Reading from her witness statement, Kaechele pointed out that it was only in 1965 that Australian women won the right to drink in a public bar, and before that, they were required to sit in a small area – the so-called ladies lounge – where they would often be charged more for their drinks.

The Ladies Lounge at Mona was inspired by this and many other historical inequities, as well as her own “lived experience” as a woman, Kaechele said, citing a recent visit to a pub on Flinders Island where some men said to her that perhaps she’d be more comfortable in the Ladies Lounge.

“[It] presented the opportunity to make a space for the gathering of women, and when I say women, what I mean is anyone who identifies as a woman,” Kaechele said.

When deputy president Grueber acknowledged that he was struggling to understand the “opportunity” being presented by the Ladies Lounge, Kaechele replied: “The opportunity to gather in peace as women without men, the opportunity to relish the exclusion of men. It’s only because we don’t hold power that we can do this … which gives the work its humour. If not, it would be cruel.”

When Grueber further asked her to explain how the artwork addressed imbalances, Kaechele responded: “Because it excludes men. I have taken something that was used to keep women down and I have repurposed it into a triumphant space for women that excludes men. It addresses historic inequalities. Is that not specific enough?”

Kaechele concluded her statement by reading feminist artist collective the Guerrilla Girls’ 1988 satirical poem The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist.

In summing up his views, Lau argued that Mona had not clearly articulated how the Ladies Lounge aimed to promote equal opportunity for women, and indeed that by excluding men it was simply “re-implementing” negative structures in society.

“Section 26 was designed to permit positive discrimination and not negative discrimination,” he said. “This exhibit is clearly designed to reject all men … I would argue that it’s not in the spirit of section 26”.

At stake is the Ladies Lounge’s existence. If the tribunal upholds Lau’s complaint, the lounge may be closed. Lau had been seeking relief to his complaint through either the removal of the exhibit, or by men being allowed to enter the Ladies Lounge.

But at yesterday’s hearing, Lau said he was prepared to accept an alternative form of relief: that two different sets of tickets be issued to visitors –a lower-cost one for men, who would not be able to access the Ladies Lounge, and a second set, for women, who would. Mona’s counsel, Catherine Scott, made it clear that this option would not be considered.

Grueber has reserved his decision and will hand it down at a date yet to be determined.