Tuesday, 8 March 2022

International Women’s Day

Ms HALFPENNY (Thomastown) (13:04): I rise to wish all Victorian women all the very best for International Women’s Day today and pay tribute to all the strong and committed women living in the electorate of Thomastown, the women that do so much to keep us all together. I would like to acknowledge the astounding work of a lot of women that head some amazing organisations. There is Nurcihan of the Turkish Women’s Recreation Group; from the Whittlesea Persian-speaking women’s group, Carmella; Tan from the Whittlesea Trung Vuong Vietnamese Women’s Group; Perihan from the Whittlesea Turkish Women’s Association; Nessie Sayar from the Whittlesea United Women’s Group; Alita from Women of Whittlesea Embracing Diversity; Karinda Taylor, CEO of First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing; Athena Koeur, a community pharmacist and local activist; U3A committee members Cathy Lucio, Elaine Bateman, Natalie Lowe and Chris Churney; Alex Haines, who heads Whittlesea Community Connections; Leila Alloush from the Victorian Arabic Social Services; from the Society of Women Empowerment and Recognition Australia, Sar Nassia; Aseel Tayah, Collaborations Aseel; Association of Iraqi Women, a great woman, Abir; the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, Cam Nguyen; the Bint Al-Huda Iraqi Women Association, Feriel; the Community of Cypriots of the Northern Suburbs of Melbourne Women’s Group, Elpida; the Greek Cypriot Women’s Group, Helen; Sarah from the Green Island Turkish Women’s Group; the Greek Orthodox Community of Whittlesea Women’s Group, Vera; the list goes on and on—and Ness from Gabriella— (Time expired)