Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In many ways Australia has taken great steps forward in the recognition of the role of women in our society and in progress towards equality between men and women. As early as 1894, women were able to vote and be elected to the parliament of South Australia. Federally, these rights were endorsed in 1902, but it was as late as 1926 before all states recognised the right of women to be elected to parliament.

A conflict of the size of World War I forced change to the traditional relationship of men and women and created an appreciation of the importance of women in our communities. This change reinforced the activism of women from the 1880s onwards. The Australian Women’s Suffrage Society was formed in 1889. During World War I, Norway and Denmark confirmed the right of women to vote. The United Kingdom, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, the Netherlands and Canada followed soon after, at the end of World War I. However, progress has been slow. ‘Equal pay for equal work’ was not recognised until 1969. Not until 1984 was the Sex Discrimination Act passed, outlawing discrimination on the basis of gender.

The Labor government endorses the principles of equality. The recently introduced parental leave provisions are just another example. The Hon. Kate Ellis MP recently introduced a range of measures to assist with the process of equality in our workforce. However, discussion of these measures is for another time and place. In 2006, 54.8 per cent of tertiary positions were offered to women. In 2008, 30 per cent of small businesses were operated by women and 57 per cent of Public Service positions and 36 per cent of senior positions were occupied by women, but only 12 per cent of senior private sector positions were and the percentage of women as board members was even lower. So there is still a way to go.

However, today I particularly wish to recognise the organisations and women who have been added to the Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women. The honour roll was created in 2005 not only to recognise the significant contribution of these women and organisations to Tasmania, Australia and even internationally but also so that these prominent women will be seen as role models by young women and encourage them and assure them that such achievements are attainable and, in fact, very desirable. In 2011, women’s organisations have been included for the very first time, to recognise the contributions that organisations have often made to the advancement of women’s issues. A further 24 women have been added. Sadly, six of these inductions are posthumously awarded. I would like to mention each of these esteemed figures but time will not allow me to fully acknowledge or give due justice to each of these inductees.

This year the Australian Women’s Land Army, Tasmanian division, 1942-45, and the Hobart Women’s Health Centre were the two organisations recognised. The AWLA—often called ‘Land Girls’—comprised young women who volunteered to work as rural labour to offset the labour shortages on farms. The AWLA recruits initially faced reluctance and scepticism from the farming community. However, after formal farm training, the women valiantly took on exhausting dawn-to-dusk work, eventually earning great respect from the farmers they assisted. The AWLA did not receive the same recognition as other women’s services. It was only in 1985 they were able to march in Anzac Day parades, and in 1995 these women became eligible for Civilian Service Medals.

The Hobart Women’s Health Centre has taken a holistic approach to women’s health and has been at the forefront of taking health issues out of surgeries and into the community. The centre acknowledges the impact of societal influences such as income, education, gender, sexual orientation and isolation on health outcomes for the individual. The centre has continuously lobbied for improved services and programs that meet women’s needs. Nutrition and body image programs, the Encore breast cancer program, support groups for endometriosis and lymphoedema sufferers, and programs for older women are examples of the centre’s work.

Of the 24 women inducted onto the honour roll, three have represented their communities at either state or federal level. Sadly, Sue Napier, who was inducted, passed away last year. Elected in 1992 using the slogan ‘The best man for the job is a woman’, her experience in education was an invaluable asset as she served in a range of portfolios. She became the first female Deputy Premier, Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Liberal Party in Tasmania. Sue Napier will be remembered as a woman of integrity who fought against discrimination and championed the cause of the disadvantaged.

Prior to her election to state parliament in 1993, Peg Putt was the Director of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust. As a politician, Peg spearheaded campaigns around Aboriginal rights, women’s rights and the need to preserve Tasmania’s natural heritage. From 1998 to 2002, Peg was the sole elected Tasmanian Greens representative in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. Peg’s contribution to the Tasmanian parliament was recognised by voters in the 2002 state election, when four Tasmanian Greens were elected, gaining the Tasmanian Greens official parliamentary party status.

In the late seventies, the former Labor senator for Tasmania Kay Denman became a volunteer member of the Mersey Leven Community Welfare Planning Group. The group had an extensive brief focusing on social welfare issues. This led to her involvement with the inaugural committee of Mersey Leven Family Day Care, and she fought for children with disabilities to be cared for in day care facilities. This voluntary work opened up Kay’s interest in social justice issues. Kay has also been a staunch advocate for those suffering from asbestos related diseases. Having grown up in Railton, she has seen firsthand the devastating effect these diseases have on our community.

Elizabeth Clark has had a long history of service to her community with the Girl Guides, the Rural Youth Organisation, the Cressy Progress and Improvement Association, the Cressy indoor bowling club, the Cressy amateur swimming club, the Howard Hill support group and the Cressy Anglican Women’s Fellowship. Elizabeth joined the Cressy branch of the CWA in 1982 and rose through the ranks to serve as state vice president from 2003 to 2006 and state president from 2006 to 2008.

Margaret Findlay received her award for architecture. She personally designed more than 60 residences to suit the requirements of employees of the Australian Newsprint Mills, or ANM, staff in New Norfolk. Margaret was the first woman in Tasmania to qualify as an associate of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and was the first registered female architect in Tasmania. In 1945, Margaret was appointed Instructor in Architectural Draughtsmanship at the University of Sydney, the only female instructor at the school.

In 1953 Johanna Coy was appointed as Tasmanian Nutrition Officer in the Department of Health Services, a position she held for 34 years. During this time Johanna was the only nutritionist in Tasmania. She published over 50 papers, working on them in her own time. Papers included ‘Dietary Survey of Tasmanian School Children’ in 1957, a great year, and ‘Food—Problems of Pollution’ in 1977.

In the early 1970s, Connie Curtain became involved in the Talire Special School, which her daughter, Margaret, had attended. She also became actively involved with the Retarded Citizens Welfare Association. In 1978, Connie was awarded the title of RCWA Tasmanian Woman of the Year. Connie accompanied southern Tasmanian teams to the Special Olympics intrastate, interstate and overseas. Unfortunately, she passed away in 1989.

There is a long list, so I will seek leave to incorporate the remainder of the list of women and their achievements in the Hansard. I want to reiterate that these women have helped shape our Tasmanian community, and I commend these women and organisations to the Senate, the Tasmanian community and Australia as a whole as wonderful role models. I seek leave to have the list of women and their achievements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The document read as follows—

Sue Blackburn is recognised internationally for her research and expertise in microalgae, microscopic plants that are critical to the health of marine and freshwaters.

Sue heads the Australian National Algae Culture Collection (ANACC) and leads related research on microalgal diversity, life cycles, ecophysiology, population dynamics, harmful algal blooms, culturing and bioapplications including biofuels and omega-3 oils at CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research (CMAR) in Hobart.

Susan also participated in the Women in Science in Secondary Schools initiative to encourage girls to participate in science.

In 1999 Amabel Fulton with her husband David started a successful consultancy company Rural Development Services (RDS). RDS provides research, development and education services to the agriculture and seafood industries. In recognition of her work, Amabel was awarded the Telstra Tasmanian Business Women’s Award in the innovation category in 2008 and was the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women’s Award runner-up in 2008.

Elizabeth Fulton is the developer of Atlantis, an ecosystem model which in 2007 was rated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture organisation as the best of its kind in the world. Her modelling framework is the first in the world that gives equal attention to the biophysical and human components of the system.

Helen Gee was a founding member of the Wilderness Society and the Convener of the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee. Helen has been a campaign officer for the Tasmanian National Parks Association, a Convener of the South East Forest Protection Group, a Councillor with the Australian Conservation Foundation, and member of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Consultative Committee.

Auntie Dulcie Green is an elder of the Tasmanian Aboriginal community and the knowledge and skills of shell stringing has been passed down through generations of her family. Her work has been exhibited widely including an international exhibition developed between the National Museum of Australia, Stories from Australia, and the Guangzhou Museum of Art in China in 2002.

Karen Hall is a passionate and inspiring woman who has displayed courage and determination in assisting a range of community groups in North-East Tasmania.

She has been a lobbyist and promoter for many means—the Women’s Timber Support Group, Forest Industries Trauma Support Group, Tasmanian Forestry Week and is a Board Member of Tasmanian Forest Contractors Association and is a founding and current active member of the North-East Tasmanian Branch of Timber Communities Australia.

Eileen JohnstoneThroughout her life she continued to develop her professional learning and her musical knowledge in all its form was extraordinary. Eileen was acknowledged by the Australian Music Examination Board as one of its senior examiners.

Mary Knowles moved to Rossarden to escape serious domestic violence. She was actively involved with Volunteer Ambulance Service and became State President of that organisation.

Mary was an Executive Member of the Distance Education Parent Association for 13 years with five years as State President.

A member of the Cancer Screening Consumer Reference Group for seven years and has been involved with Greater Esk Tourism as President and currently as Secretary.

Mary Lodder 1853-1911. Her obituary in the Examiner “A member of many learned societies, and known to almost every shell collector in Australia, as well as in many foreign countries, her scientific attainments would have made many a smaller character more widely known. But so quietly was her work done that … few grasped the scientific possibilities she possessed.”

Jessie Luckman was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1997 for her services to the community and to music as a performer and broadcaster.

As a foundation member of the Tasmanian Conservation Trust she has been an active conservationist concerned with many Tasmanian issues.

Margaret Mack was a founding member of the Tasmanian Branch of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, a committee member from 1952-1981, President in 1978-79, the Australian delegate to the World Council of Physical Therapy from 1959-1967, and Vice President in 1967.

Margaret was a Board member of the newly opened St Giles Home for Crippled Children for 35 years.

She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 1984 and a Governor’s Commendation in 1992 for her long devoted service to children with disabilities.

Throughout her career, Bea Maddocks experimented with sculpture, photography and drawing, but is best known as one of Australia’s finest printmakers exploring the natural environment, Aboriginal Australia and Australian history.

In 1985, Austra Maddox was the first female elected as Branch Secretary of the Administrative and Clerical Officers’ Association. She continued to be re-elected as the union grew through various amalgamations into the Community and Public Sector Union.

She became the first female President of the Tasmanian Trades and Labor Council in 1993, and continues her union involvement as a Life Member of the Community and Public Sector Union. She is also a member of the Unions Tasmania Women’s Committee and the Union Choir.

Patricia Ratcliff has been a passionate protector of heritage buildings and an historian. In the Furneaux group she was instrumental in the re-construction of Wybalenna Chapel. Patricia was a founding member and inaugural Secretary of the Launceston Historical Society. She also introduced the John West Memorial Lecture in conjunction with The Examiner newspaper at this time.

Patricia was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2004 for service to the preservation of heritage buildings and to the recording of historical events in Tasmania.

Kim Schneiders began developing arts programs for students with disabilities at St George’s Special School, for which she won a National Excellence in Teaching Award.

She established Interweave as a not-for-profit community arts organisation with a strong educational and community focus. Interweave has provided a vehicle for numerous arts projects and events in the Launceston area.

In 2008, as part of the Community Achievement Awards, Kim won the Qew Orchards Outstanding Achiever Award.

Joan Webb’s life has covered many areas, teaching, developing adult education programs, involvement with tourist and hospitality industry in the Tamar valley, a writer of books and poetry and member of the West Tamar Council.

At age 84 she completed a Graduate Certificate in Education and is currently completing her Masters degree.

Susan Wijffels has made fundamental advances to the measurement and understanding of the role of the ocean in climate change and the climate of Australia.

Susan is internationally recognised as an expert on the Indonesian Throughflow, ocean warming and freshwater changes and transport, and our regional boundary currents. As a research leader at CSIRO, Susan was the CSIRO coordinator for the Quantitative Marine Science Joint PhD Program with the University of Tasmania.

I commend all of these women and organisations to the Senate.