The AAWAA Women’s Advocate

Emma and Megan discuss AAWAA's direct questioning of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner at the National Press Club about her powers, obligations, and the systematic exclusion of women's advocacy groups from sex and gender policy consultations. They explore the Commissioner's claim that CEDAW has been reinterpreted to include all 'versions' of woman, the lack of public accounta...

Emma and Luci examine the Women’s Action Alliance Tasmania’s call on the Tasmanian Government for the abolition of prostitution and urgent law reform. They unpack the landmark UN report on prostitution as violence, discuss the ongoing harm and demand created by advertising in Tasmanian media, and explain the link between prostitution and the institutional child sexual abuse exposed by the state’s...

Emma and Amber put the Australian Human Rights Commission under the spotlight, questioning its shift away from meaningful, sexed-based protections for women and girls. From legal battles and lost consultation to confusion for services and sport, they expose how policy changes and reinterpretations have left women’s rights on shaky ground. Is Parliament the only answer for restoring clarity and acc...

In this episode, Emma and Sue explore the life of Merike Johnson—a refugee, scientist and feminist trailblazer—tracing her journey from a post-war German camp to leading women’s activism in Australia, building refuges, challenging discriminatory laws, and warning of the dangers when ‘sex’ is erased from science, statistics, or language, all while inspiring others with her resilience, humour and fo...

Emma and Luci examine Scotland’s pioneering Prostitution (Offences and Support) Bill and what it means for the rights, safety, and dignity of women and girls everywhere. They provide a serious, evidence-driven analysis of why shifting criminal accountability to sex buyers, restoring justice for women criminalised by exploitation, and mandating state assistance are vital reforms. Drawing on AAWAA’s...

In this episode, Emma and Amber examine the government’s claims about “engaging stakeholders” and reveal how those of us most affected—women and girls—are routinely left out. We unpack the consequences of this exclusion, explore recent legal and policy developments eroding sexed-based protections, and call for a return to genuine consultation that puts our voices at the heart of decision-making. J...

Emma and Megan take listeners inside our coalition’s major submission to the Universal Periodic Review, exposing how the Australian government is erasing women’s sex-based rights while claiming progress. Why are legal protections for women and girls being rolled back behind closed doors? What’s missing from Australia’s official human rights report, and what must change to put women back at the cen...

Emma and Lucy look at the dangers of merging Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) with surrogacy under a single legislative umbrella. They unpack the crucial differences between medical treatment for infertility and the ethical, legal, and women's rights minefield of contracting out women’s bodies. What gets lost when policy-makers blur these lines—and who stands to lose the most? This po...

Emma and Lucy examine the urgent issues shaping mental health and wellbeing for women and girls across New South Wales. They explore why current policies too often fail to recognise our unique needs, highlighting the erosion of female-only services, rising rates of violence and eating disorders, and the troubling impact of recent legislative changes. This podcast provides general information and o...

Emma and Sue highlight Isla MacGregor, a front-line campaigner since the early 1990s, whose work with Whistleblowers Australia and activism against corruption and child abuse have shaped Tasmania’s feminist movement. Isla’s leadership in launching the Coalition for Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse and founding Women Speak Tasmania demonstrates her unyielding focus on responsibility, cooperation, and o...

Amber and Martine join Emma to expose the deep flaws in Western Australia’s Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Bill 2025. Amber outlines how the Bill erases crucial differences between surrogacy and assisted reproduction, silencing women’s voices in favour of commercial interests. Martine shares WAWAA’s advocacy strategy—including emailing every single WA MP individually—which resulted...

Emma and Suzi break down the ongoing debate over ‘all-gender’ toilet facilities in the National Construction Code, revealing how small policy changes can threaten women’s rights to safety and dignity in public spaces. They discuss AAWAA’s detailed submission to the Australian Building Codes Board, dive into the confusion created by shifting from ‘sex’ to ‘gender’ language, and explain why the curr...

Emma chats with Lucy to unpack the NSW Women’s Action Alliance submission to the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act review. They discuss why legal clarity about ‘sex’ is vital, what’s at stake if anti-discrimination law moves to a ‘gender’ model, and how administrative shortcuts put women and girls at risk of losing crucial protections in healthcare, sport, crisis services, and public life. Drawing o...

Emma and Amber call on the Prime Minister and the Minister for Women to provide a National Apology for all women and girls harmed, criminalised, and stigmatised through prostitution in Australia. Speaking as part of the strongest feminist coalition in the country, they lay out a clear plan — the Australian Abolition Approach (‘Triple A’) for Absolute Protections — calling for criminalisation of bu...

Emma and Suzi unpack the NSW Law Reform Commission's current review of the Anti-Discrimination Act, with a special focus on government guidelines for sex and gender data. They explore why the Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender are administrative tools—not laws—and how the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 remains the definitive authority, especially when it comes t...

In this episode, Emma and Martine take you deep into the heart of a significant legal battle — the Tickle v Giggle case — exploring who counts as a woman and who can access women-only spaces in Australia. They unpack the debates between Equality Australia advocating for definitions that include males as lesbians based on gender identity, and the Lesbian Action Group standing for biological sex and...

Emma and Lucy unpack the NSW Women’s Action Alliance’s latest submission on hate speech law reform. They explore why the incitement to violence threshold is so important, raise concerns about making “hatred” a crime without clear limits, and highlight the current gap in sex-based legal protections for women. Drawing on real-world examples and international context, the episode explores how vague o...

Emma and Sue talk about how Carole Ann and the Lesbian Action Group have been a driving force in defending lesbian-only spaces in the face of mounting pressures and shifting definitions. This episode explores the group's challenge to policies at Melbourne’s Pride Centre, their case before the Australian Human Rights Commission, and their ongoing campaign for genuine lesbian visibility and conn...

Emma is joined by Luci and Amber to explore why Australia’s approach to prostitution urgently needs to change — and what we can learn from bold reforms in Scotland and across the world. Together, they unpack the global shift toward targeting buyers and profiteers, not the exploited; examine the Scottish bill’s breakthrough protections and survivor-focused support; and lay out a roadmap for an ‘Aus...

Emma and Luci explain how the CSW communications process lets women’s groups present evidence of systemic violations—like the silencing of advocacy and loss of sex-based protections—to the United Nations, aiming to hold Australia accountable and demand meaningful change for women and girls when domestic channels fail. This podcast provides general information and opinion only and does not constitu...

Emma and Lucy unpack the renewed debate about what Australia’s parliament really intended when it removed the definitions of “woman” and “man” from the Sex Discrimination Act back in 2013. Drawing on our 2024 analysis of the Tickle v Giggle case, we reveal how parliament failed to debate or clarify the sweeping legal changes that are now leaving women’s rights in limbo. Visit womensadvocacy.net. T...

Emma and Amber break down the Queensland Government’s review of hormone therapies for children and teens with gender dysphoria. Drawing on new evidence and the lived experience of girls—now the majority seeking these treatments—they challenge assumptions in current policy and clinical practice. Hear why the coalition says girls need real safeguarding, greater oversight, and support tailored to the...

Emma and Sue discuss Nerissa Scott’s activism, which began in childhood and flows through protests, petitions, and solidarity actions across Brisbane. This episode highlights how her sharp intellect and lived experience fuel practical campaigns for women’s rights, and how standing with survivors and fellow protestors continues to inspire her. This podcast provides general information and opinion o...

Emma and Meg unpack our feminist coalition’s latest submission to the UN, explaining how gaps in law and policy are undermining sex-based rights and protections. Why are so many feminist groups are uniting, and what Australia must do to safeguard women’s rights. Want to get involved? Email  women@womensadvocacy.net . This podcast provides general information and opinion only and does not constitut...

Emma and Amber take listeners behind the scenes of AAWAA, explaining what the coalition does, how it is structured, and the guiding principles that drive its national advocacy. They discuss how AAWAA operates with strategic focus, compassion, and a commitment to evidence-based action on issues including women’s legal rights, sex-based protections, submissions to government and the UN, letter-writi...