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TAS: Dorothy Kelly tel: 03 6247 8599 email: tas-waa@womensactionalliance.com.au SA: Maureen McCarthy tel: 08 8369 1357 email: waa-sa@womensactionalliance.com.au WA: Barbara Paterniti tel: 08 9752 2547 email: waa-wa@womensactionalliance.com.au |
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STATE CONTACTS
QLD: Cavell Caldwell tel: 07 3353 1119 email: waa-qld@womensactionalliance.com.au NSW: Jane Beard tel: 02 9634 6990 email: waa-nsw@womensactionalliance.com.au ACT: Bev Turello tel: 02 6288 1736 email: waa-act@womensactionalliance.com.au VIC: Isabel Schofield tel: 03 9882 8809 email: waa-vic@womensactionalliance.com.au
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What’s Happening in YOUR State? |
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NEW SOUTH WALES NSW held its Annual General Meeting on Friday, 2nd June, and were pleased to welcome Tanya Plibersek, Shadow Minister for Work and Family, Childcare and Youth and Women, as our guest speaker.
Tanya spoke about some of her concerns for women, especially the distribution of childcare places, and domestic violence. She noted the problem of some areas with few childcare places while others are experiencing a glut, and expressed her desire to ensure n adequate supply of facilities for women who suffer from violence.
We were pleased to hear her say that the ALP is committed to a maternity
payment for all women not just those in paid work, but she maintains her opposition to FTB (B).
Elections took place and the results were: President—Jane Beard, Vice President—Marietta Toemoe, Secretary—Karin Abrams, Treasurer—Rosanna Abrams, Committee members—Ann Palmer, Lisa Beasly, Marie Murray, Samantha Vieira and Margaret Moore.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA The University of Western Australia Centenary Trust for Women Scholarship The UWA Centenary Trust for Women, having donated a sum of money to the University of Western Australia to establish a fund to provide a scholarship to assist a woman student for whom educational opportunities are limited because of distance, economic disadvantage, cultural differences, disability or responsibility for the care of children, the ill or the elderly. A scholarship has been established and is administered in accordance with the conditions.
The scholarship will be advertised in August/September each year and applications must be received in November. Visit http:/spe.publishing.uwa.edu.au/latest/scholarships/undergraduate/uctw |
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TASMANIA Tasmania has recently had an election and the Labor Government of Paul Lennon was returned. There are several new faces including Michelle O’Byrne who was previously the federal member for Bass who was elected to the House of Assembly.
This year the Premier is the Minister for Women Tasmania. In 2005 the government instituted the inaugural Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women which recognised the major contribution of women to the Tasmanian community in a variety of ways. About 60 women were acknowledged at the luncheon. This Honour Roll was to be continued on an annual basis. So far this year nominations have not been called. This was a very worth while honour and we hope the Premier continues with the award. We are also hoping he passes this portfolio onto one of the women members.
The government has introduced the “safe at Home” program in which the emphasis is to keep women at home and remove the offending partner in a violent relationship. As a consequence many men are being held in custody awaiting court appearances and this has put an added strain on already stretched resources. There has also been several instances where men have been accused who were later found innocent. Some of them were held in custody and as a consequence lost their jobs.
Part of the “Safe at Home” legislation includes mandatory reporting of children “at risk” by teachers and others and this has also put a strain on Family Services staff. The government has responded by some additional staff and an extra intake of police at the police academy.
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VICTORIA The Victorian Annual General Meeting was held on May 30th. Our office bearers and committee members for 2006-7 are:- President - Isabel Schofield, Vice-President - Jenny Grainger, Country Vice-President - Jane Monroe, Secretary - Noelle Sullivan, Treasurer - Bernadette Bloxam, Ordinary Members - Iris Felstead, Flo Parnaby, Joan Adamson, Margaret Muller and Joanne Le Sueur, .
Our sincere thanks are extended to retiring member, Aileen Sullivan, who has served on both our executive and committee for many years, in fact since the 1970s. Aileen's contribution has been enormous, and we will miss her greatly. She is retiring through ill health, and we wish her happy and sunny days ahead, with renewed vigour.
We also held our Agender evening on the same night. It was well attended and our speakers, Jill Carson (CEO Community Care) and Helen Heath (Greater Dandenong Citizen of the Year) spoke about issues relating to Aged Care and the Interfaith Network respectively. Our thanks to them and also to Helen Richards, Erin Dimopoulos, Avril Grainger and Ruth Thatcher for their much appreciated contributions to the evening. Gifts for the speakers were kindly donated by Helen White Gifts.
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