The day that Victoria separated from New South Wales was the day that Melburnians had the mother of all parties. They oiled a pig. Really.
The war memorial
The world’s biggest (and greatest, I think) war memorial is located in Western Victoria. It is 243 kilometres long and spans from Torquay to the City of Warrnambool.
The 1985 Victorian Election
Judge Starke when deciding if using a sorting hat was a fair way of deciding an election said that the hat itself wasn’t an issue.
The best mistake
The Parliament of Victoria accidentally gave (some) women the right to vote in elections for the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1863.
The Melbourne riots
On 31 October 1923 Melbourne was rocked by riots and looting lasting 3 days. Trams were overturned, three people died, 78 stores looted, and a third of Victoria’s police was discharged.
The gruesome display
Sure we like Melbourne’s Christmas Myer Windows, but at least once people flocked to see a dead body in a shop window on Little Bourke Street.
The ASIO mistake
On 30 November 1983, Australia's CIA, the ASIS, held a terrorism and hostage training session at the Melbourne Sheraton Hotel, the problem was that they didn't tell the hotel they would be walking in armed to the teeth and wearing masks.
The Picasso Ransom Prize Price
34 years ago, Picasso’s “Weeping Woman” was stolen from the National Gallery of Victoria by (self proclaimed) Australian Cultural Terrorists and held for ransom in exchange for more arts funding- at the time it was the most valuable painting bought by an Australian gallery.
Inquiry into domestic and family violence
The Commonwealth Parliament recently launched- yet another- inquiry into family, domestic and sexual violence. The second one this year and yet another inquiry into the issue, one of many in the last five years.
Home is the foundation of our lives
Recently the Parliament of Australia called for submissions from the public and civil society about how to alleviate homelessness in Australia.
Solidarity in decarceration
Recently I had the great pleasure to be invited to host a conversation on decarceration: the process from removing people from prisons and prison like settings like forensic hospitals, immigration prisons, and other institutions that deprive liberty.
Queerstories: The Ilopango a love story
In 1891 the Ilopango Volcano rained catastrophe on the People of Cuzcatlan and forced one woman I will never meet to set off a series of events that created me.
People with disability and the criminal legal system
Recently, the Royal Commission released an issues paper asking for expert commentary on people with disability and the criminal legal system. You can have a read of the submission I wrote here.
COVID-19 And Prisons
I wrote a thing, in partnership with other folks who are a lot smarter than I can ever be. It’s about COVID-19 and prisons and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander folks.
The crossdressing horse thief
Every single Australian has owned at least one portrait of our most famous and cross-dressing/ gender-bending, horse thieving, criminal, tycoon, banker, magnate. You might have several right now.