Local CWA members enjoy state conference while advocating for change

By Benalla Ensign

Jun 14, 2024

Thoona CWA members Jenny Hammon, Rosslyn Heaney, Cathryn Irvine, Judee Lockwood, Pauline Macey, Heather Wynack and Jan James. Photo by Contributed

The Country Women’s Association’s 96th state conference was recently held at the Melbourne Showgrounds with almost 400 members attending the two-day event.

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Members from the Moira Group, which includes Benalla, Boorhaman, Corowa, Swanpool, Thoona, Yarrawonga and other Victorian-NSW border branches attended.

The theme was ‘Advocating for Change’.

The keynote speaker was Victorian Premier, Jacinta Allan, who told the conference that ‘voices of women matter’.

Guest speakers included:

Victorian Department of Health, Director Women's Health and Population Wellbeing, Jill Butty.
Chair of the board of Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute, Paula Nicholson.
Homelessness Australia CEO, Kate Colvin.
Chief executive of SecondBite, Daniel Moorfield.
Mission Australia Area Manager, Aileen Lacey.
Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, Ro Alan.

CWA of Victoria state president Jennifer Nola said the primary focus of the conference was advocating for change in relation to homelessness, food security and young people.

“But it was about the safety for all women,” she said.

“Whether at home, at work or in the wider community, that was an undertone of the conference.”

Thoona CWA member Jan James said it was a fantastic conference.

“We had a lot of active participation by our members,” she said.

“Four resolutions were put to the conference by different groups.”

Those were:

Removing indexation on tertiary students HECS/HELP loans.
Increasing fuel reduction burning in Victoria.
Strengthening the legislative framework in relation to the accessibility of extreme and/or graphic digital content by children in Australia.
Developing a legislative framework in relation to disclosure requirements for the commercial use of digital editing and artificial intelligence productions.

“All resolutions were successful and will be presented to the government,” Ms James said.

“The conference was a wonderful chance for women from all over Victoria to come together and spend time together in friendship.”

The CWA is open to women of all ages who want to enjoy social connection and community service.

For more information, visit cwaofvic.org.au/about/become-a-member