Dee Margetts

Overview

Diane “Dee” Margetts born Fremantle, Australia March 5, 1955. Australian politician; anti-nuclear activist. Advocate for aboriginal rights. Coordinator for People for Nuclear Disarmament, 1988-91; Green Party Senator, 1993-99. Opposed US bases. Opposed Iraq and Afghan wars, partly because of civilian deaths.

Quotations

“Don't be fooled by the 'war on terrorism'. . . This is an attack on people of different cultures, who believe in community and are against 'casino' capitalism.” (Green Left Weekly, March 13, 2002)

“The Greens stand on four basic principles: peace and disarmament, environmental sustainability, social justice and participating in democracy.” (speech & photo West Australian Parliament, May 23, 2001)

Muriel Matters

Overview

Muriel Matters born Bowden, Adelaide, Australia November 12, 1877 (d. 1969). British militant suffragist; international speaker; actress and Montessori teacher. Organized English suffrage caravan, 1908. Imprisoned one month for chaining herself to ladies’ grille in parliament, 1908. Distributed pamphlet “Votes for Women” via balloon, 1909. Spoke against WWI with her speech “The False Mysticism of War”, 1915.

Quotations

“Love of humanity at large does not involve a denial of love to those nearest to us. Love international does not involve a denial of patriotism but really secures it. Some of us are convinced that humanity is above nationality.”

“Thus love is the liberator, war the enslaver.” (June 30, 1915; photo Muriel Matters Society)

Anita McKone

Overview

Anita McKone born Canberra, Australia August 10, 1969. Australian nonviolent activist; poet, songwriter and writer; arrested 7 times; imprisoned four, during which she fasted, one time four weeks.

Quotations

“Nonviolence is. . . Having the courage to stand steadfastly and ongoingly for the truth of your own existence when others try to terrorize you into believing that you do not exist.”

“They are asking us to kill civilians
They’re telling us the lie that there is someone else to fear
They’re asking us to hate those who’ve never done us harm
Build the wall up. The wall up and never let them near.
If you’re asking me to sacrifice myself
If you’re asking me to sacrifice the truth
If you’re asking me to sacrifice those others just like me
You don’t deserve obedience even if you imprison me.”

(“Stand Against War”; photo anitamckone.wordpress.com)

Jean Melzer

Overview

Jean Melzer (née McLeod) born Elsternwick, South Australia February 7, 1926 (d. 2013) Australian politician; peace activist. Labor Party Senator, 1974-81. Led fight against uranium; candidate for Nuclear Disarmament Party (NDP), 1984; founded Nuclear Free Australia Party, 1985. Active in United Nations Association, WILPF, Save Our Sons against conscription. Supported Palestinian and aboriginal rights; opposed Vietnam War.

Quotations

“Don’t let Australia become the quarry and waste dump of the world.” (nuclearnewsaustralia, June 13, 2013; photo nla.gov.au)

Emma Miller

Overview

Emma Miller born Chesterfield, England June 26, 1839 (d. 1917). Australian peace activist; suffragist; labor reformer. As President of Queensland Women's Peace Army, opposed conscription in World War I.

Quotations

On war: "Those who make the quarrel should be the only ones to fight."

"[T]hen conscience was satisfied, unpopularity should not matter—respectability meant acting in humanity's interest." (National Library of Australia; photo Wikipedia)

Eleanor May Moore

Overview

Eleanor May Moore born Victoria, Australia March 10, 1875 (d. 1949). Pacifist; WILPF leader. Founding member and international secretary of Sisterhood of International Peace, 1915; author of The Quest for Peace, 1949. Opposed WWI conscription and the atomic bomb.

Quotations

On sisterhood: "[B]y every means in their power to bring the humanising influence of women to bear on the abolition of war, and the substitution of international justice and arbitration for irrational methods of violence." (Australian Women's Register, WILPF; 1927 photo Australia.gov)