“The Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, will today release the results of nearly a year of consultation on the state of gender relations, including the finding that many young women are still subject to harassment almost a quarter of a century after such behaviour was outlawed.”
The patriarchy still exists and we still need to fight against gender based oppression? What a novel concept.
Smith welcomes UN’s rape during war call
“Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith has welcomed the United Nations Security Council’s decision to make rape a war crime.
Mr Smith says Australia participated in the open debate, and the unanimous resolution was passed overnight.”
Minimal maternity leave no incentive
“The introduction of a minimalist form of paid maternity leave is unlikely to boost the numbers of women returning to work after having children, the top family research body has found.”
Colleague accuses Australia PM of sexism
ulia Irwin, a lawmaker in Rudd’s Labor Party for a decade, pointed out that former party leader Mark Latham had not been required to seek counseling when he broke a Sydney taxi driver’s arm during a beer-fueled argument over a fare.
“We seem to allow some of our male politicians to be aggressive and pushy, but women are expected to be meek and mild,”
Pro-life policy on RU486 condemns tumour sufferers to die
“RU486 remains essentially a prohibited import. It remains in a category of its own too hard for doctors and pharmacists to get approval to prescribe it and too hard for drug companies to get approval to make it available. And this is having a sad and costly side-effect. You see, RU486 is not only an abortion drug. It has life-saving effects for patients with cancer and benign tumours, among others.”
An interesting editorial on how being legalised hasn’t necessarily made RU486 any more easily accessible.
Woolworths wooing women with maternity leave
“RETAIL giant Woolworths has become Australia’s largest employer to offer paid maternity leave, upping the pressure on the Rudd Government to develop a national scheme.”
Coalition delays same-sex couple laws
“CONSERVATIVE MPs have attempted to thwart moves to recognise gay partners in the same way as married couples in public sector superannuation laws…the Coalition yesterday resolved to delay the move with a Senate inquiry, and try to broaden the issue beyond gays to cover other interdependent relationships.”
I’m not opposed to including other forms of relationships in the legislation but it seems to me that the Coalition is just using that as an excuse to hold off giving rights to queer couples. Argh!
Aussie abortion plan for East Timor
“AUSTRALIA is considering offering aid money for abortions in developing countries as the birth rate of East Timor surges to one of the world’s highest.
The possibility of AusAid-funded abortions was raised in a Senate Estimates hearing yesterday as a Democrats senator criticised Australia’s treatment of women in developing countries.”
Nelson opposes changes to foreign aid abortion ban
“Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson says he is against a push to overturn a ban on Australian foreign aid paying for abortion advice.”
I actually didn’t know that Australian Aid money can’t be used to fund abortions or lots of other contraception focussed programs. Surprise, surprise the Liberal party is opposing it.
