Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the minute or so we have left I would like to put on the record the fantastic event that is occurring tonight in the Great Hall: the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation's Rural Woman of the Year. It is a fantastic event that recognises women in our rural communities who have the capacity and resources to become change agents for our rural communities and act as role models for women in rural areas. I congratulate Giovanna Webb from the Northern Territory, Rural Woman of the Year last year, and I cannot miss the opportunity to mention Mary Retallack, who was the 2012 winner of this award. She comes from my home state of South Australia.

I would like to put on the record the best wishes from the coalition for all of the women who are up for awards tonight. Each and every one of them, from every state of Australia, would be an extraordinarily worthy winner in this particular award, but obviously only one of them can win. I also thank all of the women who have been recipients of this award for the extraordinary contribution they make to rural and regional Australia and the extraordinary contribution they make to women in rural areas, acting as role models in this very important area.

As we all know, in our rural and regional communities, often the women are the backbone. It is fantastic to see young women, particularly, moving to the fore of this area.