Friday, 14 November 2025

 Nina TAYLOR (Albert Park) (17:11): (1410) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Women, the Honourable Natalie Hutchins. The action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate of Albert Park to join me in celebrating the legacy of a remarkable woman, Louisa Briggs. As the minister is aware, the 2025 Victorian women’s public art program has been instrumental in funding and supporting the creation of public art projects that honour the achievements and contributions of women across the state. Six public artworks were selected through the program this year, including Looking Through and Looking Beyond: Celebrating the Legacy of Louisa Briggs, which will be located at the St Kilda foreshore.

Louisa Briggs worked as a nurse and midwife throughout the late 1800s and is recognised for being not only an active advocate for women’s rights but also an inspiring Aboriginal rights leader who worked tirelessly for the betterment of her community. Louisa protected displaced and mistreated Indigenous people who were taken to government reserves and stations and remained outspoken on these issues despite being expelled from Coranderrk Aboriginal Station, where she lived several times. Her contributions to public health and welfare continue to serve as a beacon of hope and empowerment for many in Victoria, particularly women and First Nations people.

This statue will be a symbol of her enduring legacy and the values of equality and justice that she has championed. I would like to invite the Minister for Women to visit Albert Park and personally view Louisa’s statue once it is ready to be unveiled. I believe that such a visit would not only be a great opportunity to acknowledge Louisa Briggs’s remarkable legacy but also demonstrate the government’s continued commitment to the recognition of women’s contributions to our state. I look forward to the minister’s response and hope that she will accept this invitation to visit our beautiful electorate and celebrate the achievements of a woman who has left a lasting impact on Victoria.