Congratulations to Quentin Bryce on her appointment as Australia's 25th Governor General. This is the first time that a woman has filled this highly respected post and we wish her all the best for success. We hope that women's issues will see an improvement in the future.
Women's Electoral Lobby Victoria congratulates Australia's first female Prime Minister who has taken her special place in history. Prime Minister Julia Gillard has WEL's best wishes for this historic occasion and her future in the leadership of the nation.
The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman of Yemen for their work on women's rights.
Congratulations to Penny Williams, Australia's first Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, who will advocate for their rights, eradicate domestic violence and increase their representation in leadership roles.
Congratulations to Elizabeth A. Alexander AM, the first female Chancellor of The University of Melbourne.
Congratulations: Our WEL Convenor, Kerry Lovering, received an Order of Australia Medal in the 2008 Australia Day Honours for services to women and we congratulate her for this award and for her life of working for women. CLICK here to read The Age article about it all and read more below.
Obituaries: Four early and very active members of WEL Victoria, Shirley Sampson, Anne Gunter, Ruth Shnookal, Joyce Nicholson and Vivienne Brophy, died recently and we mourn the passing of these very special WEL pioneers. Shirley was active in female education. Anne was central to the administration of WEL over many years. Ruth ran the WEL office at times and was very much involved in the movement for abortion rights and her husband was one of the doctors who opposed police corruption. Joyce was an active member who ran the WEL office for many years from her home. Vivienne was active in WEL and in a number of sports. WEL remembered. We also note the passing of Prof. Carl Wood, who did so much for women and their babies.
Women's International Cricket matches have been shown in February, 2012 on TV along with the men's 20/20 cricket series.
Congratulations: The outstanding achievements of Australian Nobel Laureate Professor Elizabeth Blackburn have been recognised through a new Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) awarded to top female Research Fellows.
Congratulations to our own Samantha Stosur, US Open tennis champion, for a wonderful effort in New York where she was the toast of the town, and has returned home where she has won more accolades.
Go Lola and her mates in the Firebirds Girls Soccer team. Girls can do it all now.
Congratulations to Angela Betheras, winner of the 2011 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women’s Award. Angela is an alpaca producer and agritourism business operator from Darnum in West Gippsland.
Congratulations to Pamela Williams of the Australian Financial Review, winner of the 2010 Walkey Award for Best Newspaper Feature Writing. This is the fifth Walkley Award for Pamela including the top prize, the Gold Walkley. Pamela is the daughter of Barbara Cameron, WEL Victoria website manager. Pamela is now Editor-at-Large of the Australian Financial Review newspaper. See photo.
Congratulations to the Australian Diamonds Netball Team for their Silver Medal in the Commonwealth Games 2010.
Congratulations to Lydia Lassila, Olympic Gold Medallist for ski jumping, on her triumph at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, 2010.
Congratulations to Debbie Lee, who is the president and life member of the Victorian Women's Football League, featuring in RACV Royalauto magazine, February 2010. Debbie makes significant contributions to women's football, she was last year's Football Woman of the Year and holds a place of honour in the National Sport Museum. Women's football is now played in many primary and secondary schools and Debbie encourages this via the Melbourne Football Club. Visit www.vwfl.org.au.
Conratulations to Elizabeth Blackburn who shares the Nobel Prize. She is the first female Nobel Laureate after winning the Nobel Medicine Prize for identifying a key molecular switch in cellular ageing.
Congratulations to the Wallaroos on winning the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup.. March 2009.
We note with sadness that Nancy Bird Walton has died aged 93. Nancy was the first woman to gain a Flying Licence at the age of 17 after training by Kingsford Smith. She flew Air Ambulances in the outback for many years and, as a pioneer trailblazer contributed much to the aviation industry. The latest huge commercial jetliner A380 was named after her, in her honour.
Our Kerry! Congratulations to Kerry Lovering who was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in the 2008 Australia Day Honours. Kerry is a long-time feminist, the Convenor of Women's Electoral Lobby Victoria and a Past President of the League of Women Voters. After graduation, her career covers Director of the Women's Bureau in the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Industrial Relations, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Family Studies, Senior Advisor in the Equal Employment Opportunity Bureau of the Commonwealth Public Service Board, Manager of Equal Employment Opportunity in the Victorian State Electricity Commission, Director of Equal Opportunity at Melbourne City Council and Review Officer at the WorkCover Corporation of South Australia. CLICK here to see The Age article about it.
Congratulations to the women of our Australian netball team for their achievement in winning their ninth world title in November 2007.
A generous donation has been received by WEL Victoria from the National Tertiary Education Union on behalf of Sandra Caine, a member of the union and also a member of WEL Victoria. Many thanks.
Heart-felt congratulations to Mrs Gail Kelly for being the first female CEO of the Westpac Bank starting on 1 February 2008. This appointment makes her the only woman CEO of a Top-20 Australian company. WEL done indeed.
WEL applauds Joan Kirner's launch of the 2008 Victorian Women's Honour Roll, singing "I am Woman". The Women's Affairs Minister, Jacinta Allan, says the roll celebrates the achievements of women from all walks of life. Included were swimming champ Brooke Hanson and actor/philanthropist Kerry Armstrong.
WEL done, Hockeyroos, for your Women's Hockey World Cup Silver Medal - October 2006.
Congratulations to the Australian Opals Womens Basketball team for their World Championship win in Brazil - September 2006.
In August 2006, Melissa Gesos, 22, won the National Association of Women in Construction award for the most outstanding student in Victoria/Tasmania. Although still in the final year of her RMIT degree, she is now working as a site co-ordinator for a large construction company. She claims that it is important to have women on site because they get things done. Congratulations to Melissa. Bayside Leader, Sept. 2006
In October 2005, Australian Sharon Anyos won the Women's Boxing World Championship title. In September 2006 she retained her title. Her endeavours do not bring her the recognition or financial benefits that a male world champion would enjoy - she has a $10,000 shortfall in her resources after all this. Congratulations to Sharon - what a feat - if you like it - do it! Australian Story, ABC TV.
