Speeches
Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Clubs SA Women in Clubs Luncheon
I am pleased to join you for the inaugural Clubs SA Women in Clubs Luncheon.
I thank in particular those of you who have travelled from country areas, or have taken time from work, to attend today.
South Australia's clubs sector is a dynamic and enduring feature of community life.
As Governor I have the privilege of engaging with the sector in all its diversity: from well-established metropolitan institutions, to small volunteer-run clubs in regional communities that have served their towns for generations.
Clubs are, in the truest sense, community anchors.
They provide not only a gathering place but a sense of belonging, especially in regional communities.
The economic and social contributions they make to South Australia are considerable and, I think, often underestimated by those outside the sector.
What sustains clubs, in almost every case I have encountered, is the dedication of large numbers of people who give their time without fanfare, who turn up week after week, and who do the essential work that keeps these organisations thriving.
A great many of these people are women.
I have observed, and I suspect many of you have too, that women in clubs often hold their organisation together, behind the scenes.
From managing administration to running the kitchen, coordinating volunteers, keeping the finances in order… I often observe women doing the quiet work that rarely attracts recognition, but without which nothing would function.
That work is vital and deserves to be named as such.
That said, this afternoon, I offer you a gentle challenge.
As women working in clubs, the skills you have developed - in governance, financial management, events, communications, hospitality, people management, or community engagement - are deeply transferable.
I encourage you to think carefully about where else in the sector these skills might take you.
I have noticed that women sometimes remain in roles because they feel comfortable there, or because the more visible leadership positions have historically been occupied by others.
I encourage you to look at those roles - the general manager, the board chair, the chief executive - and ask yourself whether those positions might be for you.
What could you bring to these positions? It may well be a great deal.
The experience you have gained in the clubs sector is substantial, and it equips you for a greater number and variety of roles you may have considered.
To the women in this room who already hold leadership positions, as chief executives, board members, and senior managers, I recognise the path you have forged.
I encourage you to use the influence, expertise and experience you hold to bring others with you.
I note that women in the most senior roles in the clubs sector remain fewer in number than they should be.
Therefore, those who have reached those positions carry particular importance: as proof of what is possible, and as a reminder of how much further the sector can go.
Friends,
I thank the Clubs SA Board and staff for the initiative they have shown in bringing together this luncheon.
The connections formed in a room like this - the shared understanding, the professional friendships, the sense of common purpose - are themselves a form of infrastructure. They matter.
I note that the calibre of today's speakers, including Rebecca and Lucy Willson of Bremerton Wines, whose leadership of a family business in Langhorne Creek speaks directly to the themes of this afternoon.
Today’s event reflects the seriousness with which Clubs SA is approaching the development of women in your sector.
I wish you all an enjoyable and productive luncheon, and I look forward to hearing about the conversations, connections and ideas that emerge from it.
South Australia's clubs are stronger when the full range of talent within them is recognised, supported, and given room to lead.
Today marks an important step in that direction.