"We all need to do better": Women March 4 Justice across the Mid North Coast

Brittany Higgins, the former Liberal staffer who alleges she was raped by a senior colleague, delivered a moving address to a sea of protesters outside Parliament House.

"We fundamentally recognise the system is broken, the glass ceiling is still in place, and there are significant failings in the power structures within our institutions," Ms Higgins said.

"We are here because it is unfathomable that we are still having to fight this same stale, tired fight."

Read more: Brittany Higgins addresses women's rally

Ms Higgins said "we all need to do better" and time for leaders on both sides of politics to address the problem.

"I am cognisant of all the women who continue to live in silence. The women who are faceless," she said.

"The women who don't have the mobility, the confidence or the financial means to share their truth.

Read more: Grace Tame lauds Brittany Higgins' courage

"Those who don't see their images and stories reflected in the media, those who are sadly no longer with us.

"Those who have lost their sense of self-worth and are unable to break the silence, all of which is rooted in the shame and stigma of sexual assault.

"One out of every five women in Australia will be sexually assaulted or raped in their lifetime, and if you are a woman of colour, those statistics are even higher."

More than 200 plus participants gathered in Taree's Fotheringham Park before marching and chanting along Victoria Street to Federal MP, Dr David Gillespie's office.

And they came from "everywhere" - Port Macquarie, Laurieton, Forster, Bungwahl, Bobin, Elands, Wingham and Bulahdelah.

Anna Davidson was one of those people.

Anna travelled from Port Macquarie to add her voice to the call for action because she's "had enough".

Anna was among those concerned by Attorney General Christian Porter's actions in "demolishing the Family Court" and joined the call to investigate if "he is a fit and proper person" to hold his position.

Ariel Johnson addressed the gathering about the inadequacies of Family Law, "the most secretive, awful law... an adversorial system in which the child has no voice."

She spoke about the suppression orders which resulted in blocking media reporting and scrutiny, saying "sunlight is the best disinfectant."

"Until we get rid of all the 'big swinging dicks' across parliament, women and children will not be safe and that safety should be enshrined in law," Leonie McGuire told the crowd.

Leonie, now living in Port Macquarie, was involved in the establishment of the Taree women's refuge, Lynn's Place and in 2018 was awarded the Edna Ryan award for her protecting women and children from domestic violence.

The Taree March 4 Justice joined the call for four actions:

The call for a federal ICAC was met with applause.

Linda Gill and fellow organiser of the Taree march, Helen Kvelde, were more than happy with the turnout.

About 100 people attended the rally in Maam Gaduying Meeting Place Park at Bellingen on Sunday, while 30 women (and two men) came to a symbolic Burial of the Patriarchy near Lavenders Bridge on Monday morning.

Lily Isobella, whose life's work is about empowering young women to resist violence against them, compered the rally and read a powerful poem 'Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou: You may shoot me with your words,You may cut me with your eyes,You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I'll rise.

Lily noted that 16 women had already died violently this year in Australia. Then she read out their names.

Jennie Fenton, another rally organiser, spoke about intersectionality and the compounding effect of facing multiple forms of disadvantage and discrimination at once. For example, the statistics show that young women with a disability are much more likely to be sexually assaulted than to get a job.

A clear call from the rally was for men to step up and take an active part in ending violence against women by actively promoting and living equitable, respectful relationships and challenging the toxic attitudes of other men.

Women also gathered at the Bellinger River wearing black for a mock funeral for the patriarchy.

"Even if it's not dead yet, we're happy to bury it alive," organiser Mary-Anne Kate said.

A group of friends came up with the idea as a way of marking the nationwide protest.

As well as dressing in black, some of the women wore ties which were symbolically thrown in a bin.

People stepped forward to denounce an aspect of patriarchy that they wanted to 'bury', before taking turns to throw dirt on its grave, calling for an end to oppression, misogyny, objectification, commodification, domination, wage inequality, the fear of being attacked, the use of mental health diagnoses as a weapon against women and psychiatry that medicates women and tells them they are disordered.

Cath Cooper, another of the event organisers, called for women to harness their collective power by coming together and speaking about their pain.

Women tossed flowers into the rushing waters of the Bellinger River to remember the women who have been killed by domestic violence.

The March 4 Justice events were a precursor to an upcoming interactive public art installation Her Stories 4 Justice, where the women of Bellingen can share their stories of injustice and hopes for the future.

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