Simply Sara

When I first got involved in activism, I really believed that if enough of us stood together and made big demands, the government would have to listen. It felt so simple, if lots of people ask for something fair and important, how could they ignore us?

One of the biggest things I’ve realised is that real change takes time, sometimes years and years. And it usually doesn’t come from one big action. It comes from lots of people, in lots of places, working together, step by step. I used to think small wins weren’t enough, but now I see how powerful they really are. Small goals we can actually achieve help us move forward and build something bigger over time.

I’ve also learned that we’re not the only ones asking things from the government. For every demand we make, there’s someone else pushing for the opposite. And that made me start wondering, how do they actually decide? Is it about what’s best for the country? Or just what works for them politically? It’s not always clear, and that can be frustrating.

In one session I went to, someone said that 90% of what we do isn’t actually impactful, only about 10% of our actions actually lead to real change. That really stuck with me. Sometimes, when we protest in front of MPs offices, it’s not that politicians don’t know what we want, it’s that what we’re asking for doesn’t align with their priorities, so they simply ignore it.

And other times, we ask certain parties to shift their position on international issues, even though we know they already agree with us privately. But they can’t break from the party’s official stance, so they say they “can’t” do anything. Or they tell us they’re “working behind the scenes.”

And in my view, a lot of what we do just helps the government look good. They allow us to keep protesting for years, and they even provide security to protect us, so we feel like we have freedom of speech and the right to protest. But at the same time, they’re not really moving on the issues we care about.

But that doesn’t mean nothing works. For a while, I started to feel like meeting with MPs and senators, especially the ones from parties that completely oppose our demands, was pointless. We kept going back year after year, raising the same issues, and it felt like nothing was changing.

But over time, I realised there’s still value in those conversations. Someone once told me that just going to MPs and senators to explain the issue, to make the cause clearer and more human, can actually help. Even if they don’t agree right away, they might at least stop making unhelpful or harmful comments. And that, in itself, is something.

At the same time, I’ve also come to see that not all activism is purely about the cause. Sometimes there are hidden agendas, political interests, funding goals, or efforts to mobilise people for reasons beyond the immediate campaign. That doesn’t mean the organisation or group doesn’t care about the issue, but it’s important to be aware that activism can be layered and complex.

I’ve also learned that some demands just aren’t realistic. For example, it’s not reasonable to expect the Australian government to stop a war between two other countries. They won’t, because they tend to follow the lead of their international allies. But that doesn’t mean we have no power. What is possible is asking Australia to stop arming countries that violate international law. Or targeting biased media platforms and pushing them to cover issues more fairly and truthfully. This kind of pressure, when it’s organised and consistent, can make a difference.

And when it comes to global conflicts, I understand why some people say, “It’s not our business.” That mindset might not be moral, but it’s common. So as activists, we need to meet people where they are and help them see the bigger picture. We have to connect the dots, because supporting injustice abroad does affect life here. It can increase racism, undermine the values we claim to stand for, and even take money from our taxes money that could be used to improve our own lives and communities.

When people start to see how these issues connect to their own reality, they’re more likely to listen, and maybe even take action. Because to be honest, sometimes it feels like we’re just talking to ourselves, activists speaking only to other activists. Reaching people who aren’t already involved politically engaged is one of the biggest challenges we face. And that’s a whole other story: how we can encourage everyday people, not just activists, to care and act. I’ll write more about that in another blog.

These lessons weren’t easy to learn, and I’m still learning. Even though many of them seem so logical, it’s different when you experience them for yourself. Sometimes it feels like we’re just talking to ourselves, and nothing is changing. But what I’ve come to understand is that change is still possible, even if it takes time and doesn’t always look the way we expected.

The answer, again and again, comes back to small wins, collaboration, strategic thinking and trying new, creative approaches.

Regards

– Sara A