Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader and Women spokesperson
The crowning of Tasmanian, Grace Tame, as Australian of the Year has sparked a sequence of events and national conversation that is galvanising women and girls across Australia.
Grace Tame’s courage and fierce determination to speak truth to power is an inspiration. She is driving real and long overdue change to Australia’s fundamentally sexist, unequal culture.
On this day, we also recognise the courage of former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, and the female press gallery journalists who’ve been a beacon of truth and clarity in recent weeks.
And, we acknowledge the terrible and tragic suffering of Christian Porter’s accuser.
On International Women’s Day, we need to seize this difficult and powerful moment to end sexism, misogyny, violence and rape too prevalent in Australian culture.
Looking across the globe, it’s clear that sexism and misogyny know no racial or political boundaries.
In China, Tibetan and Uyghur women have suffered rape, forced marriage, the theft of their children, incarceration and enslavement at the hands of Xi Jinping’s brutal regime.
On this International Women’s Day, we must commit to challenging the oppression of women and girls everywhere.
Those of us who have a voice must use it.