Brett Whiteley (Braddon, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending the Tasmanian Women in Agriculture's Women on Farms Gathering in the beautiful far north-west coast town of Smithton, in my electorate of Braddon. This event marked a milestone of particular importance, as those present celebrated the organisation's 20th anniversary. Since that first meeting in 1994, Tasmanian Women in Agriculture has gone from strength to strength. It plays a vital role, highlighting the important contribution all rural and regional women make not only to their farms and families but to the general wellbeing of our rural communities. Every two years the Women on Farms Gathering is held different regions of the state. The women come together to learn new skills, network and share their ideas.

Women are often the silent partners—that is correct, Mr Deputy Speaker, the silent partners. They accept little recognition for the tasks they perform. But ask a rural woman what they did today. They are: the chef, the taxi, the accountant, the vet, the HR manager, the nurse, the shepherd, the mother and the wife, and for many they completed all of this work after working all day off-farm to supplement their income. They really are the unsung heroes of many farming communities.

I was delighted to learn that since inception, the Tasmanian Women in Agriculture are participating far more on high-level boards and committees and their numbers across the leadership of our communities have increased. I would like to congratulate Angela Saunders, state President, as well as Susan Wigg, Gathering Committee Chair on a successful Women on Farms Gathering.