Share the Dignity 10th Birthday Celebration

The Honourable Sterling Hinchliffe; Senator for Queensland, Senator Larissa Waters; Share the Dignity Chair, Mr Simon Tolhurst; Founder and Managing Director, Ms Rochelle Courtenay; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I, too, begin by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this evening.

As Patron of Share the Dignity, I am delighted to be with you all this evening to celebrate the 10^th birthday of this remarkable organisation, which is doing so much to transform the lives of so many.

A decade ago, founder Rochelle Courtenay identified a critical need to help provide sanitary products to those living without a safe place to call home—an appalling enough situation for any person!

She said she “could not believe” these people were being forced to choose between buying food or buying period products—that this “basic human right” was not available to all.

Fast forward ten years, and thanks to Rochelle’s drive and deft leadership, Share the Dignity has gone from charitable vision to vital nation-wide charity—one that not only delivers products for menstruation needs but acts as a powerful force for positive change.

The statistics themselves are astonishing.
Since 2015, Share the Dignity has collected and distributed over five million period products through dignity drives. The It’s in the Bag initiative reached its one-millionth donation, while nearly 1,000 Dignity Vending Machines have been installed, and 350,000 period products sent to remote Indigenous communities.

The organisation also leads education programs to break menstrual taboos, including the world-first Eco Period Club, and it has successfully lobbied for the removal of the GST on menstrual products in Australia.

Yet these tangible gains tell only part of the story.

Each Share the Dignity delivery enhances lives across diverse backgrounds, ages, and locations, and offers not only essential products but also support, love, and hope for a better future.

I therefore take this opportunity to thank the Chair, Board, staff, and the vast network of “sheroes”, who are doing all they can to ensure all Queenslanders are afforded their human dignity and basic rights.

And I thank the donors, supporters and partner organisations who ensure effective collection and distribution channels.

As Rochelle has said, “we are all part of the solution”, and I encourage all Queenslanders to support Share the Dignity’s valuable work so that it can continue to thrive into the future.

Happy tenth birthday, and congratulations!