Today, the South Australian Business Chamber celebrates International Women’s Day and I find it appropriate to reflect on what this day means and why it is important.
To go back to its early days, International Women’s Day was born out of Germany, when the then leader of the Women’s Office of the Social Democratic Party in 1910 tabled the idea at the second International Conference of Working Women. A unanimous vote was secured, and the first International Women’s Day was celebrated the following year on 19 March 1911 before moving to 8 March in 1913.
Then, times were different in Australia also. It had been only 9 years since the Commonwealth Parliament passed an act enabling women to vote in Federal elections.
How times have changed and for the better.
In local history, Dame Nancy Buttfield became the first SA woman elected to the Federal Parliament in 1955. In 1966, the first woman was sworn in for jury service. In 1969, women were awarded equal pay for the same work as men and on 24 June 2010 Adelaide expat Julia Gillard was sworn in as the 27th Prime Minister of Australia, the first woman to hold the nation’s highest office.
There are many more examples I could list including my own godmother Dame Roma Mitchell who was Australia’s first female Judge, first female Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, first female Vice Chancellor of an Australian University and the first female Governor anywhere in Australia. She was also a strong advocate for social justice. Just like these examples, I urge everyone to consider their own workplaces and take some time to appreciate the extraordinary track record of achievement of so many South Australian women. With social entrepreneur Isobel Marshall named as the Young Australian of the Year for 2021, International Women’s Day takes on extra significance for younger women across our state.
It’s important to remember that although significant progress has been made since 1911, the work is far from over. Equal opportunities are still being fought for in some industries. In many countries, women’s rights are vastly different than our own and in others, almost non-existent.
As a man, I cannot understand on a personal level every struggle that women may encounter. However, I can lead by example. As a former business owner, former Lord Mayor of Adelaide and now CEO of the South Australian Business Chamber, I value the equal contribution of women in commercial and civic life. Over 75% of the workforce of my own company were women, I led the first gender balanced Council in the history of the City of Adelaide and the South Australian Business Chamber proudly has a 65% female work force.
The South Australian Business Chamber’s Chair, Nikki Govan, is a strong and successful businessperson and many of the South Australian Business Chamber’s senior team are qualified, skilled female professionals who add value to the organisation every day. Let’s aspire to when a nominated day representing the achievements of women may not be entirely necessary, as they will be celebrated in business every day, with fair conditions, safe working environments and equal pay.
Let’s also aspire to a day where for every organisation it’s not about filling quotas, it’s instead about filling the organisation with hard working, capable employees that span genders, preferences, ethnicities and religions.
Today, the South Australian Business Chamber is celebrating a sold-out International Women’s Day luncheon at the new SkyCity Ballroom.
