Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was really proud and privileged to be asked to launch this book, When Women Meet, written by two extraordinary women, Diane McDonald and Judith Graley. It's a book about the history of the Southern Women's Action Network. As it says on the back, 'The book records the journey of a community based, volunteer-led women's organisation established on the Mornington Peninsula in 1996 and still going strong today.' SWAN, as they're known, was created to provide a forum to increase women's active involvement in community decision-making and to empower them to take action to address social justice and equity concerns. This book recounts their journey and the journeys of the extraordinary women who have spoken at their events and been involved in the organisation over the last 27 years. As Judith said when we launched the book, it is, in this day and age, no mean feat that a volunteer led organisation that's been going for 27 years is still operating. SWAN has committed itself to campaign for the Voice this year and to be part of this historic opportunity in our walk towards reconciliation. I congratulate the women involved in SWAN for that commitment and for everything they have done, everything they will do and this excellent book.