Motions

International Day of Rural Women

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (17:08): I move:

That this council—

1. Notes that 15 October marks the International Day of Rural Women;

2. Recognises the crucial role that women play in ensuring the sustainability of rural workplaces, households and communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing;

3. Recognises that women account for a substantial proportion of the agricultural labour force, including informal work, and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas;

4. Notes that emerging female leaders in the agriculture sector are recognised each year nationally in the AgriFuture’s Rural Women’s Awards, which acknowledge and support the essential role women play in rural industries, businesses and communities;

5. Notes the achievements of 2022 South Australian AgriFuture’s Rural Women’s Award winner, Robyn Verrall of McCallum. Robyn is a director, founder and mentor of Kere to Country, an Aboriginal owned and operated food supply company, that works to ensure high-quality and affordable meat is available to First Nations communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory; and

6. Also notes the achievements of 2022 finalists Lukina Lukin from Port Lincoln and Stephanie Lunn from Jamestown.

Last Saturday, 15 October, marked the International Day of Rural Women. This important day was celebrated across the world, highlighting the theme of 'Rural women cultivating good food for all'. The International Day of Rural Women is an opportunity to recognise the crucial role that women play in ensuring the sustainability of rural workplaces, households and communities, improving rural livelihoods and overall wellbeing.

It is also a day to recognise that women account for a substantial proportion of the agriculture labour force, including informal work, and perform the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas. International Day of Rural Women is an opportunity to reflect on the contribution rural women make to our communities, often without acknowledgement or financial recognition.

Each year, our government is proud to support initiatives that recognise and celebrate the efforts, influence and diversity of women in regional areas. This includes the Women Together Learning (WoTL) Stepping into Leadership program, which is specifically aimed at women in agriculture and agribusiness, and also the AgriFutures South Australian Rural Women's Award, giving women a platform to bring to life a project or initiative that benefits regional and rural industries and communities.

The Stepping into Leadership program has provided valuable skills and training to 130 women since its inception in 2012. The Department of Primary Industries and Regions has been extremely proud to support this program over the past 10 years as it contributes to the growth of South Australia's primary industries, facilitating connections, sharing information and developing the skill set of women in business.

Past participants in the Stepping into Leadership program have gone on to perform many amazing roles, including being the recipients of awards such as the Spirit of Excellence in Agriculture Awards with the Ag Bureau of South Australia, gaining the confidence to take on more responsibility in their employment or family business, taking on key roles in their communities to lead recovery from bushfires and drought, and stepping up to join industry boards, such as with WoTL, landscape boards, Australian Women in Agriculture and the SA Ag Ex Alliance.

We want more women in these roles—leadership, boards, ambassadors—as diversity results in better decision-making, innovative approaches and thinking outside the box. The positive outcomes that the Stepping into Leadership alumni have achieved are instrumental in the growth of our agriculture industry now and well into the future.

The Rural Women's Award is Australia's leading award empowering and celebrating the inclusive and courageous leadership of women involved in Australia's rural and emerging industries, businesses and communities. It has been in operation for the last 21 years. Each state and territory winner receives a $15,000 Westpac grant for their project and access to professional development opportunities and the alumni network. The winner then goes on to represent South Australia in the national awards in Canberra, with the winner receiving a further $20,000 grant and the runner-up $15,000.

I am pleased in this motion to highlight the contribution of several outstanding women. The 2022 South Australian winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award was Robyn Verrall from Keith in South Australia's South-East. She was recognised for her work to reduce food insecurity and increase food affordability in rural, regional and First Nations communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory. Robyn is director, founder and mentor of Kere to Country, an Aboriginal owned and operated food supply company that works to ensure high-quality and affordable meat is available to First Nations communities in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

She describes herself as 'fearless and passionate about the meat industry, agriculture, farming, First Nations people and culture'. Robyn's story is truly amazing. The work she does with Kere to Country is helping some of the most vulnerable people in our state overcome food insecurity, and it is certainly to be commended. Her passion for her project is truly admirable, and I cannot wait to see the progress she continues to make in reducing food insecurity.

I would also like to acknowledge the achievements of the other 2022 finalists, Lukina Lukin from Port Lincoln and Stephanie Lunn from Jamestown. Both of them are inspiring in different sectors for women across rural and regional South Australia.

Lukina Lukin is the Managing Director of Lukina Group of Companies and is currently working towards opening a pathway for her business Dinko Tuna and the Australian southern bluefin tuna industry to grow globally and move further into emerging export markets across Asia, the Middle East and the United States. Stephanie Lunn is an expert in agricultural research and development as well as director for not-for-profit venture TrialSafe. The South Australian finalists for 2022 span diverse industries, as I said, from food security to opening up global seafood markets to work safety.

Complementing the Rural Women's Award is the Rural Women's Acceleration Grant. This provides a learning and development bursary of up to $7,000 to enable rural women to bring their idea, cause or vision to life. It needs to be a project that benefits rural and regional communities or businesses. Applications for the 2023 AgriFutures South Australian Rural Women's Award and Acceleration Grant have been extended and will now close on Wednesday 16 November 2022, and I will be very excited to see at that time which amazing women have applied.

South Australia has a proud history of celebrating and recognising trailblazing women, and of advancing gender equality. The Malinauskas government is committed to continuing to do this into the future. Overall, the award programs I have mentioned demonstrate that there really is enormous potential for us to benefit even more from female industry participation and leadership across the agribusiness sectors. I am keen to see this great momentum build and carry on long into the future, and I look forward to announcing the 2023 finalists.

These are just some of the ways that rural women can be acknowledged. I know a number of organisations held events to mark International Day of Rural Women, including in my own area. Women in Business and Regional Development, also known as WiBRD for short, held their annual lunch—the third time they have held such an event—on International Day of Rural Women. In fact, I think it was the day before; I think it was Friday.

Guest speakers were the amazing Robyn Verrall, whom I have mentioned, and also Sarah Hope, a journalist, creator, artist and inspiring person to listen to. Unfortunately, I was unable to get home last Friday to attend the event, but I do look forward to seeing how it went. I am advised that Sarah, as well as being a former journalist and the other items I mentioned, is also an interior decorator and educator.

WiBRD is an important part of our community in the Limestone Coast with many of their events selling out, so I am sure this one was also very well patronised. I also congratulate them on the excellent work they do with and for our rural women. I commend the motion to you. Celebrating the amazing rural women that we have in South Australia in so many different sectors is certainly something that is worthy of respect and recognition. I say to everybody, happy International Day of Rural Women.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (17:17): I rise to support this motion moved by the honourable member today. In 2007, it was declared in the UN General Assembly that 15 October will be observed as International Day of Rural Women. This day is dedicated to the millions of women living in remote rural places and celebrates the achievements and contributions of these women towards rural development and agriculture, food production and food safety.

The theme for the International Day of Rural Women is 'Rural women cultivating good food for all', which highlights the essential role that rural women and girls play in the food systems of the world. International Day of Rural Women is an important occasion to educate the general public on the importance of women, to celebrate the achievements of women, as well as reminding us to reach out a helping hand and to fight the stereotypes.

Women in regional and rural South Australia face distinct economic opportunities and challenges. Small populations and long distances can limit access to employment, training and services such as health care, child care and education. Rural women also play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of rural households and communities, accounting for a substantial proportion of the agriculture labour force, including informal work, and performing the bulk of unpaid care and domestic work within families and households in rural areas.

It is important that we work actively with stakeholders from different parts of South Australia to ensure that actions are generated to support women across all areas of the state, and in particular it is important to appreciate the hard work and contributions of rural women to agriculture production, food security and nutrition, land and natural resource management, and the development of our rural communities.

The former Liberal government was committed to an environment where all South Australian women can make the most of our existing and emerging economic opportunities. We released a state-first South Australian Women's Leadership and Economic Security Strategy, which sets future directions for creating increased opportunity for women to participate in and benefit from a range of economic initiatives in South Australia.

Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the former Liberal government led the way in reducing the pay gap, with a decrease from 9.8 per cent in 2018 to 7.2 per cent in May 2022. South Australia's pay gap currently far exceeds the national average of 14.1 per cent.

Each year, emerging female leaders in the agricultural sector are recognised nationally in the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award. It is Australia's leading award, acknowledging the essential role women play in rural industries, businesses and communities. The finalists for the 2022 South Australian AgriFutures Rural Women's Award represented a broad range of industries, from food security to expanding into global seafood markets to work safety.

The first finalist, Stephanie Lunn, is an expert in agricultural research and development, as well as director for the not-for-profit venture Trial Safe. Trial Safe is an established safety initiative delivering safety seminars across Australia and a safety podcast targeted at agricultural research professionals and the broader agricultural community. It helps to achieve safer workplaces and practices, which are critical for the long-term sustainability of the agricultural industry.

The second finalist, Lukina Lukin, calls Port Lincoln home and is the managing director of the Lukin group of companies. She is committed to diversifying and growing the Australian southern bluefin tuna industry's footprint to compete globally. This has included a move into emerging export markets across Asia, the Middle East and the United States. I was fortunate to be able to visit Lukina at her facility in Port Lincoln and was incredibly impressed by her vision and dedication to the southern bluefin tuna industry and the fishing industry more broadly.

The third finalist, Robyn Verrall, works as director and founder of Kere to Country—'kere' meaning 'food from animals' in Arrernte. Kere to Country is an Aboriginal owned and operated food supply company bringing high-quality and affordable meat into First Nations communities in South Australia and Northern Territory. Reducing food insecurity and increasing food affordability in rural and regional and First Nations communities is Robyn's primary goal, and she is committed to supporting food and family businesses, as they play a vital role in helping women thrive in communities.

All the finalists are to be congratulated for their outstanding achievements in their fields, with special congratulations to the winner of the South Australian AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year Award, Robyn Verrall. As the state winner, Robyn joined the other state and territory finalists in Canberra at Parliament House for the announcement of the national winner. The annual gala award is a celebration of the finalists' hard work and commitment and an opportunity to shine a spotlight on role models for the next generation of rural leaders. Unfortunately, Robyn was not successful, but she is an outstanding ambassador for our state.

Congratulations to the finalists across the country for this significant award. It is a testament to your hard work and excellence, and I extend my gratitude for the important role you are playing in our rural industries, businesses and communities, as well as inspiring the next generation of rural women.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.