From the Women Into Politics Symposium at Lismore, 17-18 April 1999
Women attending the Lismore symposium on the constitutional referendum did not approve of the Prime Minister's version of the preamble and voted as follows:
"That this Women Into Politics North Coast NSW symposium rejects the Prime Minister's draft Preamble as inappropriate for our nation and our times for a number of reasons, but especially because it does not acknowledge the equality of men and women, the word 'mateship' is unacceptable and it does not acknowledge the custodianship of the land by indigenous people."
The symposium went on to adopt what they considered a concise and suitable preamble as drafted by Marian Sawer (see Preamble section), which they proposed to send to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and their local MPs.
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Last modified: May 11, 2002