More than 100,000 women are expected to march in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to demand action in response to allegations of workplace abuse. Follow latest updates
1.26am GMT
I’m hearing from Calla Wahlquist that the crowd size in Melbourne is between 5000 and 10,000 already.
There are so many people there that plenty are having trouble with phone signal and the internet. Thousands all trying to post at once.
#March4JusticeMelbourne pic.twitter.com/Xf0uTGDwkH
1.24am GMT
The rest of Australia, don’t think we have forgotten about you.
Here is Adelaide:
Holy crap. This is massive! Well done Radelaide. @march4justiceau @womensmarchaus #March4Justiceau pic.twitter.com/gTY6ae5JYG
#march4justice #newcastle @march4justiceau @womensmarchaus pic.twitter.com/LW8ADHfDHO
#WomensMarch4Justice #women #WomensRightsAreHumanRights @womensmarchaus @march4justiceau Hobart Rally ... Many gathering here today to stand united for justice and change. Thousands here already.. We are the change! pic.twitter.com/AtGH1xxnX9
Images from Albury’s #March4Justice which heard from city’s deputy mayor @DrAmandaCohn and a survivor of trauma who said women had enough and wanted change. pic.twitter.com/YAc6bPB0Sj
1.20am GMT
In Melbourne currently:
There are still people streaming into Treasury Gardens for Melbourne’s #March4Justice. Unofficial crowd estimate is 10,000. @10NewsFirstMelb pic.twitter.com/HBOLu43APe
Melbourne #March4Justice pic.twitter.com/AKB1CPw01Z
1.17am GMT
High profile politicians have walked out of Parliament House, led by Penny Wong, Tanya Plibersek and Anthony Albanese and trailed by other staffers.
This came as Julie Zemiro kicked off proceedings in Canberra:
Women need to be heard, they need to be believed and they need to be safe everywhere.
Federation mall, the long stretch of grass in front of parliament, is now pretty much full. Crowds now listening to speakers and the welcome to Ngunnawal country. So many here that the women at the back can't hear the speakers. #March4Justice @MatildaBoseley pic.twitter.com/4FbYNe4TLI
1.16am GMT
A big turn out in the regional city of Ballarat in Victoria as well.
Crowds gathering at #March4Justice Ballarat. pic.twitter.com/6cSXEiekjo
1.14am GMT
Some big names rocking up at the Syndey protests!
Australian gem Sam Neill is there. (Yes I know he is from NZ but I’m claiming him for today).
Look who turned up at #March4Justice in Sydney @TwoPaddocks pic.twitter.com/KdANXraWdF
1.11am GMT
.@Craig_Foster is here at the Sydney #March4Justice. He tells me: “It’s long overdue. I’m sure the majority of men support this movement of gender equality, and that is not being reflected at the representative level, especially in parliament. I’m inspired being here today” pic.twitter.com/lH38lvDE2Y
1.11am GMT
Former Lord Mayor of Sydney Lucy Turnbull is attending the protest in Sydney.
@LucyTurnbull_AO is at the Sydney #March4Justice protest @MatildaBoseley @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/WggKieMY4L
1.05am GMT
Many women have travelled from interstate to attend the Canberra rally.
Among them are staff with the Australian Council of Social Service, who arrived from Sydney this morning.
The reality is that these issues, sexual assault, gender-based violence, are pervasive across the community. Women have known that forever. And every time we see another example of where action is not taken, and people are not held to account, what does it say?
Acoss chief executive Cassandra Goldie is in the crowd at the #March4JusticeCanberra rally. Her placard simply says "unstoppable". "The reality is that these issues, sexual assault, gender-based violence, are pervasive across the community. Women have known that forever." pic.twitter.com/jaTPj7Is84
1.02am GMT
The protest seems to be kicking off in Melbourne as well:
#march4justice thread in Melbourne.
This is a list of names of all the women in Australia killed from gendered violence since 2008. pic.twitter.com/CgcJcqsB8t
Things are getting started in Melbourne/Naarm #March4Justice #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/KhTkhrYtIV
1.00am GMT
Senior Labor politicians have emerged from the parliament house in Canberra.
Anthony Albanese, Penny Wong and Tanya Plibersek leading the small crowd.
squad is here #March4Justice Canberra pic.twitter.com/OyuaAxlu20
12.53am GMT
Early contenders for best signs in Canberra are Felicity from Bilpin and Kylie from Western Sydney.
Felicity says:
We are here because we are sick of violence against women and we are sick of our leaders not listening to women. 51% of the population are women but only 38% in parliament. We need more representation.
A member of my family was murdered by her partner three years ago - and nothing has changed.
Vulva la Resistance at #March4Justice Canberra pic.twitter.com/tXGR3lyWxL
12.49am GMT
About ten minutes out now from some most of the major protests starting.
20 mins before the Sydney #March4Justice is due to start and the crowd is starting to fill out both sides of Town Hall pic.twitter.com/GRBIarg6W1
12.47am GMT
Our picture editor Carly Earl is out on the streets in Syndey asking people why they are marching today.
I am at the Sydney #MarchForJustice protest asking people why are you marching? @MatildaBoseley @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/9S7dAu2K4k
12.44am GMT
Huge crowds have already gathered outside parliament house in Canberra.
Reporter Christopher Knaus is there to bring us updates:
Huge crowds are streaming into the #March4Justice rally at Parliament House. Hundreds already here, at least. Many more on the way. "Why are women not safe in the most secure building in Australia?", asks one sign. @MatildaBoseley pic.twitter.com/FXPgXZf5ki
12.41am GMT
Some popular phrases on today’s placards include “Not Happy Jen,” and “Jen we need to talk”.
For those that are confused this is a reference to the prime minister, Scott Morrison’s now-infamous comments after former Liberal staffer Brittany’s Higgins went public with the allegation that she was raped by another staffer in the ministerial offices of Linda Reynolds.
Jenny and I spoke last night, and she said to me, ‘You have to think about this as a father first. What would you want to happen if it were our girls?’ – Jenny has a way of clarifying things, always has.
I asked Sally McLean and Cathy Walker why they came today.
Cathy: “Why wouldn’t we? We have all been harmed by poor government policy.”
Sally: “And not just government policy, it’s across the board. Enough.”#March4Justice @MatildaBoseley pic.twitter.com/jrhzx2hN9r
the signs are gathering in Canberra #March4Justice (one of these is my mum) pic.twitter.com/kwjU7KthA8
12.25am GMT
We are about 40 minutes away from three of the major protests starting (Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne) and there are plenty of posts on social media describing trams, trains and buses full of protesters making their way there.
Looks like it’s going to be a big one:
There are now seven of us, all unknown to each other, but all making ourselves known to each other#March4Justice #EnoughIsEnough #auspol pic.twitter.com/8xtYCrvH2c
Bus filled with women in black. #march4justice pic.twitter.com/9pj3UThQwD
The Nambour to Brisbane train is quite full. Lots of black!
Heading into Melbourne now, with a train load of women in black
12.13am GMT
Reporter Calla Wahlquist is at the Melbourne protest bringing us updates.
Kara is waiting to go up the Melbourne #March4Justice with her cousin and her aunt. “So many people that I have never seen go to a rally before are going to this”. @MatildaBoseley pic.twitter.com/ozNZ5aoiXP
I’ll be at the Melbourne #March4Justice reporting for @GuardianAus, just in case that wasn’t obvious. I’m the one in the floral mask and the constantly fogging glasses. Come and say hi. pic.twitter.com/lbkUtSIrHv
12.10am GMT
A movement has started for those unable to attend the protest in person as well, with people wearing black today in solidarity with those marching.
I can't #March4Justice today so I'm wearing black instead. Will be thinking of all women today #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/9TmamhEUqR
12.08am GMT
People of all ages have been turning out for these protests. Here is someone from yesterday’s event in Perth.
86 years old and still fighting #March4Justice #MarchForJustice #WomensMarch #inspirational pic.twitter.com/7Vp1IOpxUX
11.58pm GMT
Victoria’s surf coast is getting involved this morning, here is the display from Torquay:
#SurfCoast Women's March on the beach at Torquay nice and early! @womensmarchaus
Standing up for women's rights at the base of the letter C!
Photo: Rebecca Hosking pic.twitter.com/rraeMI8spn
11.56pm GMT
Earlier this morning protest organiser Janine Hendry ran into Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack in the halls of Parliament and spoke to him about the Australian Human Rights Commission’s national inquiry into sexual harassment in workplaces.
Hendry:
The Australian Human Rights Commission report landed on the Attorney General’s desk over 12 months ago and we have not seen any implementation of the recommendations that were in that report, and it was pretty scathing. It was pretty scathing. So, when you told me that you are willing to look at it, I am going to tell you “I want some action” and the women of Australia want some action. We are drawing a line in the sand right here, right now.
OK. All right.
Can you give me that assurance?
We will certainly look at it. I cannot give you the assurance.
I am not interested in looking at it. You have been looking at this for years. It is time now. We want to change now. You have had that report for 14 months.
So who is actually going to #March4Justiceau ??♀️ I've clipped up a few answers from this morning ... #auspol @10NewsFirst pic.twitter.com/LrfUKltxk0
11.42pm GMT
Good morning, everyone, Matilda Boseley here to cover all the March4Justice protests going on around the country today.
Every major city is holding an event (Perth had their’s yesterday), with hundreds of regions cities and towns joining in as well. The main event will, of course, be outside Parliament House where we are expecting to see protestors and politicians interacting, and the crowd delivering a petition to the government.
We will not be meeting behind closed doors.
We have already come to the front door, now it’s up to the Government to cross the threshold and come to us. We will not be meeting behind closed doors.
Here are the details of some of the major #March4Justice events today, via @antissa You can follow along with updates from across the country on the @GuardianAus Australia live blog. pic.twitter.com/vE2dKHsSD4
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