Locals unite in Strathalbyn to break the bias on International Women’s Day

Celebrating the achievements of women and marking continued struggles to forge a gender-equal world were the themes of a recent International Women’s Day (IWD) dinner at Strathalbyn.

About 100 people attended the Australian Local Government Women’s Association (ALGWA) South Australian Branch’s event last Tuesday to challenge the obstacles that perpetrate inequality against women, and promote 2022’s campaign theme #BreakTheBias.

Event organiser and Alexandrina councillor Bronwyn Lewis was pleased by the dinner’s turnout.

“We had great numbers given it is the first time we have had it at Strath,” she said. 

“We rotate the event around other regions and this year we joined with Mount Barker District Council.

“Having young people from the Eastern Fleurieu School was great to see, and each one of the speakers brought something different to the table.

“The panel went quite well, and we had enough time with all the speakers to ask questions.”

Ambleside Distillers’ Trudy Dickson spoke on 30-years corporate experience, terrible workplace culture, outdated values and leadership styles.

As Vice President of the Australian Women’s Distillers Association, Mrs Dickson has drawn inspiration from her “trailblazer” mother in opening a number of businesses, and is a passionate advocate for women in industry. 

“During my career, I have tried to be a champion for women, pushed for wages equity, provided opportunities for women in the workplace and delivered messages to business about bias – whether that is conscious or unconscious bias,” she said on the night. 

Second speaker, CEO of The Suffragette Group Chelsey Potter, shared how her experience of sexual abuse had triggered her mission to advocate for better protections and improved processes for reporting sexual harassment. 

For more than 16 years, Ms Potter has seen state and federal politics from almost every angle, and now supports female candidates to run for office.

“As I continued to grow in politics, I noticed something was a little bit off,” she said during her speech.

“A lot of the men who came up with me were getting promotions, they were getting tapped on the shoulder for preselection. 

“I was married to a politician when I was 18 and told I was sleeping my way to the top. 

“The unconscious bias I felt from a very young age was very, very real. 

“After 10 years of political work, in Canberra, I was staying with a colleague and I was sexually assaulted by that colleague. 

“I didn’t know where to make a complaint or who to go to.”

Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie similarly discussed gender equality and women’s rights in the Australian parliament.

Referencing The Jenkins Report, Ms Sharkie revealed one in three staffers interviewed had been sexually harassed in the parliament, and 63 per cent of female parliamentarians had reported sexual harassment compared to 24 per cent of their male colleagues. 

The mother of three shared her own challenges to rise in a political role. 

“In 2008, I sat in a suburban office of a suburban state MP for a job interview for a part-time advisor role,” she said. 

“He said ‘I’m not sure if I’m looking for someone young or someone like you at the end of their career’.

“My heart sank. I was 35.

“We should be encouraging young people, particularly young women, to enter politics, work for the Australian Parliament and be active in political life.” - Rebekha Sharkie

Overall, the three speeches supported the need to “break the bias”.

“We have three elections this year, and we need to get that gender equity happening,” Ms Lewis added. 

“I want to keep the IWD event in the Fleurieu and maybe next year will host it at Goolwa.”

She thanked the night’s sponsors and volunteers who helped run the event at the Strathalbyn Football Club.