News 
See also:
  • our events page for news of events we have hosted
  • our advocacy page for news of meetings with MPs and other decision makers 
  • our resources page for key documents explaining the Congress principles and purpose, and a resource kit for members​
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And for some inspiration on the importance of bringing women together, watch a video clip of First Nations leader Dr Mary Graham speaking about the need to rebalance our western institutions to allow full collaboration of women.
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National Congress of Women — latest news

Upcoming event:
Renewal: How can women's voices save the planet for ourselves and future generations 
This 2-day event will be held in person in Canberra,  11–12 September 2022
There is also an online option.  
 See the National Congress of Women website for further details

Previous events: 
The WCC has already held 2 exciting 1-day online National Congress events: 
Day One was held online on 30 November 2021 with the theme of 'Women Rising'.
See participant comments, recordings and reports from the day here.
Watch The Singing Hill video (from the opening session of Day One)

Day Two was held online on 28 April 2022 with the theme 'Weaving'. 
See participant comments, recordings and reports from the day here

WCC Women's Charter for Change
Have your say here: WCC Charter for Change

Pre-congress conversations  
See also the Weaving the Threads Together project of women's conversation circles, which is gathering 'woman thought' from around the country to increase the voices contributing to the National Congress of Women.
e-Updates
Read our e-Updates for news of the WCC journey and activities.

LATEST 
#23 July 2022 

2022
#22 June 2022
#21 May 2022
#20 April 2022 
#19 March 2022
#18 February 2022
#17 January 2022

2021
#16 December 2021
#15 October–November 2021
#14 September 2021
#13 August 2021
#12 July 2021
#11: June 2021 
#10: May2021  
#9: April 2021  
#8: March2021
#7: February 2021 

2020
#6: 25 November 2020
#5: 16 October 2020
#4: 2 September 2020
#3: 11 June 2020
​#2:  6 April 2020
#1:  20 March 2020

Thanks to our e-Update production team – Lyn Stephens and Lynne Audsley. To be on our mailing list to receive updates and other information, join us via the form on our homepage.
Media

NEW!   11 August 2022: Conversation with Kath Kovac for her show 'The Women's Room' on Yass Radio 100.3 FM  
Listen here 
Janet and Kath talk woman to woman about their work as science communicators, women's circles, the formation of the Women's Climate Congress and what it is about, women's leadership for climate action and the forthcoming National Congress of Women (and more besides!)

NEW!   11 August 2022: Article in Canberra Weekly 
Women’s Climate Congress aims to change public discourse
In an interview with Abbey Halter, WCC Founder, Janet Salisbury talks about her motivation to start the Women's Climate Congress, our principles and what we are aiming to achieve, and the upcoming National Congress of Women. 

NEW!   6 August 2022: Opinion piece in Canberra Times by WCC founder Janet Salisbury
It's time to shift the course from climate disasters to climate security
Women's voices were in abundant supply in the first two sitting weeks of the 47th Parliament. From the first speeches of newly elected MPs to the ground-breaking climate target bill negotiations, it was exciting and moving to hear a succession of diverse women's perspectives coming into that notoriously masculine place.  Janet writes about the significance of this fledgling new culture in relation to action on climate change, the emergence of women's voices in movements like the WCC, the forthcoming National Congress of Women event in Canberra and the WCC 'Charter for Change'.

MEDIA RELEASE, 28 July 2022 — announcing the National Congress of Women, 11-12 September, Canberra (and online) 

WOMEN LEADING THE CALL FOR COLLABORATIVE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE [link to downloadable PDF file] 

Canberra to host historic women-led event on climate action this September
Women across Australia are being called to Canberra for a two-day gathering on 11–12 September 2022, to take part in the National Congress of Women and bring their voice to a Women’s Charter for Change for climate action. Online participation is also welcome.

Hosted by the Women’s Climate Congress – a non-partisan, women-led group formed out of the Black Summer bushfires – the event will weave together two years of work and ongoing conversations with women across the country to call for a new approach to leadership on climate change that is collaborative, inclusive and sustainable.
“It is only by working together across diverse interests that we can have hope of surviving the challenges we face,” says Dr Janet Salisbury, founder of the Women’s Climate Congress.
“We urgently need to move beyond the adversarial party politics of recent decades and work collaboratively to stabilise the climate, for the sake of our young people and future generations.”

Some of Australia’s leading thinkers on climate change and women from across the political spectrum will be speaking at the National Congress of Women, including First Nations and Pacific women, current and former women MPs and senators, women in the business community and women artists.
Guest speakers include Sam Mostyn AO (President, Chief Executive Women), Sharon Claydon MP (Federal Member for Newcastle), Bridget Archer MP (Federal Member for Bass), Zali Steggall OAM MP (Federal Member for Warringah), Dr Valerie Cooms (Chair, Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation), Margaret Reynolds (former senator and minister for the status of women), Jo Vallentine (former senator), Dr Sharman Stone (former federal MP, minister and ambassador for women and girls) and Charlie Wood (climate activist, former campaigns director, 350.org Australia).
Designed as a participatory event, sessions will explore the aspirations and vision of women in response to climate change, the potential for collaboration on developing a national climate policy, and the transformation needed across government, business and the wider community to respond to the current climate emergency, and ensure the long-term safety and wellbeing of humans, biodiversity and the environment upon which we depend.
“The results of the recent federal election show what’s possible when women take the lead on climate action. We have more women in power than ever before, which is an incredibly positive step forward,” Dr Salisbury said.
“Women have been largely absent from the negotiating table for too long. We need true diversity in decision making to break the deadlock and find new ways of moving forward.
“Time is running out. This is why we’re calling on women to join us, to help drive the change we need and support our leaders to pull together on climate action.
“We urge the government to listen across difference, work for consensus based on scientific advice and develop a national action plan on climate change we can all support.”
For further information on program details and guest speakers, visit nationalcongressofwomen.com.
Standard tickets cost $295 to attend the event in Canberra or $90 to participate online. Other fee options are available for those with different economic needs.  
 
About Women’s Climate Congress
Women’s Climate Congress was founded in Canberra in the wake of the Black Summer bushfires in 2019-2020. Women came together in grief from the devastation caused by the fires and believing that we can work together across political differences to pivot the maelstrom before things get even worse. It has since grown to a national organisation with members in most federal electorates, working towards a shared vision to restore climate balance by 2030. Visit womensclimatecongress.com.
Contact: 
Dr Janet Salisbury,
Founder, Women’s Climate Congress 
+61 416 167 280
janet.salisbury@iinet.net.au





Media release, 25 May 2022
Women welcome the prospect of doing politics better
The Women's Climate Congress has welcomed the longed-for prospect of Australia having more women active across the parliament with increased agency to end the divisive ‘climate wars’. 
“We are ready to work with the government as a nonpartisan voice to implement our proposal for a multistakeholder participatory process to develop a national plan that we can all get behind for action to transition from fossil fuels. We have an urgent and enormous challenge facing us, and we must come together to meet it” concluded Dr Salisbury.
Read the full release and pass our message on to media ion your area and share on social media.  

Women's Agenda article, 10 March 2022
Australia needs a national action plan on climate change with more women at the table
"A profound cultural shift is needed to break the political deadlock on climate action – to turn the tide of political culture from polarised discord to constructive collaboration." In the wake of the floods that devastated QLD and NSW in March 2022, WCC founder, Janet Salisbury, wrote for Women's Agenda about the need for a bold new national action plan on climate change – a plan driven by participatory mediation, collaborative nonpartisan dialogue, and women's leadership. Read the full article at the link above.
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Media release, 21 September 2021
​Independent women's organisation wants more Australian women at climate talks and urges stronger emissions pledge

Our Women's Climate Conversations 2021 online series is making the news!
Listen to these podcasts from Canberra Radio 3CR made by Congress member Rebecca Horridge.  Further details about the conversations and speakers are on the webpage: Women's Climate Conversations.

Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture Engage newsletter, July 2021 
See our 'Women Rising' article on page 13
See also page 12 for an article and lovely picture from our artistic collaborators, Earthbound, from their performance in June of 'Invocvation'.

Media release, 22 June 2021
Sorrow over Great Barrier Reef UNESCO announcement

Media release, 21 June 2021
Joyce urged to listen to the National's natural constituency and embrace climate targets
Media release, 19 April 2021
Women’s Climate Congress founder celebrated as a finalist in leadership awards
Janet Salisbury was a finalist in the 2021 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards in the category  of Emerging Leader in Climate Action. The Awards dinner and announcement of winners was on Thursday 29 April at the Swissotel Sydney.  From 900 nominations there were 34 finalists across 9 categories. Congratulations to Joanne Dodds, President of Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action, for winning the climate action category  
​Listen to Janet's radio interview with Canberra local radio 2CC on 25 April 2021.
Read Sarah Stitt's report of the awards dinner 
​Photo: Jenny Robinson, Janet Salisbury, Sarah Stitt in Sydney for the Women's Agenda Awards dinner. 



Capital Radio interview, 25 April 2021
On Sunday 25th April 2021 Janet was interviewed by Ian Meikle and Rod Henshaw for Capital Radio in Canberra.
This was as a result of our media release about the Women’s Agenda awards but the coincidence with Anzac Day provided a coincidental extra dimension and opportunity for Janet to speak about the how the Women's Climate Congress was inspired by the International Congress of Women held in The Hague in April 1915, and which was then only peace congress of WW1.   
Listen to a recording of the interview here

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Radio 2XX (Canberra) interview and podcast conversation, July 2020
In response to our media release (9 July 2020), Janet was interviewed by Sophie Singh at Radio 2XX (Canberra) for the program SubjectACT (30 min). The interview describes what the Women's Climate Congress is, what we are trying to do and the principles driving us. Some of it is focused around the meeting we had with Neville Power, Chair of the National Covid Coordination Commission in June 2020.

You can listen to a podcast of the program here.

Please share the podcast link widely and encourage your friends and colleagues to listen.  We would love to hear what resonates with you, what you are less sure of, and any thoughts you have for the development of the Congress. Send your ideas to our contact email address. 

Media release, 9 July 2020
New national climate group calls for more women on National COVID Coordination Commission
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CALLING ALL WOMEN ...
National Congress of Women 
www.nationalcongressofwomen.com
Upcoming: 
Renewal, 11-12 September 2022 (Canberra) — registrations open 

Previous:
Weaving, 28 April 2022 (online) 
Women Rising, 30 November 2021 (online)

​WCC Women's Charter for Change 
Have your day on our Charter here 

​Women's Climate Congress Ltd is a company limited by guarantee