This year’s Greens State Conference was held on 13 and 14 September. As the conference was celebrating the centenary of Women’s Suffrage in Victoria, all conference members were welcomed by some “Suffragists” and invited to sign a banner which represented the massive petition for women’s votes which was presented to parliament over 100 years ago.

A second greeting was given by Wurundjeri Elder Aunty Doreen Garvey Wandin who welcomed all participants to the land. The new Office bearers and Regional representatives for 2008-2009 were then announced.

WA Greens Senator Rachel Siewert was a keynote speaker at the conference, and outlined how the Senate has now changed, and what Party Status means for the Australian Greens. She also proposed the following motion, which was passed unanimously:

“That the 2008 State Conference of the Victorian Greens acknowledge today (September 13th) as the first anniversary of the Statement on the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, note that Australia was one of only four nations that opposed this statement at the time of its declaration, and call on the Prime Minister to honour his election promise to immediately sign this declaration on behalf of the Australian people.”

Later in the day, Professor Patricia Grimshaw, from the History Department at Melbourne University gave a highly engaging and entertaining address regarding the Centenary Women’s Suffrage.

The Annual General Meeting was then held, with all proposed constitutional amendments passed and committees elected. Everyone went out for a drink in the evening to relax and recuperate.

On Sunday morning the new state office bearers shared their vision for the year ahead.
Late morning, there were various workshops focusing on campaign skills, including door-knocking,
campaign management and writing letters to the editor.

In the afternoon, Henry Atkinson, a spokesperson for the Council of Elders of the Yorta Yorta nation spoke about Murray Darling issues from his perspective.

This was followed by workshops, and a program of documentaries ran throughout Sunday.

In summary, it was an exhausting yet stimulating experience which left everyone looking forward to next year’s conference.