10 August, 10.00am: Address from GEN VIC CEO Tanja Kovac and MC Amy McQuire

10 August, 10.30am : Address from Minister Gabrielle Williams (Minister for Women, Aboriginal Affairs and the Prevention of Violence Against Women)

10 August, 10.40am:

Opening Keynote – Gender Responsive Budgeting in a time of global fragility: lessons from the Asia Pacific

Dr Monica Costa, Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin University followed by a conversation with Tanja Kovac, CEO, Gender Equity Victoria

11 August, 10.10am:

Keynote Address – On Being an Outspoken Woman

Yasmin Poole, Public Speaker, Writer & Youth Advocate

Day 1: 10 August - Concurrent Workshops

Breakout 1: Neighborhood and Local Prevention of Violence against Women Initiatives: case studies

• Nicole Battle, CEO, Neighborhood Houses Victoria
• Marianne Hendron, CEO, Women’s Health Grampians
• Deborah Wu, Inclusion & Diversity Lead, Victorian Local Government Association
• Moderated by Tricia Currie, CEO, Women’s Health Loddon Mallee

This is no one size fits all approach to prevention of violence against women. Join in the conversation as practice leaders share case studies, tips and considerations when designing and implementing local/ community based prevention initiatives.   

Breakout 2: Creating Change: Advocacy Fundamentals, facilitated by Amy Ferguson, Director – Strategy, For Purpose

This breakout session is designed for gender equity advocates and change makers. It will take you through the advocacy essentials, from the actions required to identify and develop policy priorities to targeted advocacy strategies to make change happen. The session will include case studies and interactive opportunities. 

Breakout 3: Taking an Intersectional Approach to Build Financial Capability and Address Financial Abuse, facilitated by Dr Nilmini Fernando and Nimo Hersi

Building women’s financial capability and independence is a key strategy to address violence against women. In this session, you will learn about taking an intersectional gender approach to develop financial capability, recognise and respond to financial abuse, and strategies to improve economic participation of migrant women. Expert facilitators will guide you through ethical intersectional protocols that support the collaboration and co-design process with people with lived experiences.  

Day 2: 11 August - Concurrent Workshops

Breakout Session 1: Gender Equity and Enterprise Bargaining: A Best Practice - case studies

• Karen Batt, Victorian Branch/Federal Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union
• Lisa Darmanin, Branch Secretary, Australian Services Union, Vic/Tas Branch
• Kate Marshall, Assistant State Secretary, Health and Community Services Union
• Moderated by Tanja Kovac, CEO, Gender Equity Victoria

Enterprise Bargaining can be a powerful process to embed and effect gender equity in the workplaces. Hear from union leaders who will share best practices and case studies in industrial agreement for advancing gender equity. 

Breakout Session 2: Framing Gender Equality facilitated by Mark Chenery, Co-founder and Director, Common Cause Australia

In this workshop, you will explore five evidence-based tips for more persuasive gender equality messaging. The tips are part of the Framing Gender Equality message guide produced by Common Cause on behalf of VicHealth and the Together for Equality and Respect partnership following extensive testing in 2020. The full guide will be shared at the conclusion of the workshop. 
 

Amy McQuire is a Darumbal and South Sea Islander journalist who focuses on Aboriginal affairs. She is currently completing her PhD at the University of Queensland looking at media representations of violence against Aboriginal women. Her first non-fiction book Black Witness will be published by UQP in June 2020.

Angela is lead economist at Equity Economics, a consulting firm that focuses on the importance of inclusive growth in building a more sustainable economy and society.

Angela was previously Deputy Chief of Staff to the Australian Minister for Finance and Deregulation, the Hon Lindsay Tanner MP during the Global Financial Crisis. She is currently National Deputy Chair of the Women in Economics Network, Board Member at Gender Equity Victoria, a regular contributor to the NFAW Gender Lens on the Budget and a member of the National Heart Foundation’s Victorian Advisory Board.

Public Speaker, Writer and Youth Advocate

Yasmin is an award-winning speaker, writer and youth advocate. She is Plan International’s National Ambassador and champions the importance of young women being heard in Australia’s political conversations. She has also appeared on prominent television programs such as Q+A, The Drum and The Project.

Yasmin is the Non-Executive Board Director of OzHarvest, Australia’s leading food rescue charity and YWCA, a national feminist organisation that has supported women and girls for 140 years. In 2019, Yasmin was the youngest member of the Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence and Top 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians. She was most recently named The Martin Luther King Jr Center’s 2021 Youth Influencer of the Year.

Adjunct Research Fellow, Curtin University

Dr Monica Costa is an economist and gender and development researcher with a particular focus on the application of Gender-Responsive Budgeting. Her book - Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) in Fragile States: The case of Timor-Leste - is the first international publication addressing the potential of gender budgeting in fragile state contexts. She has published widely in leading journals and has worked on gender issues in Australia, Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands, and Indonesia.

Director / Strategy of For Purpose

Amy Ferguson has extensive experience in the not-for-profit and for-purpose sectors. She has led National, State and Territory policy and advocacy campaigns and developed policy relating to health, aged care, and social services. Amy has presented at national and international conferences on organisational strategy, social change, advocacy, government relations, and public health. Amy has a Masters in Public Health and is passionate about creating positive health and social outcomes for communities.

Secretary General of Kvenréttindafélag Íslands / Icelandic Women's Rights Association (IWRA)

Brynhildur Heiðar- og Ómarsdóttir is the Secretary General of the Icelandic Women’s Rights Association (IWRA). Founded in 1907, IWRA focuses on gender equality in politics, the workplace and in education, and works closely with women in political parties represented in Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, with labor unions and with teachers. Brynhildur is the president of Fjöruverðlaunin, Women’s Literary Prize in Iceland, the treasurer of Fræðagarður, the Union of University Graduates, and an alternate board member of the European Women's Lobby. Brynhildur has published a book of Icelandic feminist fairy tales and is currently working on an anthology of feminism in Iceland.

Project Lead of Enhancing Online Safety for Women Project (GEN VIC)

Caitlin McGrane is a feminist activist, researcher and academic based in Melbourne, Australia. She is a PhD candidate in the Digitial Ethnography Research Centre at RMIT University. Her doctoral thesis investigates how women feel about their smartphones tracking them everywhere they go.

Caitlin works for Gender Equity Victoria leading a project enhancing online safety for women working in the media. She has previously worked as a research assistant with the Women’s Team at the Victorian Trades Hall Council building a website for union members to share stories of tackling gender-based violence at work. She has also taught for several years as a tutor across a range of subjects and study levels in the School of Culture and Communications at The University of Melbourne and Monash University.

Celeste Liddle is an Arrernte woman (traditional owner in Central Australia) who was born in Canberra and has been living in Melbourne since she was a teenager. She is a trade unionist, an activist, a feminist, a social commentator and an opinion writer. In May 2021, she was announced as the preselected Greens candidate for the seat of Cooper in the upcoming Federal Election.

Celeste is currently a contributor with Eureka Street but has additionally been published by Fairfax, Newscorp, ABC, SBS, and many independent publications. In addition to this, Celeste has contributed to a number of anthologies of note including Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia and Mothers and Others.

She completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Theatre and Drama at La Trobe University in 2002, a Graduate Diploma in Arts (primarily Political Sciences) at the University of Melbourne in 2012 and a Masters of Communications and Media Studies at Monash in 2020.​

Inclusion & Diversity Lead of Victorian Local Government Association

Deborah Wu is the VLGA’s Inclusion & Diversity Lead. Deborah has worked across local, state and federal government sectors as an advisor in policy and media and communications. Throughout her career, she has played an active role in advocating for and facilitating gender equality and diversity. Most recently, Deborah led the VLGA’s highly regarded Local Women Leading Change program, aimed at increasing the number of women elected to local government in Victoria. She was an inaugural fellow of the Pathways to Politics for Women program (University of Melbourne and Trawalla Foundation) in 2016, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.

Bilingual Health educator & Covid Vaccine Ambassador (Women's Health in The North)

Eman Al-Dasuqi is a passionate and multi-talented, bilingual Health Educator and a COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador working at Women's Health in The North. She is a highly motivated individual who loves to share her extensive knowledge and skills for the betterment of her community. She is passionate about educating and empowering women to help them to achieve the best healthy version of themselves. Coming from Jordan, Eman has first hand experience and insights into the Arabic community's migration experience and their needs. Her experience spans from educating women on financial matters, health matters, journalism, and audio/music production.

Executive Director of The Parenthood

Georgie Dent is a journalist, author, former lawyer and advocate for women’s empowerment, gender equality and families. She is the executive director of The Parenthood, a not-for-profit advocacy organisation, and a contributing editor of Women’s Agenda.

In 2020 she co-instigated the viral hashtag #CredibleWomen after the PM's office told her ’no one credible’ had criticised the Federal Budget. Georgie is a regular television commentator and prolific voice on social media.

In 2018, at the invitation of the Swedish Government, Georgie attended the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality. She was identified as a global change maker who could help intensify efforts for a gender equal world.

Jacinta Masters is the manager of advocacy and sector development at Gender Equity Victoria, the peak body for gender equity in Victoria. Jacinta is a feminist dedicated to addressing sexism, harassment and abuse of women, as well as the institutions, structures and norms that perpetuate inequality for all women and gender diverse people. Jacinta is also studying a Juris Doctor at La Trobe University.

Julia Banks is the author of a newly released book Powerplay: Breaking through bias, barriers and boys clubs. Julia’s  book shares personal stories, practical advice and is a resounding argument for why women aren’t the problem regarding gender equality, but why more women in decision making positions will help us find the solutions.  Julia runs her own consultancy business, holds non-executive advisory positions and her expertise is in workplace culture governance and risk and crisis management.

Julia is a former Liberal, turned Independent  Federal Member of Parliament,  and prior to her election, Julia worked as General Counsel, Executive Director, and Company Secretary in global companies and has extensive experience in the legal and corporate sectors

Community and Public Sector Union

Karen Batt is the Secretary of CPSU/SPSF Victorian Branch, elected 1st July 1993.  Karen also holds the position of CPSU SPSF Federal Secretary, elected in 2012.  She is the first elected Secretary of the union, as well as the first women Secretary in history in Victoria.  Karen is also a Vice President of the ACTU. KAREN was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2003 and a Nominee for the Inaugural Victorian Honour Roll of Women

Sex Discrimination Commissioner

Kate Jenkins became Australia’s Sex Discrimination Commissioner in 2016. She is leading a number of projects at the Australian Human Rights Commission, including the National Inquiry into sexual harassment in Australian workplaces and the Commission’s collaborative project on cultural reform with the Australian Defence Force.

Kate is the convener of the National Champions of Change group (established 2015), and the Co-Chair of Play by the Rules, a joint project between human rights agencies and sports commissions to make grass roots sports safe, fair and inclusive.

Prior to joining the Commission, Kate spent three years as the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner. In that role she held an Independent Review into Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment, including Predatory Behaviour, in Victoria Police. She was also the Co-Chair of the Victorian Commission’s Disability Reference Group and a member of the Aboriginal Justice Forum.

Kate spent 20 years as lead equal opportunity partner with Herbert Smith Freehills and has served on the boards of Berry Street Victoria, Heide Museum of Modern Art and the Carlton Football Club.

Kate was recognised in the 2015 AFR/Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for her work in public policy.

Kate grew up on a family orchard in outer Melbourne. She lives in Melbourne with her family, which includes her husband Ken, their 2 children and her 3 stepchildren.

Assistant State Secretary of Health and Community Services Union

Kate Marshall joined HASCU  in 2015 as the Senior Industrial Office and  now  holds of the office of Assistant State Secretary.  She is also the National Junior Vice President of the Health Services Union.

Before 2015, she was a legal officer with the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (Construction) in Victoria and Tasmania, heading the industrial department to run matters before the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Court and the Federal Circuit Court.

She is an admitted lawyer, having done her articles at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.  She has also completed an associateship at the Federal Court of Australia.

CEO of Victorian Local Government Association

With over twenty years of diverse leadership experience including as a CEO, senior executive and a non-executive director across a number of sectors, Kathryn has an understanding of high standards of governance, accountability and performance whilst managing strategic risks and delivering outcomes within budget constraints.

Kathryn is the CEO of the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA). The VLGA is a high profile independent (NGO) governance organisation supporting councils and councillors in effective local governance. As a peak body, the VLGA supports the local government sector through leadership, advocacy and professional development.

Kathryn currently sits on the boards of Diabetes Victoria and is Company Secretary of the Royal Melbourne Tennis Club. Kathryn was a Member of the inaugural Victorian Ministerial Council on Women's Equality which concluded its term in mid-2020. In her capacity as CEO of the VLGA, Kathryn is a member of the Local Government Victorian Project Control Board overseeing the implementation of the Local Government Act 2020, the state government’s COVID-19 Local Government Roundtable, the COVID Response CEO Stakeholder Group, and Minister for Local Government and the Minister for Women’s Gender Equality Advisory Committee (GEAC).

Kathryn has a track record in leading teams and delivering success working at a senior and high profile level in the Victorian local government sector; with a demonstrable ability to quickly grasp the issues facing a sector with multiple stakeholders and the legislated responsibility to provide oversight and governance to, and the delivery of, critical services on behalf of state and federal government to Victorian communities.

CEO of Women's Health in South East

Kit is the CEO of Women’s Health in the South East and has over two decades of senior executive and governance experience across the education, training and not-for-profit sectors, including Tradeswomen Australia Foundation, Volunteering Australia and Girl Guides Australia. Kit holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), a Graduate Diploma in Action Learning, a Master of Adult Education (Organisation Development) and an MBA. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Women on Boards and Emily’s List. She has been on the Gender Equity Victoria Board since 2018 and the Chair of the Board since March 2019.

Economics Lecturer at RMIT

"Dr Leonora Risse is an economist who specialises in gender equality in the workforce. She is a Research Fellow with the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard University, and a Research Fellow with the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia. She currently serves as the National Chair of the Women in Economics Network. She was named among Apolitical’s 100 Most Influential People in Gender Policy in 2021.

Dr Risse holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Queensland and previously served as Senior Research Economist for the Australian Government Productivity Commission. She is currently appointed as a Lecturer in Economics at RMIT University. "

Branch Secretary of Australian Services Union (Vic/Tas)

Lisa Darmanin became Branch Secretary of the Australian Services Union, Victorian and Tasmanian Authorities and Services Branch in June 2018. Prior to this, she was the first female Branch Executive President elected in 2014.  Lisa has worked as an ASU organiser since 2000, originating as an active member and delegate in social and community services.

Lisa was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll for Women in 2016 in recognition for significant contribution to the Victorian Community, specifically in achieving gender equity for women, along with being the inaugural winner of the Zelda D’Aprano Activist Award by Victorian Trades Hall Council in 2015 as most outstanding female activist for her work in the Community Services Equal Pay case and leadership in delivering world first family violence workplace entitlements.

Lisa has spent time on secondment at various roles including in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet and Victorian Trades Hall Council.

Lisa was appointed to the Vision Super Board in March 2018 as a member representative having been nominated by the ASU and is currently Deputy Chair, and is also a member of the Victorian Government’s Equal Workplaces Advisory Committee.

CEO of Women's Health Grampians

Marianne has extensive experience working in human services leadership and management, stakeholder engagement and capacity building to address access and equity issues in rural and regional Victoria. She has a social work and mental health background and has worked across the community sector including drug and alcohol, family violence, housing and aged care. She has a particular passion for strong partnership development to address entrenched problems and bring about transformational change. As CEO of Women’s Health Grampians, she has worked to engage partners leading a collective impact approach to primary prevention of violence against women, through the Grampians Communities of Respect and Equality (CoRE) Alliance. She chairs the CoRE Alliance Leadership Group and is also Chair of Sports Central, the Central Highlands Sports Assembly.

Director of Rainbow Health Victoria

Marina Carman is the Director of Rainbow Health Victoria, a program that supports LGBTIQ health and wellbeing through research and knowledge translation, training, resources, policy advice and service accreditation through the Rainbow Tick. Rainbow Health Victoria is located at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University. Marina has twenty years’ experience in Australian and international responses to HIV, and LGBTIQ health and wellbeing. She leads a multi-project program looking at LGBTIQ community experiences of family violence, covering research, prevention and service responses at Commonwealth and state levels.

Co-Founder and Director of Common Cause Australia

Mark Chenery is a communications expert and trainer who works with mission driven organisations and political parties to incorporate a values-based approach to messaging. His background includes advertising and journalism and heading up the community engagement
program of an international human rights organisation in Australia.  Since establishing Common Cause Australia in 2014, he and his colleagues have trained over 5,000 campaigners, communicators and fundraisers from Australia and New Zealand in the
science of values and framing. Mark has worked with dozens of organisations on values-based messaging. His research has changed the way many of Australia’s leading mission driven organisations as well as government departments and agencies communicate with the public on social justice, health and environmental issues.

Policy & Health Promotion Manager and Chair of Women’s Mental Health Alliance (Women's Health Victoria)

Mischa Barr is Policy & Health Promotion Manager at Women’s Health Victoria - a statewide women’s health promotion, advocacy and support service. Mischa oversees work in policy, advocacy, and research across WHV’s priority areas including sexual and reproductive health, prevention of violence against women, mental health and women's equality. As part of her role, Mischa oversees the Gender Equality in Advertising project and chairs the Women’s Mental Health Alliance, established by Women’s Health Victoria in 2019.

CEO of Neighbourhood Houses Victoria

Nicole is the CEO of Neighbourhood Houses Victoria and is also the current President of the Australian Neighbourhood House and Centres Association (ANHCA).

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Victoria University, as well as a Master of Public Policy and Management from the University of Melbourne.

She has over ten years experience working in local government. She has also held a number of positions within the not-for-profit sector, as well as teaching politics and gender studies at Melbourne University.

Nicole is passionate about social justice and is particularly interested in gender equality and Indigenous rights. She is the current Chairperson of the Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assualt (WestCASA).

Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner

As Commissioner, Dr Vincent is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Gender Equality Act 2020 and plays a key leadership role in promoting gender equality in the Victorian community and workplaces.

Dr Vincent has a wealth of experience in gender equality and organisational leadership. This includes most recently serving as the South Australian Commissioner for Equal Opportunity since May 2016. In this role, Dr Vincent was responsible for the general administration of the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (SA).

In her capacity as Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, Niki Chaired the Australian Council of Human Rights Authorities (ACHRA), served on the national management committee of Play by the Rules, and was a member of the SA/NT Advisory Council for the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA). She holds an appointment as an Adjunct Associate Professor in UniSA’s Business School. In addition, she is an active ambassador for Time for Kids – a respite foster care organisation.

Prior to her appointment as Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, Niki held the position of CEO of the Leaders Institute of South Australia as well as a concurrent appointment as a member of the Remuneration Tribunal of South Australia. She has also led major programs of research in previous roles and has established and run two successful not-for-profit organisations.

A mother of 4 adult children, Niki has also been a weekend respite foster mum for almost 5 years. She spends her sparse free time with her partner, family and friends, hiking, seeing films, listening to Radio National podcasts and a variety of music, gardening, doing yoga and camping in remote places.

Dr Nilmini Fernando is a Sri Lankan Australian feminist researcher and educator with a background in  Intersectional Theory, and Postcolonial/Black /Third World feminisms. Her work focusses on inspiring people to work collectively in solidarity across the differences and barriers that divide us. She was the lead of WIRE Purse Project workshops - an award winning project to educate Family Violence and affiliated community practitioners in responding to financial abuse and building financial capability —and one of the very few financial capability program to  embed a trauma informed intersectional lens.

She conducted WIRE’s participatory 2018 research project ‘Whens the right Time to Talk about Money”  with victim survivors of financial abuse. She provides education and consultancy in applying Intersectional praxis for Australian contexts and building racial and gender equity in organizations, policies and programs. She is currently an Adjunct Fellow at the Griffith University Centre for Social and Cultural Research and is the consultant leading WIRE’s Intersectionality Action Plan project.

Nimo Hersi is Disability Advocacy Coordinator for the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and Co- Design Community Consultant, Nimo sat on the advisory committee for Financial Capability Project at WIRE , and is a co-designer of the Intersectional Guide for designing, adapting and delivering financial capability education (Good Shepherd ANZ). She also coordinated the Multicultural NDIS Project for ECCV, and was a bilingual Financial Literacy educator for Women’s Health in the North. Nimo is from an East African background, a mother of two and a passionate advocate for women, children and young people with a disability from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

CEO of Women in Super

"Sandra is CEO of Women in Super and is regularly asked to participate in roundtables and forums on issues relating to gender equality, women’s workforce participation and the gender super gap. Sandra also sits on several industry policy committees and is Deputy Chair of the Australian Gender Equality Council. Prior to joining WIS in 2014, Sandra spent over 18 years in senior roles in financial services both in Australia and overseas. "

Stacey is an experienced management consultant with over 15 years’ experience in both private, public and community sectors and a leader in social policy and equality, diversity and inclusion. Stacey is a former Director with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in management consulting leading its social policy practice. Stacey has recently started her own consulting practice focusing on equity, diversity and inclusion particularly on women and girls of colour.

Stacey is the Interim Chair of Domestic Violence Victoria and the Domestic Violence Resource Centre, and a member of the Finance and Risk Subcommittee of Our Watch, the national organisation for the prevention of violence against women. Stacey was PwC’s inaugural staff lead for its cultural diversity and inclusion network for three years engaging 8,000 staff in a conversation about cultural diversity, equality and inclusion. Stacey was a finalist in the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards for Emerging Leader in Professional Services in 2019.

Program Manager at Zoe Belle Gender Collective

Starlady is a social justice advocate whose work is underpinned by the human rights principals of equity and freedom of expression. She is passionately committed to addressing discrimination and prejudice within our society through her work in advocacy, education, training and community development. Starlady has a wealth of experience delivering training and secondary consultation to a range of health and human services on trans and gender diverse and broader LGBTIQ+ inclusive practice initiatives.

You may have seen Starlady on:

“Queen of the Desert” which was released on the ABC featuring her hairdressing and fashion programs with youth on remote Indigenous communities.

The Transgender episode of ABC TV’s “You Cant Ask That”.

TEDX.

CEO of GEN VIC

Tanja is the CEO of Gender Equity Victoria, the peak organisation for women, gender equality and the prevention of gendered violence in Victoria. She is a Senior Fellow, Gender Equality at progressive think tank Per Capita and a writer and director at her own communications consultancy, Kovac & Co. She has managed several small non-profit organisations in the faith, women’s and human rights sectors, but her research, policy, writing and advocacy passion is gender equality.

She is a past Director of EMILY’s List Australia, where she was instrumental in developing gender based cam50 by 2025. She was also Chief of Staff to the late Fiona Richardson MP, Australia’s first family violence prevention minister where she was responsible for overseeing Victoria’s strategic family violence prevention and gender equality agenda, including creating the Victoria’s first Gender Equality Strategy.

Tanja has extensive experience with print, radio, TV and online media. Her writing has featured in The Age, Daily Telegraph, Crikey, MammaMia and more. paign strategies and policy change including setting the affirmative action target for women MPs

Tricia is the CEO of Women's Health Loddon Mallee and chairs the Women’s Health Services Council. Tricia is a member of the Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership and chairs the Loddon Mallee Stewardship group giving oversight to the regional action plan for the prevention violence against women. Tricia has been a recipient of the Victorian Women's Diversity scholarship and has had extensive executive experience in leadership and governance roles.

Tricia is a rural woman and mother of two strong young women, grandmother to curious and kind young ones and mentor to many. Tricia values connection to communities and is keen to champion partnerships to strengthen the health and wellbeing of women especially through access and equity issues.

Gender Equity Victoria - Special Advisor Gender Equity and Politics

Trish Crossin is a former Senator and was the first women elected to the Federal Parliament from the Northern Territory. Trish is an advocate for gender equity, and supporting women into politics. In the Senate, Trish was Chair of the ALP Status of Women Committee and her work contributed to the implementation of paid maternity leave, a national plan to reduce violence against women and including breastfeeding as a ground for discrimination in the Sex Discrimination Act. She led the cross party group advocating for a child care centre in Parliament House. Trish was the founder and inaugural chair of the NT Working Womens Centre and national convenor of Emily’s List.