Magda Szubanski, Gail Kelly And Gillian Triggs are among the winners of this year’s Awards For Excellence In Women’s Leadership and what amazing women they are indeed.
The awards recognise women who help the advancement of gender equality as well as improved the likelihood of other women within their field of endeavour to benefit from greater access to leadership opportunities.
Gail Kelly, the former CEO of Westpac and a trailblazer for women’s equality in the finance sector, is bestowed with the honour of receiving the National Award for 2018. Having led the 12th biggest bank in the world, improving net profits and gender equality whilst at the helm, Kelly has more recently authored a book on leadership and funded the Gail Kelly Global Leaders Scholarship.
Around Australia, the state and territory winners of the awards for 2018 are:
– Gillian Triggs, former President, Australian Human Rights Commission (NSW)
– Magda Szubanski, actor, comedian, writer and activist (VIC)
– Dr Kirstin Ferguson, Non-Executive Director and Chair (QLD)
– Dr Kate Stannage, President, Australian Paediatric Orthopaedic Society (WA)
– Taryn Brumfitt, founder, Body Image Movement (SA)
– Marita Cheng, women-in-technology advocate and tech entrepreneur (TAS)
– Major General Simone Wilkie, Commander, Australian Defence College (ACT)
– Nova Peris OAM, first Aboriginal Australian to win an Olympic gold medal (NT).
Magda Szubanski
Tell us what this award means to you personally and why female role models are so important.
I am very grateful for this award. It is really heartwarming to know that your efforts are appreciated.
I am very grateful to all those who helped me along the way – alex greenwich, janine middleton, rodney croome, shirleene robinson, clint mcgilvary – and the many, many campaigners and activists too numerous to name.
Female role models are important but we should never let the absence of them deter us…there will always have to be someone who is the first, the groundbreaker. Be that someone.
How can we all help empower and encourage women in business?
Women must use their voices – I mean that literally. Have voice lessons if necessary. Whatever it takes to make you feel strong and assured. Assertive, not aggressive.
it is not your right to speak, it is your duty. And to make sure you are heard.
Because you speak for those who have no voice.
Don’t apologize for being in the room. In that room is exactly where you are supposed to be. Know it in your bones. Don’t demand attention- command it.
And then help women and other unheard people to find their own voice.
What is the best lesson you learned that has helped you along the way that you’d like to share?
The public has a short memory so don’t bother getting stuck on your failures. Everyone else is too preoccupied being paranoid about their own failures to give two hoots about yours. Just keep bouncing back.
Award winners will be acknowledged at the Women’s Leadership Symposium series across Australia’s capital cities. More information can be found at https://www.wla.edu.au/
