INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (15:19): My question is to the Minister for the Status of Women. Will the minister provide more information on events to be held in honour of this year's International Women's Day?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his most important question and his ongoing interest in this very important policy area. International Women's Day is held on 8 March every year to celebrate the amazing contribution of women to our communities, and a diverse range of organisations and individuals across metropolitan and regional South Australia develop a range of different events to acknowledge the achievements of women in their local community.

A number of events have been successfully built up and developed over many years and are now recognised as important and popular, if not iconic, events on the International Women's Day calendar. Every year the International Women's Day Committee SA Inc. organises the very popular International Women's Day luncheon. The committee has been involved in International Women's Day for over 70 years, and I had the pleasure of attending this year's luncheon, along with the Hon. Michelle Lensink and Francis Bedford MP, at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 4 March.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: Don't worry; I'll get to Gawler. There's lots to be said about Gawler. The luncheon included the presentation of the winners of several awards that celebrate the contribution of South Australian women, including the Irene Bell Award, the Irene Krastev Award, the Gladys Elphick Award and the Barbara Polkinghorne Award. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the finalists and winners and seek leave to have that list incorporated in Hansard without my reading it.

Leave granted.

The Irene Bell Awards for community service were this year awarded to Branka King, Anezoula Karpathakis, Erica Jolly, Sue Gilbey, Katherine Leane, Gwyneth Regione and Margie Berlemon.

The 2009 finalists ofthe Irene Krastev Award are Desi Alexandridis, Milenka Vasekova-Safrillidis and Elizabeth Georgokopoulos.

I am pleased to announce that Elizabeth Georgokopoulos was the winner ofthe Irene Krastev Award.

The Gladys Elphick Award for services to Aboriginal women was this year awarded to a group of seven Senior Aboriginal elderly women. The Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta women from Coober Pedy are from the Yankuntajatjara, Antikarinya and Kokatha region. The women are Eileen Brown, Eileen Crombie, Emily Austin, Ivy Stewart, Eileen Wingfield, Angelina Wonga and Martha Edwards.

The Barbara Polkinghorne Award for service by a woman writer was awarded to Clementine Ford.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I look forward to their continued contribution in the South Australian community. Organisations in regional areas have become increasingly involved with International Women's Day, and a number of events have successfully increased the participation of women through providing accessible events that are appropriate and popular with women in the community, including breakfasts with guest speakers organised by Zonta Club in many regions and an afternoon tea held at Gawler Zonta, Country Women's Association, Guides and others with guest speaker Anne Beadell. A debate was also held entitled 'Gawler embraces diversity', which included a wonderful debate of year 12 students from three of the local high schools who were debating against three very prominent community women. I was very pleased to have been joined at that event by the Hon. John Dawkins and the local member Tony Piccolo.

There have also been a celebration of 20 years of the Women's Health Policy with guest speakers at Noarlunga Women's Health; a morning tea at Murray Bridge hosted by the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board with guest speakers discussing sustainability and strengthening cultural ties by working with Aboriginal people in the management of natural resources; and a walk through Port Adelaide organised by Dale Street Women's Health Centre to celebrate the achievements of Anna Rennie, the first woman mayor, and Annie Ross, the first woman police officer.

I have been pleased to attend many of these events, and there are others. There is a march this evening and the iconic UNIFEM breakfast tomorrow morning. I have been pleased to attend as many of these events as I possibly can and enjoy continuing to celebrate the achievements and contributions of South Australia's most remarkable women.