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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 joint
forum with the indigenous queer community and discussed a range of issues.
April:
Kev Carmody at MUA picket
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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 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.]
July:
We were busy during July developing an anti-racist/reconciliation statement.
The group was extremely concerned about the election success of One Nation
[in Qld] and the passing of the federal government's "10-piont plan".
In response to these developments we worked on a campaign which aimed to
unite the queer communtity around defending multiculturalism and indigeous
rights.
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