By Jeremy Cook
Approximately 200 community members packed into Warwick RSL last Friday morning to hear tales of inspiration from the head of Queensland’s largest university.
University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AC was one of several guests invited to speak at a breakfast hosted by the Zonta Club of Warwick for International Women’s Day last week.
International Women’s Day is celebrated globally each year on 8 March to recognise the achievements of women and give focus to issues specific to the women’s rights movement.
Professor Terry shared stories of her career journey and spoke at length about a number of issues still affecting women in Australia, such as the gender pay gap, unequal opportunities, the burden of housework and the difficulties in balancing life with work.
“We need to continue to tackle the gender stereotypes that still exist when it comes to particular industries and workplaces where women are still underrepresented,” she said.
“Over recent decades we’ve seen many more women move into prominent leadership roles in politics, public sector, law, medicine, education, in arts, sport and many other areas.
“However, we still have quite a way to go, especially in areas still dominated by men in fields like science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”
Professor Terry called on attendees to continue calling out the invisible hurdles which continue to hinder gender equality.
“Cultural change takes time, but the only way it ever occurs is person by person.”
Attendees, which included several community leaders and about 70 school students, also heard from outgoing Southern Downs councillor Jo McNally, wildlife biologist at Griffith University Dr Mariel Familiar Lopez and fourth year UQ engineering student Amy Beckett.
Dr Lopez and Ms Beckett spoke about their experiences working and studying in STEM fields as Queensland ambassadors of the national Inspiring Australia initiative, aimed at promoting understanding of scientific knowledge throughout the country.
Speaking on the importance of the day after the event, Professor Terry said it granted an opportunity “to both celebrate how far we have come, and to take stock of the challenges we still face”.
“One such challenge, which remains stubbornly persistent, is the gender pay gap,” she said.
“While we should be working to eliminate gender discrimination every day of the year, International Women’s Day serves as an important opportunity to re-focus our attention and re-commit ourselves to achieving substantive gender equality right across our society.”
“I’ve had the privilege of dealing with a wide range of really impressive, inspirational women from across politics, government, business, academia, and the not-for-profit sector.
“On International Women’s Day I often reflect on the courageous women of prior generations who took great risks to further the cause of equality for women.
“Women like Merle Thornton, a UQ PhD candidate, who, along with Rosalie Bognor, chained herself to the bar of the Regatta Hotel in 1965 to protest and force changes to discriminatory legislation.
“I think that’s pretty inspirational.”
