SA Business Journal

Celebrating South Australian women

South Australian Business Journal — Jenny Briggs

As we all look forward to using our democratic right to vote across state, federal and local elections in 2022, it is also an excellent time to reflect on the role of women. Today also happens to be International Women’s Day. Now I’m not a historian, but how about we take a journey to recognise some of the achievements that have opened the doors for women here in South Australia?

With the first meeting of the South Australian International Women’s Day Committee back in 1938, we have plenty to celebrate historically and right now. Our Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, has led us through the global pandemic well in South Australia. Her regular and spirited press conferences outlining the necessary public health measures here in South Australia have at times been challenging for the business community. However, she has always delivered the news with honesty and transparency. 

At today’s the South Australian Business Chamber International Women’s Day lunch, we are honoured to have Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC as keynote speaker. She will share some of her journey through Commonwealth government service, international diplomacy, and now as the Governor of South Australia. In line with the #breakthebias theme of this year’s day, Heather Croall and the Adelady’s are taking the stage to share their experiences. Often, this is as the women in a man’s world.

We are a very socially progressive state here in South Australia. There have been many impressive wins that are nationally and internationally revered. One notable example of this was the double-win in 1895 when South Australian women became the first to give women both the right to vote and the right to stand for public office. 

In the late 1800s, Augusta Zadow was a trailblazer for women’s rights in the workplace too. She was South Australia’s first female inspector of factories to investigate wages, work safety and sanitary conditions. Then in 1911, women were given the right to practise law in South Australia. And who could forget Dame Roma Mitchell’s appointment to the Supreme Court in 1965? She became the first female judge in the British Commonwealth. So inspirational.

Gladys Elphick was an Indigenous woman who played a significant role in indigenous women’s rights and women’s rights more broadly in Australia and abroad. Known as Auntie Glad’, she was the founding president of the Council of Aboriginal Women of South Australia in 1974.

In 1972, well within many of our lifetimes, Australian women were awarded equal pay for the same work as men. This profound national achievement was soon followed in South Australia by the first Sex Discrimination Act (1975) in Australia.

It is time well-spent to remind ourselves of the incredible journey of South Australian women. The South Australian State Library has excellent online resources to help with this. 

While there are still some biases to break, we can take heart that we are celebrating International Women’s Day. Many women around the world have not yet reached this stage. For them, we must take a moment to appreciate all that we have achieved here in South Australia. We must promise ourselves that we will always put a hand down to help pull the next woman up the ladder. Not just to equal us, but we must ensure she goes past us to her own success and achievement.

Originally published in The Advertiser’s South Australian Business Journal on Tuesday 8 March 2022

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