Wednesday, 5 March 2025

 Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Government Services, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples, Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Women) (10:05): I rise to update the house on the incredible work Victorians are doing to mark International Women’s Day this week, including many events that I have been lucky enough to attend so far. At the weekend I joined hundreds of empowered women from our multicultural communities celebrating their International Women’s Day awards with the Australia Today group, and I was lucky to join the Australian Information Industry Association for their breakfast this morning celebrating IWD and celebrating the trailblazing women across the tech sector, who are absolutely integral to my ministry portfolios of government services and of course women. Tomorrow I look forward to celebrating women first responders with parliamentary colleagues in this place and with the Speaker, and in my electorate on Friday I am looking forward to celebrating the day with the Melton council and then joining Her Place Women’s Museum and the Australian Museum of Democracy for their celebration of women activists across this state. I will then be lucky to join the Australian Workers’ Union’s trailblazing fighters for gender equality in the workplace before joining the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority to celebrate their work supporting women next week, because women’s rights are human rights, and I cannot wait to march forward with every Victorian.