On this episode of Women on the Line, we first hear from Gemma Cafarella, barrister and president of Liberty Victoria, about new research exposing the discriminatory and ineffective use of Victoria Police’s ‘designated area’ powers - a regime that allows police to stop and search people without reasonable grounds or a warrant.We then hear an excerpt from 3CR Thursday Breakfast’s Priya speaking with Tarneen Onus Browne, Gunditjmara, Yorta Yorta, Bindal and Meriam person and community organiser, about the ongoing federal court challenge against Victoria Police's designated areas powers in the context of First Nations resistance movements.

On this week's episode we speak to Titaua Porcher, Associate Professor in French and Francophone Pacific literatures at the University of French Polynesia, about how writers, poets and playwrights in Te Ao Maohi/French Polynesia have grappled with the impacts of France's nuclear weapons testing in the region through literature. As a playwright herself, Titaua also discusses the important role of literature in providing different perspectives on history and people, countering stereotypes such as the ‘post card’ view of French Polynesia.

In this episode, we sit with researcher Mercedes Zanker to discuss the military supply chain of critical minerals, from the colonisation and expropriation of sovereign Aboriginal lands to raining bombs on people implicated in US terror wars. Mercedes has extensively written and researched military supply chains as part of her work for Renegade Activists and her show on 3CR, A Friday Night Rave. 

On this episode of Women on the Line we listen to snippets from a panel discussion about the new research released by the Racial Profiling Data Monitoring Project. We hear from:Dr Tamar Hopkins, a Researcher on Racial ProfilingSabrina Adem, a Community organiserLauren Caufield, Advocacy coordinator at Beyond Survival, Flat OutBee Charika, Rising Red Lantern and VixenDr Tasnim Sammak, Palestinian activist and organiserThe panel was moderated by Idil Ali, a community organiser.The panel was held on Monday 1 December at the Institute for Postcolonial Studies in Narrm.  

On this episode of Women on the Line, we’re honoring the late disabled writer and activist, Alice Wong, who passed away on the 14 November 2025 at the age of 51. We’re listening to her presentation titled ‘The Last Disabled Oracle’ from 2020, where she speaks from the future of 2029. The presentation was delivered as part of Alex Kelly’s Assembly for the Future. You can listen to the full presentation on 3CR here. You can learn more about Alice's work via The Disability Visibility Project. 

On this episode of Women on the Line we speak with Sharvari, a theatre historian from India currently teaching at University of Chicago, about her first book project, Performances of Posterity: Theater, Archives and Cultural Regulation in Modern India. Sharvari talks to us about her research, the historical erasure of caste and gender in theatre, the impermanence of researching performance, the linguistic complexities of Indian theatre, and the changing nature of resistance and oppression through art.

This week, we turn to Western Sahara, often referred to as the last colony in Africa and one of the most overlooked frontlines of imperial power. In the wake of the UN Security Council’s 31 October resolution, which lends weight to Morocco’s autonomy plan and extends the MINURSO mandate (which has been extended annually since 1991), we examine what this means for Sahrawi self-determination. This moment is especially significant because 6 November 2025 marks 50 years of Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara, and five decades that Sahrawis have lived in exile in refugee camps in Southwest Algeria.Our guest today is Sahrawi human rights activist and teacher Najla Mohamed-Lamin, who focuses on women's rights and environmental issues. She established the Almasar Library Centre, which educated women and children living in Sahrawi refugee camps about climate change. She speaks about life under exile and why Sahrawi resistance endures despite displacement, resource plunder, and global indifference.

This week on the program we examine the distressing news that Queensland’s LNP State Government has doubled down on their ban on young people seeking access to gender affirming care.The ban on accessing puberty blockers and hormone treatment for new adolescent patients in the public health system was initially put in place in January this year, and on October 28 was immediately reinstated by the Queensland State Government after being overturned in a Supreme Court Challenge brought by the mother of a trans child.We speak with Brianna Hammond, President of QTrans, and Piper Valkyrie from Magandjin People's Pride to understand the context of the ban, its impact on young people trying to access gender affirming care and what the response has been so far from the trans and gender diverse community and their allies.You can donate to Project 491 to help facilitate access to care for the young people shut out of the Queensland Public Health system.You can also sign the petition to reinstate care for trans young people.If today's episode has been distressing for you or someone you care about you can reach out to QLife for support.

On this episode of Women on the Line we covering the latest update on Treaty in Victoria. We hear from Sue-Ann, Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman,  who is the Deputy Chair And Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. She delivered a speech at the Women’s Rights at Work Conference Held at Vic Trades Hall on Friday 5 September. Her speech covers how union members can play a vital role in supporting meaningful solidarity in their workplaces and communities for Treaty. She covers the key findings of the Commission’s report and steps towards Treaty in Victoria.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners are advised that the following program contains references to colonial violence. If you need to speak to someone about the issues covered in the show, you can contact:13 YARN on 13 92 76 - a dedicated 24/7 national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesYarning Safe'n'Strong on 1800 959 563 - a free and confidential 24-hour counselling service for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesOn this week’s episode we bring you audio from the ‘Cry for Truth and Justice’ rally that took place on Sunday 19th October in Djilang/Geelong on the lands of the Wadawurrung people. Organised by Be Tru, a group of First Nations Peoples and non-Indigenous members, this rally and march aimed to unite the community in declaring a firm NO to racism, and coincided with other anti-racism protests that took place across the state. Today we’re going to hear from Corrina Eccles, Julie Saylor-Briggs, Aunty Annie Nicholson, Aunty Wendy Brabham and Irith Williams.Thank you to Amy Ciara from 3CR's Kill Your Lawn and Kick Your Fence for the recordings.

We are dedicating this special episode to the Shuhada, the martyrs of Gaza. On 7 October 2025, the Palestinian community in Victoria gathered to mourn and honour those killed by Israel, and to speak truth against silence and erasure. We take you to that vigil, the commemoration in honour of Gaza and Palestine in Naarm/Melbourne.We hear from women who hold that grief and resistance in their voices. We hear from Camellia, Nour, and some of the names of Palestinian children martyred over the last two years. Featured song: Mawtini, performed by children in Gaza in 2015, available on YouTube.Image by @gabinthesun