Women Speak Australia publishes analysis on the sex-based rights of women and girls, and on the laws and institutions that affect them.
- Women’s Prisons Were Built for a Sex Class. Who Enters Them Is Now a State Policy Choice.Australia has no Commonwealth statute that says who may be housed in a women’s prison. That is how the country is built. States and territories run adult corrections. Section 120 of the Constitution requires each state to hold people convicted of Commonwealth offences in its prisons. There is no separate… Read more: Women’s Prisons Were Built for a Sex Class. Who Enters Them Is Now a State Policy Choice.
- In the Name of the Child: Melbourne Conference Examines the Harms of SurrogacyOn 21–22 August 2026, the Association Representing Mothers Separated by Adoption (ARMS) hosted a two-day national conference, In the Name of the Child: The Perils of Surrogate Motherhood for Mother and Baby, at the Greg Craven Centre, Australian Catholic University, in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Women Speak Australia attended the conference, which… Read more: In the Name of the Child: Melbourne Conference Examines the Harms of Surrogacy
- Surrogacy in Australia: If It Requires So Many Safeguards, Should We Be Regulating It or Ending It?Surrogacy is legal in every Australian state and territory, yet Australia has no single national surrogacy law. Instead, it is regulated primarily through separate state and territory legislation. There is one broad point of agreement: commercial surrogacy is prohibited across Australia, while altruistic surrogacy is permitted. In an altruistic arrangement,… Read more: Surrogacy in Australia: If It Requires So Many Safeguards, Should We Be Regulating It or Ending It?
- eSafety Commissioner Issues Removal Notice to X Over Genevieve Gluck Article: What Does the Online Safety Act Require?On 4 August 2026, the Australian eSafety Commissioner issued a formal removal notice to X concerning a post that linked to a 2024 Substack article by US-based writer Genevieve Gluck. The article, published on 31 October 2024 on her Women’s Voices Substack, examined publicly available online material posted by an… Read more: eSafety Commissioner Issues Removal Notice to X Over Genevieve Gluck Article: What Does the Online Safety Act Require?
- Public Toilets and the Duty of Local Government: Why Single-Sex Facilities Matter for WomenIntroduction Access to safe, private and usable public toilets is an important but often overlooked aspect of participation in public life. Across Australia, councils are increasingly considering different approaches to the design of public toilets and change facilities, including unisex and all-gender models. These approaches may provide benefits for some… Read more: Public Toilets and the Duty of Local Government: Why Single-Sex Facilities Matter for Women
- The Case of Dr Jillian Spencer: Clinical Concerns, Safeguarding and Professional FreedomQuestions surrounding the medical treatment of children experiencing gender-related distress remain the subject of significant scientific and professional debate. Systematic reviews in several countries have found the evidence for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in this cohort to be of low or very low certainty. In this context, the ability… Read more: The Case of Dr Jillian Spencer: Clinical Concerns, Safeguarding and Professional Freedom
- The Kirralie Smith Appeal: What the NSW Supreme Court Decided About Advocacy, Women’s Sport and Anti-Vilification LawIntroduction On 24 July 2026, the NSW Supreme Court delivered its judgment in Smith v Blanch; Smith v Dennis [2026] NSWSC 879, concluding one of Australia’s most closely watched civil vilification appeals. The case arose from a series of social media posts published by Kirralie Smith, spokesperson for Binary Australia… Read more: The Kirralie Smith Appeal: What the NSW Supreme Court Decided About Advocacy, Women’s Sport and Anti-Vilification Law
- ‘It Was a Different Time’: The 2013 Sex Discrimination Act AmendmentsDuring a recent question-and-answer session at Manchester University, former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was asked about her government’s 2013 amendments to the Sex Discrimination Act. Those amendments removed the Act’s biological definitions of “man” and “woman” and added “gender identity” as a protected attribute. Gillard responded that the issues… Read more: ‘It Was a Different Time’: The 2013 Sex Discrimination Act Amendments
- Why Did the ABC Reject Sall Grover’s Voice on the Giggle Ruling?On 15 May 2026, the Full Federal Court delivered its judgment in Giggle for Girls Pty Ltd v Tickle. The Court dismissed Sall Grover’s appeal and upheld, in part, Roxanne Tickle’s cross-appeal. It recharacterised the discrimination as direct rather than indirect, increased the damages award to $20,000, and ordered Grover… Read more: Why Did the ABC Reject Sall Grover’s Voice on the Giggle Ruling?
- Who Are Breastfeeding Organisations For? Mothers, Babies and the Importance of SafeguardingBreastfeeding support organisations were created for a simple purpose: to support mothers and babies. For decades, women gathered in these spaces to discuss pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, maternal health, and the challenges of caring for newborn children. They were built on shared female experience and a common focus on infant wellbeing.… Read more: Who Are Breastfeeding Organisations For? Mothers, Babies and the Importance of Safeguarding
- National Standards Are Clear: Midwifery in Australia Remains Woman-CentredMidwifery practice in Australia is governed by national law and professional standards that place women at the centre of care. The primary legislation is the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law, which establishes the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). The NMBA’s Midwife standards for practice (2018) explicitly state that… Read more: National Standards Are Clear: Midwifery in Australia Remains Woman-Centred
- When Psychologists Need Training to Post on Social Media: Concerns About AHPRA RegulationRecently, attention has been drawn to a continuing professional development workshop titled “Social Media for Psychologists: Perils and Pitfalls” offered by Australian Health Professional Development (AHPD). The course description notes that complaints arising from social media activity are increasing and warns practitioners that even personal or private group activity may… Read more: When Psychologists Need Training to Post on Social Media: Concerns About AHPRA Regulation
- Pauline Hanson Addresses Gender Identity Policies at National Press ClubDuring her recent address to the National Press Club, Senator Pauline Hanson raised a range of national issues, including migration, housing, energy policy and government administration. A significant portion of her speech focused on gender identity policies and their impact on women’s rights, single-sex spaces and public institutions. Hanson argued… Read more: Pauline Hanson Addresses Gender Identity Policies at National Press Club