March 4 Justice
Ms KILKENNY (Carrum) (09:50): This week we saw what may have been the biggest uprising by women for women this country has ever seen. This was not the start of any social movement; no, that happened many years ago. Our sisters from generations before us started this work: equal rights for men and women. But that work is not finished, and this week’s calls for justice are a call to arms to finish the work started by our sisters generations ago. It starts with acknowledging the injustice—the injustice that is gendered violence, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual abuse, sexual assault—in our homes, on our streets, on our public transport, in our media, in our political and educational institutions, and in our workplaces for women from all backgrounds across all cultures in every single suburb across this land. This must end and it must end now.
But Scott Morrison cannot do it. Neither can Christian Porter, Linda Reynolds, Marise Payne, Peter Dutton or Josh Frydenberg—the list goes on. For as long as those same men and women are in power, the same men and women who by their actions or indeed by their silence have shown such apathy, disinterest, indifference and disdain to the health and safety of and respect for all Australian women, there is not going to be meaningful and real change. This is not going away. But it is time for Scott Morrison and his mates to go. It is time for change and it is time for action. It is time for justice. I commend everyone who marched on Monday, who were there and in support.