Today in our meeting we celebrated International Women’s day.
It was not the large breakfast event organised by Women in Rotary but via an Online event.
For those that were unable to attend, I append some of the highlights.
Jennifer Jones RI President 2022-23
A Bold New World: “adaptability is key” “connectivity, to be harnessed”
She talked about the opportunity to take a step back to see the bigger picture. To use technology to connect with others when face to face may not be possible, to learn from others including younger people. She also talked about the role of business leaders to provide working environments that allow for diversity, equity & inclusion. These are no longer buzz words. She talked taking a hybrid approach to connection, use technology but to amplify connections by person-to-person meetings where possible.
Sally Capp Lord Mayor of Melbourne
A 
Bold New World: Leadership: “ a sense of bringing agendas together and leveraging them is central to new skills”
Bold New World: Leadership: “ a sense of bringing agendas together and leveraging them is central to new skills” Sally Capp acknowledged the 10 years of Women in Rotary (a D9800 initiative). She talked about the importance of being bolder and braver in business. She mentioned Covid and the greater impact on women, the challenges that have been in some cases overwhelming but at the same time has provided the opportunity to reset. This reset is in terms of how we chose to work and live. The balance of raising children and working is not a women’s issue along. For forty years we have been talking about flexibility, we have now seen the importance of flexibility to meet the needs of individuals and organisations
Dr Dean Freestone CEO Seer Medical
A Bold New World: Opportunity “have the self-belief to take a running leap and pursue it” Dean Seer launched a start-up just before the pandemic started. He is a father of a young child and his partner is a lead scientist. He stressed the importance of being able to structure work to as effective as possible but not at the expense of family life. He encouraged those potential entrepreneurs to have the courage to take the first steps, to have self-belief and just take a running leap
Dr Megan Clark AC Former Head of Australian Space Agency
A Bold New World: “Don’t limit your vision” The Australian space agency was set up at the start with gender balance from the advisory board down. “She said “don’t limit your vision” NASA has recognised the Australian space agency as the best in the world and Australia will be participating in joint missions to outer space.
Colin Carter president Geelong Football Club 2010 - 2
020
020 A Bold New World: “question how we work, the way we run our life and work life balance.
While Colin Carter acknowledged the advantages of working from home he believes that a high functioning team needs to build a connection which means 2-3 days at work together. The “dark side” of working from home has been the blurring of work and personal life, which has been acceptable over the past year.
Jacinda Ardern Prime Minister of New Zealand
40th Prime Minister3rd woman Prime Minister Looking into the future...
Jacinda Ardern stated that women have been more effected by the pandemic via job loss and also have been part of front-line health workers. She encouraged young women of the next generation to not put limit on their own aspirations in terms of earnings, career or safety.