PERTH — Queer Collaborations is an annual conference for queer student activists, and the only regular national queer activist conference in Australia. This year's conference took place on July 3-8 at the University of Western Australia, and was attended by 220 people from across Australia.
The federal government's "voluntary student unionism" legislation was a recurring theme of discussion. VSU threatens the conference itself, as most of its funding comes directly from student organisations.
Among the speakers at the conference were Alex McFarlane from the International Foundation for Androgynous Studies; Geoff Clayton from B-LeGITs (the queer caucus of the State School Teachers Union of Western Australia); UnionsWA's Claire Ozzich; Claire English, the National Union of Students queer officer; and Annaliese Constable, convener of the NSW Queer Students Network. Ozzich explained how the federal government's proposed industrial relations "reforms" threaten to eliminate queer-friendly state awards, such as Western Australia's same-sex parenting and bereavement law.
Rod Swift from Gay and Lesbian Equality (WA) urged conference participants to join the August 13 national day of action demanding marriage rights for same-sex couples.
After a conference participant and his gay lover were thrown out of local Perth bar The Deen for kissing, a mass same-sex "kiss-in" was organised in protest. Leaflets were distributed demanding an apology from the bar.
A rally in Perth's mall at the end of the conference on July 8 was marred by police violence and the arrest of five activists. A grassroots collective is being formed in response. For more information, phone Kat on 0422 851 623.
Farida Iqbal
From Green Left Weekly, July 20, 2005.
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