In 1928 the demands of the first International Women's Day Rally in Australia were: equal pay for equal work, an 8-hour day for shop assistants, the basic wage for the unemployed and annual holidays on full pay.
On the weekend of March 6-7, the annual IWD rallies, marches, festivals, dances and cultural events around Australia were still demanding basic rights for working and unemployed women, but this year the rights of indigenous women, abortion rights and the fight for freedom from sexual violence were also highlighted.
In Melbourne around 3000 took part in a rally and march with a theme of "Beat Back the Backlash" — inspired by the generalised attacks occurring on women's rights, and also by the attacks on women and working people by the Kennett government.
These attacks were taken up by Lyn Beaton, an organiser with the State Public Services Federation, who called for women to fight the cuts along with other affected groups, and Aboriginal activist Marie Andrews, who, quoting Malcolm X, called for struggle "by any means necessary".
Di Quin, chairing the rally on behalf of the International Women's Day Collective, referred to the upcoming federal election and the scramble by both mainstream parties for women's votes. She drew cheers from the crowd with the comment that as far as the collective was concerned, "both parties are corrupt to the core" and had done nothing to fundamentally improve the status of women.
Bosnian women provided a strong and vocal presence in the march, protesting at the organised rape and abuse of women in Bosnia and thoroughly disproving the stereotype of the passive and timid Muslim woman.
In Sydney 5000 marched through the city streets, drawing crowds of approving onlookers with their chants of "End Violence. Now."
Rap duo Black Justice and the Older Women's Network Theatre Group shattered media stereotypes of black and older women with their gutsy performances of original songs at the festival in Hyde Park.
In the biggest IWD rally for many years in Adelaide, more than 2000 women met at Victoria Square, marched to Parliament House and partied all afternoon at a festival in Wymill Park. Organisers told Green Left that the number and diversity of participants, including large contingents of Aboriginal and Bosnian women, made the day the most successful IWD they could remember in their city.
In Perth, 400 women marched around the city square chanting, whistling and singing. The day's theme was "Sharing and Celebrating the Cultural Struggle and Survival of Indigenous Women of the World". Helen Corbett, representing the Indigenous Women's Collective of WA, spoke before the march. She cited statistics relating to the mortality rates of Aboriginal people and domestic violence perpetrated due to alcohol and substance abuse. Environmental Youth Alliance member Anna Drews told the rally about the struggles of indigenous people to save the need to give solidarity to these struggles.
Murri and Torres Strait Islander women led a spirited and noisy march of 500 women from Brisbane's King George Square to Murri meeting place Musgrave Park. The festival in the park boasted an all-Murri platform and entertainers from the Murri community. Speakers linked the struggle for land rights with that for women's rights.
The IWD drought in Canberra (there was no rally in 1992) was broken by a 200-strong rally this year, with the theme "Celebrating our differences, women uniting for our rights". A platform of 12 speakers included Lita Vidal from ACT Multicultural Women's Association and Sue Bolton from the Democratic Socialist Electoral League who highlighted the continuing lack of an abortion clinic in Canberra.
In Newcastle 150 people marched from Hamilton Railway Station to the James Street Mall. The rally, with a theme of "Turn the tide, women fight back" heard speakers such as Lewina Jackson from the Democratic Socialist Electoral League and Bernadette Smith from the Greens outline strategies for the defeat of the current backlash against feminism.
One hundred women gathered at the Wollongong Women's Centre and marched through the city to the mall protesting against violence against women. Speakers included Sarah Harris from Resistance, who spoke on the ways and means for young women to become active in the women's movement, and a representative of the International Women's Development Agency, who spoke about violence against women in the Third World.
The first IWD celebration ever held in Penrith took place on Wednesday, March 3, in the Penrith shopping mall. Passers-by stopped to join the crowd of 200 women watching street theatre on domestic violence. Organisers declared the event a success and plans are already under way for IWD Penrith, 1994.