Dear Republican
The Australian Republican Movement has set about regenerating the campaign for an Australian Republic with an Australian Head of State. We are building on the strong Republican sentiment in the community to develop a people's movement, encouraging robust debate and inclusiveness. In the 1999 Referendum, the Yes case attracted much lower support from women than from men. For the next republican initiative to succeed, we need to close this gender gap and attract the support of a majority of Australian women. To find out how to do this, and to ensure that women take part in the creation of a new Constitution, the ARM is establishing a Republican Women's Network. All female members of the ARM are invited to join the network as an additional membership activity. We envisage holding network forums in suburbs and country towns, ideally with the support of local women's organizations. These events could provide an unrestricted opportunity for women to discuss and explore aspects of the idea of a Republic. To make these events enjoyable and creative we could invite female performers and artists to stimulate ideas. We also like the idea of female interest groups, eg, women artists for the Republic, nurses, doctors, writers, grandmothers, rock bands, nuns, Muslim women, businesswomen, farmers, actuaries; the list could go on and on. These republican women's interest groups could plan their own activities and at the same time feed into the State and National ARM strategies. If you like these ideas, or have better ones, please join the ARM and let us know you would like to be part of our women's network as well as participating in other ARM activities. If you are a member, let us know that you want to be in the women's network.
Anne Witheford, Deputy Chair
Susan Ryan AO Deputy Chair
Australian Republican Movement
1 800 80 2000
PO Box A870 Sydney South NSW 1235 Australia
Level 10, 60 Park St Sydney
Internet Home Page: www.republic.org.au
Send mail to women.republic@webone.com.au with questions
or comments about this web site.
Last modified: November 04, 2003