Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership Celebrate Leaders Across Every State and Territory
In recognition of Australian women who lead with impact and courage, Women & Leadership Australia (WLA) today announces Christine Holgate as the 2022 National Award recipient of the Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership.
Nominated by members of the public, the annual Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership celebrate exceptional women nationally who’ve led across various industries and capacities, specifically those who have made outstanding contributions to the narrative of leadership equality.
Christine Holgate amassed widespread recognition for her determination, resilience, and agency shown in bringing gender inequity issues to the forefront of conversations on a national scale. Showcasing a passion for justice and leadership – previously as CEO of Australia Post and now, Toll Global Express – Ms Holgate is considered a tenacious and inspirational example for women in leadership roles. Ms Holgate will accept her award at the Australian Women’s Leadership Symposium in Canberra on May 13, 2022.
“I am truly humbled and proud to receive this award amongst so many inspiring female leaders,” said Ms Holgate.
“The last 12 months have been a very challenging period for many women. Amongst the hardships, we witnessed women come together, stand up and speak out, exposing the harassment, discrimination, and intimidation of women, of all ages, occupations, and beliefs in our country.
“After years of reviews, committees and promises, we are still not progressing and in many instances the statistics have deteriorated. The number of women feeling harassed, the number of women assaulted and the number of women made economically vulnerable have all increased through COVID, and it’s not just the numbers, too often the severity has also increased.
Much more work needs to be done if we are to secure a safe, respectful and equitable society. To start with, it is critical we implement all 55 of the recommendations from Kate Jenkin’s Respect@Work report to ensure women can go to work and feel safe. I am passionate about advocating for more respectful workplaces and I will stand behind the women who are calling out inequality, harassment and bullying when they see it. I owe this to the many thousands of people who stood behind me when I needed the support, and I owe it to the next generation to ensure that what I experienced, doesn’t happen to others,” she continued.
Along with Christine Holgate being named the Awards’ national winner, WLA announced a raft of inspiring women as state and territory award recipients including Australian College of Nursing CEO, Adjunct Professor Kylie Ward (ACT); Disability Advocate and Media Professional, Lisa Cox (QLD); The Remarkable Woman CEO and Founder, Shivani Gopal (NSW); IPS Management Consultants Executive Director, Jahna Cedar OAM (WA); SA Health Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier PSM (SA); Djirra CEO and National Family Violence Prevention Legal Services Co-Chair, Antoinette Braybrook (VIC); Chief Plant Officer, Dr Anne Walters(NT); and 28th Governor of Tasmania, Professor Kate Warner AC (TAS).
CEO of WLA, Suzi Finkelstein, commends the Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership recipients for bolstering visibility and building momentum for gender equity in leadership positions across all industries and the broader community, particularly amidst the uncertainty and upheaval of modern times.
“The Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership are an important opportunity to shine a light on women’s leadership and increase visibility to shift the dialogue and showcase role models for the next generation of leaders. Today we celebrate the inspiring leaders who have affected change and opened doors for other women by challenging inequities and disrupting the norms, all whilst navigating the complexities of a global pandemic. We are extremely thankful for their work and contributions,” said Finkelstein.
“We are delighted to award the National honour to Ms Holgate who continues to demonstrate an outstanding contribution to gender equity and paving the way for emerging women in leadership roles – both in Australia and on an international scale.
“Under intense public scrutiny, pressure and attention, Ms Holgate stood strong in her convictions and courageously spoke out against unlawful inequities and bullying. She has since displayed unwavering strength and resilience to re-establish herself as one of Australia’s most inspiring leaders,” concluded Finkelstein.
The 2022 Australian Awards for Excellence in Women’s Leadership will be presented at various women’s leadership events throughout the year.
Previous National Award winners include Natasha Stott Despoja AO, Nova Peris OAM OLY, Tracey Spicer AM, The Hon. Julia Gillard, The Hon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, Elizabeth Broderick AO, Ann Sherry AO, and Gail Kelly.