Speeches
Thursday, 05 March 2026
Migrant Resource Centre International Women’s Day Forum
I am pleased to join you for the 2026 International Women's Day Forum, and to once again be welcomed into the diverse company of women from across our community – and, of course, our much appreciated male supporters.
As Governor, I am committed to gender equality - not simply as a matter of principle, but because I have seen, again and again, that communities and economies are stronger when every person can contribute fully and be recognised for doing so.
This morning you have the opportunity to listen to two panel discussions, hearing from women at the leadership level and others sharing their personal stories of resilience.
In addition to the important thoughts these panels members will share, I share three messages of my own.
The first is that diversity is a profound strength. It is complex, yes, but not a complication to be managed.
South Australia is home to women who carry within them the languages, the memories, the professional skills, and the cultural knowledge of communities from across the world.
Each of these women – all of you here today – contributes to the fabric of our society.
The second is that equality matters.
It is not enough to celebrate the contributions of migrant and refugee women if the systems around them still present barriers to employment, skills recognition, safety, and leadership.
I am heartened by the work underway across government and the community sector to forge new opportunities and to make those systems more responsive.
I know there is more to do, and forums like this one help us understand where to direct that effort.
The third is that belonging is built together.
The theme of today's forum - One Community, Many Strengths - speaks directly to a truth I encounter in this role every day: that we are indeed one community, strengthened by the richly varied backgrounds of its members.
This unity does not require sameness. It requires respect, it requires listening, and it requires the willingness to elevate voices that have not always been heard.
I believe that some of our best ideas are developed through actively listening to other people, and the stories shared in this room today will be proof of that.
Friends,
I thank the Australian Migrant Resource Centre for bringing this forum to life, as well as the Council of Migrant and Refugee Women, the Middle Eastern Communities Council of South Australia, the African Communities Council of South Australia, Multicultural Youth Link SA, and all the organisations and individuals whose dedication has made today possible.
I thank the Migrant Resource Centre for its notable contribution to South Australia over more than four decades, supporting more than 1,100 women through empowerment programs in the past financial year, while delivering more than 1,500 education and employment sessions.
I was pleased to learn the Centre has also established a new Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence program that places lived experience and culturally informed solutions at its very centre.
I wish today’s panellists, speakers, and participants a forum of rich and meaningful exchange.
To every woman in this room: your presence here, your voice, and your experience matter - to this community, and to South Australia.