Voices from NOWSA
Around 350 women travelled from around Australia to attend the Network of Women Students Australia (NOWSA) annual conference at the University of Western Sydney, Nepean, June 29-July 1. 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly's ANGELA LUVERA asked some of them what they thought of the conference.
Paula Williams from Southern Cross University in Lismore said: "I'm a member of the women's collective at uni and felt the need to learn more about contemporary issues.
"I had no idea what to expect of the conference, but found it was an incredible experience. Not only has my knowledge broadened, but I have had the opportunity to connect with many other women. I feel inspired to share my new-found knowledge and become more active in promoting the rights of women."
Kate Storey from Indooroopilly High in Brisbane said that she particularly liked "being around supportive people, sharing ideas. The indigenous issues plenary was amazing and powerful."
Fellow Indooroopilly High student Emilie Awbery, who attended NOWSA to "discuss and learn about feminism, women and related issues, and to network and create some avenues for taking positive action" agreed.
"I learnt an incredible amount from the plenary on indigenous issues. Hearing people speak sincerely and honestly was inspirational and motivational."
Awbery said NOWSA was "a great opportunity to gain knowledge I can use and give me some direction. I think the direction of NOWSA in the future should be towards greater collectivity and discussion."
Britany, a women's officer at Macquarie University in Sydney, said, "NOWSA involved good healthy debate, and there were some inspiring sessions, such as the graffiti workshop and the indigenous issues plenary. I have lots of ideas to take back to campus."
This was the fourth NOWSA conference for Alison Xamon from Murdoch University in Perth — and her daughter's third. She believes "NOWSA is the most important feminist conference in Australia".
"The conference was okay", said Xamon, "but I was dismayed to note that over the years a far more moderate, positively more liberal feminist approach has been taken ... students are not political enough as it is, and there's already little enough left critique in student politics without crushing it even further."
Natalie Zirngast, from Northern Territory University in Darwin, told 91×ÔÅÄÂÛ̳ Weekly: "NOWSA has the potential to be an important forum for rebuilding the movement for women's liberation.
"The debates this year were very interesting, especially about what sort of movement we need. I believe we must build a strong movement which is led by women but is actively supported by all who are willing, including men."
The final conference session passed motions that NOWSA should be a women-only conference, including catering and entertainment where possible; supporting the struggle for self-determination in East Timor, the de-colonisation of Te Ao Maoni (French Polynesia), the democracy movements of Burma and Indonesia; opposing the Jabiluka uranium mine and calling on all political parties which state they support women's rights to eradicate the conscience vote on abortion and adopt a policy of repealing all abortion laws, rather than simply reforming them.