Newcastle’s most fiercely competitive sporting event, Feminist Trivia 2024, was won by the Steel City Slags for the third year in a row at Carrington Bowling Club on Saturday night (13 July 2024).
The annual Hunter Workers Women’s Committee fundraiser, the largest fundraising event for the committee of the year, saw 10 teams battle it out to take home the shield. Facing tough questions by Quizmaster Lisa Ronneberg, about all-things feminist, from stating the current gender-pay gap (12%) to correctly identifying the official godmother of punk (Patti Smith), the teams battled it out over four gruelling rounds.
The Slags narrowly defeated The Mad Bitches, and in third, fourth and fifth places, respectively, were: Hunter Workers Wonder Women, Suffragette Kitties and the Patriarchy Smashers. Their joint efforts raised more than $2500.
The trivia tournament launched a collection drive for local domestic and family violence services.
Until August 16, goods such as toiletries and gift cards (Coles, Woolworths, Kmart) can be donated at Hunter Workers, ground floor 406-408 King Street, Newcastle West (entrance via Devonshire Lane) between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. The goods will be delivered to women’s refuges across the Hunter Valley.
Hunter Workers Women’s Committee Chairperson Teresa Hetherington said women fleeing family and domestic violence often left with only the clothes on their backs.
“Women’s refuges provide an immediate response,” Ms Hetherington said.
“Women escaping domestic violence are starting from scratch and they need all those essentials like toothpaste, shampoo, and sanitary products.
“The rates of domestic violence in the Hunter Valley have increased over the past four years. Domestic violence services are struggling and underfunded. They are relying on the community for support.”
The Women’s Committee serves to empower, educate, strengthen, and support women’s voices in the union movement and the broader community. The committee members draw from Hunter Valley unions, Hunter Peace Group, and Newcastle City Council.
