A message from the Chair of the WHGNE Board
Recently, as I went to get on the tractor to feed out hay to the cattle, I heard my seven-year-old grandson ask his Pa, “Can girls actually drive tractors?”
“Crikey”, I thought to myself as I climbed up onto the tractor and headed off to the hay shed. “If that doesn’t tell me how far we’ve still got to go when it comes to gender equity.”
It gave me plenty to ponder as I picked up the round bale, dropped and rolled it out. I must admit, I was shocked. Why? Because this little boy had seen me doing all sorts of jobs around the farm and had seen his Pa doing jobs around the house. I had thought we were providing him with a balanced view of gender.
Feminism and gender equity have no doubt come a long way, but what I’m learning is that inequality is deeply ingrained – in us as individuals and in the systems that support us. It will require ongoing focused work to continue the positive change.
Women’s Health Goulburn North East, as a proudly feminist organisation operating across a number of regional and rural communities, has an important role to play in this work – as it has over the past 30 years. Our current strategic plan highlights our role in driving systemic change. As an organisation we have moved strategically from service provision into systems change, working more in the primary prevention space. This has been a shift in ways of working for some of our staff, and they have risen to the challenge. Thanks to the additional funding received from the Victorian Government in 2022-24, we have been able to upskill our staff and board to ensure systems thinking is built into all ways of working.
Having been new to the women’s health sector, and in my second year on the Board, it’s taken a bit of time to appreciate the breadth and scope of work undertaken by the WHGNE staff. Their presentations at our Board meetings have helped with this, as well as demonstrating how their work is underpinned by our strong organisational values. On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank the team for their ongoing work to achieve our Vision and Purpose.
The WHGNE Board has had a busy and productive year. We have undertaken reflective practice and decision-making workshops, which has helped in the way we approach strategic decisions. Something I am particularly proud of is the decision the Board made earlier in the year to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and the call for a Voice to Parliament that is enshrined in the Constitution. I am proud of the ultimate decision, and also of the considered and thoughtful discussion that took place beforehand. It clearly demonstrated the high level of skills and talent we have attracted to our Board, and their dedication to WHGNE and our feminist values and principles.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working closely with our CEO, Amanda Kelly, and thank her for all the work she is doing – particularly in advocacy and driving our strategic direction. We’re fortunate to have a skilled and passionate advocate for rural and regional women’s health
Finally, I would also like to acknowledge and thank my fellow Board members for their ongoing commitment to WHGNE. I’d especially like to thank Katherine Allsop and Karen Taylor who both – in their first year on the Board – stepped into Acting Treasurer and Secretary roles respectively and ended up in those positions for the whole year!
– Trish Curtis
Chair, WHGNE