rights
* Responding to the Defence White Paper
* Peace Talks in the Philippines
* Enhancing our Effectiveness as Activists: an Introduction to Re-evaluation Counselling
* Gender Power Imbalances and Family Court Hearings Involving Indigenous Offenders and Victims
* The Commodification of Water; and
* Sustaining and Targeting Activism
The PPT slides for the workshop on "Sustaining and Targeting Activism" by Winnifred Louis of Psychologists for Peace is available here: http://www2.psy.uq.edu.au/~wlouis/wlouis_wilpf_0509.ppt

Saying NO to Nuclear

At a recent protest organised by the Anti Nuclear Alliance of Western Australia, WILPF International Vice President, Felicity Hill gave this speech saying NO to nuclear weapons, NO to nuclear reactors and NO to uranium mining.

 

Women, Peace and Security

Discussion paper here:download pdf      see consultation dates for each state


With funding from the Australian Government's Office for Women, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is conducting research and consulting widely on ideas for developing an Australian National Action Plan to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security.

The key question under discussion will be:

Should Australia become the next country to develop a national action plan to implement United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security?

If so, how? If not, why not?

During May and June, consultation workshops will be conducted in eight capital cities around the country. The consultations will be facilitated by Professor Elisabeth Porter of the University of South Australia. Professor Porter is the internationally renowned author of monographs such as "Peacebuilding: Women in International Perspective".
This discussion paper provides background for the consultation workshops. While it is not necessary to do so, participants may wish to read the discussion paper before attending the consultation in your city. Copies of the discussion paper will be available to all participants on the day.
Please download from our website the invitation flier for the consultation in your capital city.

Written responses to the discussion paper are also welcome. Written submissions can be emailed to wilpfaustralia@wilpf.org.au by 10th June 2009.

Further information on UNSC Resolution 1325 visit our other WILPF websites
http://www.1325australia.org.au http://www.peacewomen.org/

WILPF media release: "Budget Jackpot to Defence": download pdf

Discussion paper here:download pdf

return to top of page

Dates for consultations:
ACT:Thursday 28th May 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Quality Suites Clifton, 100 Northbourne Avenue, Canberra [download invite]
NSW: Friday 29th May 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
The Women’s College, University of Sydney, 15 Carillon Avenue, (see campus maps attached)[download invite]
NT: Monday 1st June 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Darwin Central Hotel, 21 Knuckey Street Darwin[download invite]
SA: Wednesday 20th May 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
“The Terrace” Pavilion, Veale Gardens, Corner South Terrace and Peacock Road, Adelaide[download invite]
Qld: Wednesday 27th May 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm Boulevarde Room, Rydges, Corner Grey and Glenelg Streets South Bank [download invite]
SA: Wednesday 20th May 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
“The Terrace” Pavilion, Veale Gardens, Corner South Terrace and Peacock Road, Adelaide[download invite]
Tas: Friday 5th June 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Tasmanian Women’s Centre, 140 – 142 Macquarie Street Hobart[download invite]
Vic: Thursday 4th June 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, Level 1, 210 Lonsdale Street Melbourne[download invite]
WA:Tuesday 2nd June 2009, 9.30am – 12.30pm
“ Montana-A”, All Seasons Perth, 15 Robinson Avenue, Northbridge[download invite]

WILPF Triennial Australian Section Meeting and AGM

Brisbane May 22-24th 2009 Dowload Information and registration form

Workshop Proposal Form

April 2009 Peace and Freedom

Make you Maoney work for peace

Sing for Peace and an End to the Arms Trade

The Australian Government's Department of Defence will be hosting a Defence + Industry Conference and Trade Exhibition at the Adelaide Convention Centre, North Terrace, 30 June to 2 July 2009. At this conference, potential contractors will “maximise their business opportunities” with the Department of Defence.

If you would like to express your opposition to this disproportionate government spending and to the arms trade in general, you are invited to join us in a series of four workshops. People of all sexes, ages and singing abilities are welcome to come to any or all of three singing workshops and one non-violent direct action workshop. (Full Details)

Submission to Australian Defence Policy Review

In mid-2008, Australian WILPF women and many other peace activists made important contributions to the Defence White Paper review of Australian defence policy. WILPF (Australia) made a written submission to the review and many WILPF women attended the community consultations around the country where we asked questions and/or made statements to the review panel.

In terms of government funding, the Department of Defence receives special treatment. As indicated above, Defence spending has been prioritised to increase in real terms. The 2000 Defence White Paper successfully recommended that the government commit itself to increasing Defence base spending by 3% per annum in real terms to 2010-11. This is very generous treatment given the focus on cutting budgets in other areas (ie Defence has been quarantined from cuts and it initially added $28.5 billion in resources over the period 2000-2010). In the 2006/07 Budget, the Howard Government extended this commitment to 2015-16. In the first Rudd Government budget, the commitment was extended to 20017-18.

The 2006/07 budget of the Howard Government was the sixth budget since the 2000 Defence White Paper that had met or exceeded the White Paper commitment of 3% increase in real terms. As a result there was a 37% increase in Defence expenditure in real terms since the first Howard Government budget (1995/96-2006/07).

By comparison, the projected increases in Defence spending (increase of $39.2B 2000/01-2015/16) is more than 3 times the budget allocated to restore the Darling River Murray System (about $12B now under Rudd).

In September 2008, WILPF (Australia) made our written submission to the Defence White Paper policy review. (Full text here...)

This Defence White Paper review process was chaired by former senator Stephen Loosely who in March 2008 had been appointed as a Director to the Board of Thales, one of Australia's largest arms manufacturing companies. Because of these links on the part of Mr Loosely with the arms trade, WILPF also wrote to the Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, about the inappropriateness of the appointment of Stephen Loosely as chair of the community consultations. (Full text here...)

And there's more Talisman Sabre War Games in 2009 - Letter to Minister for Defense

Submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties’
Inquiry into Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament

Because women have been inadequately represented in debates worldwide on issues of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, WILPF's submission of February 2009 to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties' Inquiry into Nuclear Non-proliferation drew the Committee's attention to the question of gender balance. (Full text of submission here ...) and the covering letter (here)

Letter to Minister for Foreign Affairs on Review Conference of the United Nations World Conference on Racism, Racial Intolerance, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances

The importance of this Review Conference cannot be underestimated. Australia has an ever increasing number of different cultural and racial groups settling to live permanently and becoming citizens. Every Australian needs to be engaged in working to study and understand these differences so we can become a more harmonious society where all are accepted without discrimination of any kind, and racist attitudes and intolerances are a thing of the past. In addition, Australia has the eyes of the world on us due to the well-known and ongoing difficulties and gap in life expectancy endured by our Indigenous Australians. (full letter)

 

Letter to Stephen Smith Australian Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs on AusAID Guidelines for Australian Assistance for Family Planning Activities

The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) wrote to you twice in recent months regarding the limitations of funding and restrictions on the scope of work that Family Planning organisations could perform in developing countries. We now wish to congratulate you and the Government on your decision to rescind the restrictions on information and education programs in women’s health in developing countries which included references to abortion or post-coital contraception. (Full Letter)

Letter to Stephen Smith Australian Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs on the Gaza

We believe that Israel’s undisputed right to self-defence does not allow the killing of civilians. According to estimates from reliable Palestinian medical sources, the death toll from the recent attacks in Gaza now stands at over 900, and the United Nations has confirmed that a large number of the dead are civilians. (Full Letter)

Letter to Israeli Ambassador to Australia

It is with heavy hearts and a deep sense of great sadness that we find it necessary to write to you once again. We write on behalf of the Australian Section of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) concerning the conflict in Gaza. We write to add the voice of our organisation to increasing calls from the international community (Full Letter)

Letter to Mike Wran (Premier of SA and Minister for Social Inclusion) on the cancellation of the Arms Show

Our members were relieved and delighted to learn of the cancellation of the Asia Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition (APDSE) ........
We very much regretted the blunder on the part of the APDSE proponents, the UK arms manufacturer, concerning their poor choice of opening date. We believe that to schedule the opening of such an event on Remembrance Day was an insult to the memory of all those who have lost their lives in war, ...
It is truly hard to believe that the arms manufacturers could have been so negligent and disrespectful as to schedule the opening of their arms exhibition to coincide with such an important day of remembrance. It was insensitive in the extreme. (full Letter)

Letter to Mike Wran (Premier of SA and Minister for Social Inclusion) on Deputy Premier and Treasurer, Mr Foley's language

More recently, he has described peace activists, among whom we number ourselves, as “feral low-life” (Adelaide Now, September 7, 2008). ...
You will no doubt be aware that Mr Foley’s comments are unwelcome to many women voters in SA, and, we suspect, to many men as well. In a changed electoral climate when the Northern Territory and West Australian Labor Governments have struggled in recent times to maintain their electoral advantage, we believe that Mr Foley has become a liability for SA Labor. (full letter)

Letter to Deputy prime minster Gillard on the Submission to the Federal Government’s legislation to suspnd welfare payments to parents

Our organisation is deeply concerned to learn of the legislation, which we understand you have introduced, to suspend welfare payments in the case of truancy for more
than 3,000 children in six areas in the Northern Territory and two other districts, including Canning in Western Australia.
As a means of ensuring parental responsibility, this very punitive approach is likely to produce a number of (presumably) unintended consequences.
Read full Story

No War Rally banners, Brisbane, Australia
Northern Territory Emergency Response Review

submission
Appendix1-transcript of interview with consultant

Appendix 2 - Why Warriors Lie Down and Die_- executive summary

SInging for Peace Workshop

Around the whole country, planning is well underway for our protest actions against the big arms expo, called the Asia Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition (APDSE) which is due to run in Adelaide from 11 to 13 November this year.

Read a report on the first of the singing protest workshops in the lead-up to APDSE which was held on Saturday 16 August at the Quaker Meeting House, 40A Pennington Terrace, North Adelaide. Read full report and get song files

You can join the web group and download mp3 to learn the songs in your town or organisation.

WILPF submission on Russian Nuclear_Treaty2008

Peace and Freedom Quarterly Winter 2008
WILPF (Australian Section)

Australia sells guns and war toys on Armistice Day instead of Poppies

In November this year, an arms fair called the Asia Pacific Defence and Security Exhibition (APDSE) will be held in Adelaide, South Australia. Inappropriately, it is due to open on Remembrance Day (Tuesday 11 November), and runs over three days, finishing on Thursday 13 November. read more and get leaflet to share

 

WILPF (Australian Section) Annual Report 2007

Letter to Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd on International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament

Submission to the Treasurer’s Community Consultation on the 2008 Federal Budget

Input for the WomenSpeak consortium in preparation for CSW 2008

Statement prepared by the Australian Section of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF)

NGO consultation with DFAT in the lead-up to the NPT PrepCom in Geneva,

Statement by the Australian Section of the Women’s International League
for Peace and Freedom, 28 April to 9 May 2008

WILPF Letter to Minister Stephen Smith re US missiles plans

Statement by International WILPF (Geneva) on cluster bombs and involving women in the decision making.

Mothering Peace by Glenda Cloughley

presented at celebrations of the 93rd anniversary of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, 23 April 2008, Canberra

Statement for 93rd Birthday

of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

WILPF Letters to Australian Government Members on the Occasion of their first day

WILPF welcomes the incoming Rudd Government. WILPF welcomes the new government's apology to the stolen generations and the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol - both moves were long overdue.

The first meeting of Australia's 42nd Parliament on Tuesday, 12th February 2008 is time of great hope for the Australian people.

WILPF has observed that, over the past eleven and a half years, much has been lost in Australia.

We believe that during the Howard years, Australia has moved towards becoming a less community-oriented, less caring and less egalitarian society. The Australian ethos of the fair go has waned. We have seen a far greater emphasis on militarism through increased annual joint training exercises with the United States and other nations, especially at Shoalwater Bay in Queensland. At the same time, there has been a noticeable increase in nationalism, jingoism and the 'glorification of war' through a changed attitude to the commemorations of Anzac Day and Australia Day.

We have also observed that successive Federal budgets over the time of the Howard Government significantly increased defence expenditure compared with spending on education, health and welfare. This disproportionate spending on defence did not serve the needs of all Australians for real security - which cannot be bought through military might or military alliances - and certainly does not well serve the needs of Australian women. The situation for Australian women has deteriorated during the last eleven years.

We recall the great hopes of people in the United Kingdom when the UK Government of Prime Minister Tony Blair was first elected in 1997. Now eleven years later, we in Australia have elected a new Labor Government. While we recognise that there is a limit to what reformist governments are capable of in a capitalist society, we nevertheless hope that our new government will not break faith with the Australian people. With this in mind, we have written to some of the new Ministry expressing our hopes for a fairer Australia.

    Claire Moore Jenny Macklin  Penny Wong  Tanya Plibersek 
    Peter Garrett  Attorney General McClelland   Joel Fitzgibbon  Stephen Smith 

WILPF (Australia) Statement on Survival Day 2008

WILPF Australia Letter to US Ambassador to mark 'Keep Space for Week' Oct 2007

WILPF initiatives

Children of the Gulf War Photo Exhibition Australian Tour Project

Help this exhibition reach every Australian town and city.
Show the true impact of war -
the hope and compassion of human beings -
the importance of standing up for what we know is just.
These photos touch hearts and minds in powerful ways
.

Daily bread, suburban Baghdad  - photograph by Takashi Morizumi, Children of the Gulf War exhibition

WILPF Statement on Situation in Burma

The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom sends greetings, solidarity and support to citizens of Burma, who courageously and non-violently stand up for peace and freedom in their country.
A reign of terror has prevailed in Burma since 1962, the population being brutally repressed by a military dictatorship; women have suffered in terrible and specific ways.

The international community has tolerated this military junta far too long. Its silence has protected a culpable economic exploitation by actors who must be made to cease their profiteering and deal-making with the regime, currently headed by General Than Shwe. The current culture of impunity must come to an end, and those who have committed grave violations of international humanitarian law must be justly prosecuted.

WILPF calls on all Member States of the United Nations to:

Refuse the credentials of the Myanmar delegation to the 62nd UN General Assembly, recalling the precedent of the GA's refusal to recognise the apartheid regime as representative of South Africa's population on 13 November 1970 in Resolution 2636;

Utilize the current meeting of the Human Rights Council to re-establish the Special Procedure on Myanmar and call for implementation of the recommendations of Special Rappoteur Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro (Brazil);

Consider the reports of the Special Rappoteurs on Myanmar and call on the Burmese Regime to allow them access to the country for the first time since 2003;

Demand that UN humanitarian actors be given access to provide needed assistance to the estimated 500,000 internally displaced persons;

Demand that Aung Sung Sui Kyi be released from house arrest and permitted to exercise her political and human rights and freely enter the UN house;

Exert pressure on the Than Shwe military regime that it respect the peaceful demonstrations for democracy currently taking place in Burma; and

Call on the military regime to engage in immediate talks with the democracy leaders, who maintain a long-held position of non-violence and support for dialogue and negotiation.

The terror and profiteering in Burma must end - the time for decisive action is now.
24 September 2007
Susi Snyder, Secretary General
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
1, rue de Varembe, Case Postale 28, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 919 7080 Fax: +41 22 919 7081 www.wilpf.ch

WILPF Australian Section Annual Report 2006 pdf
WILPF Quarterly Magazine "Peace and Freedom" currrent issue (1.3MB)

WILPF letter to Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Full Text)

Dear Minister,
Re: Federal Government’s Intervention
in Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory

We write on behalf of the Australian Section of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). Since our founding in 1915, WILPF has worked for social and racial justice, human rights, the environment and an end to war as a means of dealing with human conflicts.

We are in complete agreement with the Federal Government on the need for urgent action against child sexual abuse in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory (NT). It is indeed as the Anderson/Wild report concluded a “national emergency”. WILPF therefore welcomes the Federal Government’s willingness to grapple with these difficult issues.

We must also note however that a similar degree of child sexual abuse exists in other parts of the Australian community and, while addressing the problems in the NT, it is important to guard against further stereotyping of indigenous Australians as if to say that their communities are in some way unique in regard to child sex abuse or domestic violence. They are not. Anything that appears to suggest this is dangerous as it adds fuel to the fire of racism that is prevalent in our society and makes real progress in addressing indigenous disadvantage so difficult. ..........

click here for full letter in pdf format

www.1325australia.org.au

1325 is a powerful UN resolution that focuses on the effect of war on women and the need for their involvement in conflict prevention, peace building and post-conflict reconstruction. 1325 has the status of international law. Visit WILPF's action site for Australian women working to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 in the Australian context.
(
PS. To return to this site, use your browser back button)

WILPF (Australia) endorses the Paid Maternity Leave campaign of the National Foundation for Australian Women.

WILPF (Australia) encourages organisations and individuals to sign on to this important campaign. Sign-ons can now be made on line at:
http://www.nfaw.org/social/maternity/index.html

Join WILPF and make a difference for world peace

This year, in April 2007, these wonderful women of wilpf have contributed 92 years to working for peace. Think they'll give up now? No way!! So why not join them? Be part of a glorious sisterhood creating a peaceful and just future for all human beings and our environment.

 

Rally for Peace, Adelaide, South Australia

STATEMENT BY WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM

on the Lebanon/ Israel conflict

(AUSTRALIAN SECTION)

There never can be a military "solution" to the problems facing the Israeli and the Lebanese peoples in the present situation across their common border. The peoples involved or, more precisely, their representatives need to be brought to the recognition that they must seek a political solution - a negotiated "talking" solution - if they are ever to achieve a just and lasting peace and freedom.  Click Here for full Statement

This page is copyright to the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (Australian Section). For purposes of genuinely furthering the cause of world peace and the emancipation of women, material from this web page may be freely copied and distributed so long as acknowledgement is made of its source.