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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (16:12): Continuing my remarks regarding the recent celebration of International Women's Day on 8 March, I pick up on the hardworking women colleagues who have been and remain an inspiration to me. Another former colleague is Jane Lomax-Smith, who has such wide ranging interests and expertise that every conversation with her is a lesson in something. Historically I have come to admire Muriel Matters, and it is no coincidence that many of the women I have already mentioned are part of the Muriel Matters Society and share with me the dreams and aspirations that unite us now and united so many different women a century ago.

Muriel was a South Australian-born activist who went on to become the first woman to 'speak' in the House of Commons. Through her story I have come to learn a great deal and meet so many wonderful people as I speak to groups all over the state and further afield nationally and internationally; people like Elizabeth Crawford from London who wrote the women's suffrage bible and is universally acknowledged for her research in this area. Through her I have been able to re-establish Muriel's work on the world stage.

Another historian and academic is Jill Liddington, who has written some marvellous, enlightening and very readable books on various aspects of the women's struggle. At the Museum of London I have come to know and admire Beverley Cook for her extensive knowledge, not only of the collection, but of women's history in general. Her generosity enabled the exhibition here in Parliament House in Adelaide of Muriel's belt and chains and her Holloway Prison badge—a world first exhibition appreciated by many in the know.

They are just a few of the many people who have been truly helpful. Another I would particularly like to mention is an expat herself, V. Irene Cockcroft, who has been a wonderful and supportive mentor. A historian who is always busy, she has never hesitated in her encouragement and assistance. Irene is curating a much-anticipated exhibition on one of the world's most famous suffragists, a person who underwent imprisonment and force-feeding and died enacting the protest that is being commemorated this year.

On 4 June 1913, Emily Wilding Davison ran onto the racecourse at Epsom and under, many say coincidentally, the path of the King's horse, Anmer. She died four days later of her injuries, and her burial was preceded by a huge procession in London. Some claim Emily was only trying to disturb the race and had very little likelihood of finding the King's horse in the field as it came around a turn near where she was standing. Indeed, the train ticket in her pocket indicated that she had every intention of returning home.

To answer these questions and more, you could either commence your own research or attend a much anticipated event, now well into the planning and presentation stage. Emily Wilding Davison is the subject of Irene Cockcroft's exhibition 'Dying for the Vote' at Bourne Hall Museum in Ewell, Surrey, UK between May and July this year, and Irene will be kind enough to include Muriel Matters in this exhibition. The Museum of London has agreed to loan their portion of the grille and a belt and chains, giving Muriel and South Australia worldwide publicity.

British women are planning many activities around the Davison centenary. And, as the many centenaries of women's rights around the suffrage cause throughout the world begin to come along, none will be more important than the 2018 centenary of limited women's suffrage in the UK. Through the work of the Muriel Matters Society, the role played by so many Australian women in the UK struggle will be part of the celebration. Those women were happy to lend a hand, as must all of us be.

This International Women's Day, the UNIFEM IWD breakfast saw around 2,400 women gathered to hear an inspiring speaker and network. This is a once a year opportunity for many women to get together and take away a bagful of information, as many groups and organisations provide details of their role in the community for the organisers to distribute. This is an enormous task, compiling all of this information, and thanks go to the willing hands that make this happen.

Another important event was hosted by the South Australian International Women's Day Committee, now in its 75th anniversary year. This event held a lunch for around 400 women and featured the Gladys Elphick and the Irene Krastev awards, recognising the contributions of many women in our community from many walks of life. Often they have had to overcome great difficulties themselves in their efforts to help others. Gladys Elphick was a champion of Aboriginal women, while Irene, a person who I came to know and admire in her lifetime, worked tirelessly for the multicultural community.

Many of those attending these functions are veterans to some degree of the struggle, with names like Betty Fisher, Lowitja O'Donoghue and Shirley Peisley coming to mind. They remain true and continue to inspire, while others—young people—are just realising their place in the world. I want to commend the work of the people who make these functions possible and congratulate them on bringing to life the stories that have inspired women for generations. This becomes harder as women's studies courses and resource centres are 'mainstreamed' not only here, the home of so many proud achievements, but also in London where we have recently seen the women's library or Fawcett Collection relocated to another facility.

While we celebrate so many achievements, we must stand in solidarity with the women all over Australia and the world who do not enjoy our privileged lifestyle and safety. An average of 40 per cent (and up to 70 per cent in come countries) of women globally are likely to be beaten, raped, abused or mutilated in their lifetime. So, it is no wonder that the UN has placed women's rights and world peace together. A saying I have always remembered is: the greatest thing a man can do for his children is to love their mother. Domestic violence is one of the social issues the Muriel Matters Society will hopefully make the centre of research in the not too distant future.

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