Public Safety Business Agency International Women’s Day event

Minister Ryan; leaders of our public safety agencies; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I am delighted to join you today to mark International Women’s Day, and to acknowledge the incredible work of the many Queensland women who contribute to the success of the Public Safety Business Agency, as well as all of the Emergency Services and safety organisations represented here.

I at once acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we gather, with respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and in doing so, acknowledge the important role Indigenous women continue to play across Queensland, especially in our rural, regional and remote communities.   

We gather today to celebrate the theme: You are enough. Believe in yourself and your journey.

It is a theme which strikes me as particularly appropriate when considering the long and evolving history of gender equality throughout the world.

International Women’s Day was officially marked for the first time in 1911 – in the wake of the suffragette movement of the early 20th century – by more than a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland.

The values and beliefs at the very heart of International Women’s Day have since spread across the globe, and today it has grown to become a global event that reflects upon the economic, political and social achievements of women.

This year we mark the occasion under the theme, Balance for Better.

That means better representation, leading to better outcomes.

It is something each family, each school, business and government should strive to embrace.

Today’s event embodies this collaborative approach, as well as reflecting the goal of our public safety agencies of engaging both men and women in promoting inclusion and gender equality.

This is not simply a ‘women’s issue’, but an issue everyone should continue to champion.

Today, awards will be presented to individuals from across the public safety agencies whose achievements prove just that.

Each of the women honoured this morning makes a vital contribution towards the public safety of their fellow Queenslanders.

Imagine how different the outcome might have been if any one of them had found their journey hindered because of their gender.

Congratulations to you all, for knowing that you are, indeed, creating Balance for Better.

I also acknowledge the work of Hummingbird House, the focus of today’s fundraising efforts.

Founded in 2011, Hummingbird House is Queensland’s only children’s hospice, providing care and compassion for our most vulnerable girls and boys and their families.

Finally, I thank each of you most sincerely for your ongoing commitment to our vast and diverse State.

It has certainly been a busy few months, with bushfire and flood emergencies impacting many communities, and I thank you for everything you have done, and indeed continue to do, across Queensland.