A short history

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December 1997 - January 1998:
On 18 Dec a public meeting took place in Melbourne over Native title and Reconciliation. The size of the meeting reflected the growing sense of anger with the federal government's sance on indigenous issues. A new group was organised from the meeting, Lesbians and Gays for Reconciliation:[Queers stick with WiK]. The name reflected our affiliation with the lesbian and gay community and gave us a focus of activsim on native title. We hit the ground running and produced a leaflet for mass disturbition within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender communtities.

We distributed the leaflet at many events in and around the Melbourne Gay and Lesbian Midsumma festival including:

• Black Featherettete Stick with Wik fundraiser
• Labor Listens
• Street Party
• National Lesbian Conference
• Health in Difference Conderence

Febuary:
On Sunday 1 Feb the Melbourne queer community held its annual Pride March. Lesbians and Gays for Reconciliation made a gorgeous banner and led a contingent of a 1000 queers! Over a 1000 queers wore "Stick with Wik" and other reconciliation armbands throughout the march, a powerful anti-racist and positive reconciliation statement!

We were busy at many Midsumma events especially Carnarval day where we set up a stall. Over 400 people signed reconciliation statements and we distributed alot of information about native title and reconciliation. Several members of the group flew up to Sydney and marched with the Queers for Reconciliation contingent at Mardi Gras, we had a ball!

March:
Women members of the group participated and conducted a workshop at WIKed women [an information day for women on native tilte and reconcilation]. We set up stall and talked to many women at International Womens Day [IWD]. Victorian Trades Hall and DONT [Defenders of Native Title] organised a Rally for WIK on 22 March. 5,000 plus braved searing heat and the Icecream trucks ran out of Icecream. We organised a queer contingent on the day, about 100 people. 24 March we held a jiont forum with the indigenous queer community and discussed a range of issues.

April:

Kev Carmody MAU picketline

The MUA dispute exploded and took the WIK debate off the front pages. Many in group, being good trade unionists, visited the warfies in their hour need. A planed public meeting was postponed and spectulation about a snap [double dissolution] federal election grew.

May:
Weekend Away,The group was extended an invitation from the traditional owners of the old Healesville reserve [land given back to them by the church] to spend a weekend camping, we had a good time there. Sandra did a bush tucker walk, a really big fire to kept us warm, and the elders of the local indigenous community spent Saturday evening with us. On Sunday we visited the old mission cemetery. Lesbians and Gays for Reconciliation would like to thank the traditional owners for a wonderful time.

June:
Community Public Meeting on Native Title and Reconciliation: We organisised an open forum for the lesbian, gay and queer community on native title issues and reconciliation. Speakers included Charmaine Clarke and Annette. The discussion was followed by sessions on organising in your own community and answering questions about native title and Wik. The forum was finished off with a screening of Tony Ayres film Double Trouble which interviews indigenous gay men and lesbians.

The plan was to make the day an information session about the issues that will appeal to the broader queer community. We hope that the forum facilitated in building a network of contacts in the queer community that can then be called upon once an election comes around, and to build broader community support for and activism on Native Title and Reconciliation. [We wish to thank Cafe Arcadia which opened especially for us.]