Inductees to the International Women’s Day Heather Mutimer Honour Roll were announced at the Hepburn Shire International Women’s Day event on 9 March 2017 at the Daylesford Town Hall.
The inductees are Candy Broad, Jenny Beacham, Kit Manning and Elsie Miller (posthumous).
Her Excellency, the Hon. Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria, was the keynote speaker at the event, which included presentations from two Year 10 students from Daylesford Secondary College. Antigone Jonas and Chloe Leonard spoke on the International Women’s Day theme of “Be bold for change”.
Mayor Cr Sebastian Klein said that the inductees were all worthy recipients of the honour.
“Here we have four very different women who have all championed the protection and advancement of women’s rights,” said Cr Klein.
The 2017 Inductees:
Candy Broad – A strong force in politics, and held many powerful roles, she proposed the Abortion Law Reform Bill into the Parliament in 2008, which was passed overwhelmingly on a conscience vote by Members of all parties. Candy also had considerable influence over the creation of federal ALP policy, and campaigned for the rights of women in the party. To this end, she played a significant role in the 1994 introduction of the ALP’s affirmative action scheme, aiming to have women pre-selected in 35 percent of winnable seats.
Jenny Beacham – Throughout her working career she has espoused the cause of gender equity, especially regarding the role of educating girls in rural areas. She has worked at the political level to achieve change. Her influence continues to be important at the local level, in that she has continued the direct mentoring of women in the community.
Kit Manning – A leader in her community for over 40 years, working in many areas including the local football and netball club as well as the Trentham Mechanics Institute. Consciously and deliberately achieving the cooperation of her fellow women and nurturing their skills and talents, providing long term change in the status of women in her community whilst broadening and strengthening roles of other women through her efforts.
Elsie Miller (posthumous) – A leader of the community who championed the advancement of gender equity. Elsie dedicated many years of her life to the Daylesford Ladies Benevolent Society which supplies the needs of disadvantaged women in the community, by providing them with food, clothing and other necessaries, without respect to creed or country. Elsie was also a part of the Mother’s Union, Girl Guides Support Group and the Red Cross.
