Minister for Housing and Minister for the Status of Women

Media Release

Strengthening the voice of rural women

27/06/2008

The Government is delivering on its election commitment to strengthen the voice of rural women in shaping rural and regional policy by convening a National Rural Women's Summit over the next two days in Canberra.

The Summit brings together a diverse group of amazing women, from a cheese maker in Tasmania, to a wine maker from Margaret River, an exporter of yabbies from Kukerin in Western Australia, a sugar producer from Mackay, and an Indigenous artist from Darwin.

More than eighty delegates from around Australia are participating in the Summit, led by a steering group of representatives from key rural women's groups.

The Australian Government is committed to developing and supporting women's leadership in every aspect of Australian society, including in regional and rural Australia.

Issues to be discussed at the Summit include:

Health
Education
Vocational training and workforce participation
Building communities
Families and children
Business development
Infrastructure and communications
Climate change
Issues affecting young people, and
Women's representation in decision making

The Summit will renew relationships between the Government and women from country areas, and give rural women the chance to engage in the big policy debates of our time.

The Summit will discuss the scope of issues important to rural and regional women, and determine processes for addressing them.

The Summit is an opportunity for these women to have input into Government decision making, and to voice the unique needs of women living and working in regional and rural Australia.

Minister's Opening address