V Ision & V Itality

Vision & Vitality & Vision Vision

Vitality

Celebrating 25 Years of the Older Women’s Network in NSW

DOROTHY CORA Vision

Vitality

Celebrating 25 Years of the Older Women’s Network in NSW

DOROTHY CORA

An Older Women's Network publication Published in Australia by the Older Women’s Network NSW, 2014

This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Graphic design by Ruth Butler Cover photograph by Kay Hathway Printed by Breakout Media Communications, Sydney, Australia

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Author: Cora, Dorothy. Title: Vision & Vitality: Celebrating 25 Years of the Older Women’s Network in NSW / Dorothy Cora. Edition: 1st ed.

ISBN: 978-0-9808412-0-6 (pbk.)

Subjects: Older Women’s Network 1. Women social reformers–Australia. 2. Women political activists–Australia 3. Women’s rights–Australia–History–20th century. 4. Women–Australia Dewey Number: 305.2609944

Available from: Older Women’s Network NSW 87 Lower Fort Street Millers Point NSW 2000 Australia Phone: 02 9247 7046 Email: [email protected]

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to the Older Women’s Network NSW.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this book may contain images or names of women who have passed away. Networks are cooperative, not competitive. They are true grassroots: self-generating, self-organising, sometimes self destructing. They represent a process, a journey, not a frozen structure. A network is both intimate and expansive. Networks are the strategy by which small groups can transform an entire society.

Marilyn Ferguson, The Aquarian Conspiracy (1982) Dedication

Vision & Vitality is dedicated to the memory of Noreen Hewett, whose dynamic vision for older women’s involvement in public life led to the formation and growth of the Older Women’s Network.

Noreen (left) and Joy at Noreen’s 90th Birthday celebration in 2010

And to Joy Ross, who shouldered the heavy building blocks that laid the foundations of the Older Women’s Network, and who passionately advanced its aims and objectives for well over two decades. Preface

Amongst other things I am an older woman and a feminist. Before being employed by the Older Women’s Network (OWN) Inc. in Oc- tober 1994 I had worked for twenty years as a refuge worker, abortion counsellor, family support worker, sexual assault counsellor and group facilitator. At fifty-six I was thrilled to be employed in another women’s organisation, this time one concerned with older women’s issues. In previous jobs the management committee attended monthly committee meetings with paid workers. In between meetings they were rarely seen. At OWN, members of the management committee (known as the Working Committee) came into the office on a regular basis – often daily – to work on their activist or organisational projects. I initially found their presence disconcerting but before long came to appreciate the benefits of working closely together, despite them being, technically, my ‘bosses’. viii > VISION & VITALITY

Their energy and passion was infectious. Together we devised projects and wrote submissions to create new levels of visibility, relevance and influence for older women in NSW. I came to relish the dynamic atmosphere our collaborative relationship created and along the way learned much from them individually and collectively. I retired from OWN in 2005 after eleven challenging and fulfilling years. Over the next few years, in between overseas travel, gym classes, ill health and socialising, I wrote Centre Stage: Celebrating the Rise and Rise of the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group. In 2010, in recognition of the inspirational role she had played in the story of OWN, I also wrote Noreen Hewett: Portrait of a Grassroots Activist. Both books were published by OWN. The idea of writing a history of the Older Women’s Network in NSW had been floating around for a number of years. Personal stories were collected, archival material sorted, meetings and workshops held. Sug- gestions were floated about who could write it. Some suggested employing an historian to take on the task, but lack of money put paid to that idea. Throughout 2011, the project stalled. By early 2012, with encouragement from Noreen Hewett (since deceased) and Joy Ross, I began to explore the idea of volunteering to write it myself. I had two main concerns. Firstly, were my research and writing skills adequate for such a complex social history project and secondly, how could I write a history of a volunteer organisation where the diversity of activities, projects, programs and people have generated not one, but many, histories? I eventually decided that combined with the personal knowledge I had of OWN, my research and writing skills were probably adequate to the task. I also concluded that it would be unrealistic to try to name and incorporate the experiences and perspectives of all the women who have shaped and enriched OWN over the past twenty-five years. All I could attempt is a story that documents the focus, activities and Preface < ix

achievements of key players, projects and groups while acknowledging discoveries made and lessons learned along the way. The material in Vision & Vitality has been sourced from archival material and records, including newsletters, minutes, annual reports and other publications. On many occasions I contacted individuals to fill in the gaps or to ask for further clarification. A key person from each NSW group signed off on group overviews on the understanding that I was not writing a history per se of the groups, but simply trying to capture each groups’ distinctive qualities and ‘flavour’. I am hopeful that when more comprehensive histories are written about individual OWN groups in NSW that the women who have made OWN what it is today can have the pleasure of seeing their contributions acknowledged. Pat Carlton’s history of Newcastle OWN, which can be read online at www.ownnsw.org.au, is an inspiring illustration of how this can be achieved.

Dorothy Cora Acknowledgements

In the writing of OWN’s story, I have again felt the loss of OWN members who have died during the past twenty-five years. Their insights on OWN’s development during the early years and commentaries on later years would have been invaluable. They include Linda Adamson, Louise Anike, Pam Benton, Gwen George, Sylvia Harding, Noreen Hewett, Muriel Hortin, Trude Kallir, Pam Ledden, Helen Murphy, Una Nich- ols, Jacqueline Schofer, Renee Simons, Ermes Solari, Nina Walton and Helen Young. There are many women to thank for their encouragement and assistance during the writing of this book. I am especially indebted to Joy Ross for her insightful comments and enduring support for the project. Although I read countless articles and reports throughout the writing of Vision & Vitality, without Joy’s memory of events from the very early days when information about individual women and group activities was not always recorded this book would be much leaner. xii > VISION & VITALITY

My thanks go to Pat Zinn and Lucy Porter for their invaluable assistance in providing memories and resources for chapter 8, The Aborigi- nal Support Circle. Thanks also to the coordinators of each NSW group for their willingness to condense their contributions for inclusion in the book, and also to all the women with ‘insider’ knowledge who read and commented on specific chapters. Warm appreciation goes to my friend Val Brown for her useful feedback; to Kris Ferguson, my former colleague, for her wise and construc- tive suggestions; to Pat Carlton, the author of Newcastle OWN’s history, who continued to provide valuable feedback even in the midst of selling the family home; and to Robyn Smith, coordinator of Southern Highlands OWN, for her attention to detail and expert editorial notes. Finally, my sincere thanks to Jenny Onyx, academic, author, and member of Sydney OWN, who agreed to provide feedback on the final draft ofVision & Vitality. Her insights, comments and suggestions have been immeasurably beneficial to the final work. For errors and inadequacies in this work, of course, the responsibility is entirely my own.

Dorothy Cora Contents

Dedication v Preface vii Acknowledgements xi Introduction xxi

1. The Age of Invisibility 1 Flying high …...... 5 The OWN logo...... 7 Increasing visibility ...... 7 New premises!...... 8

2. Networking, Management and Roles 12 Sharing the work...... 13 Coordination of OWN Inc...... 15 Structural challenges...... 16 Management and coordination of OWN NSW ...... 18 Paid workers and their roles ...... 20 And now …...... 22

3. When older women get together… 24 Democracy in action...... 27 A snapshot of one year...... 28 A good idea, but …...... 28 Housing...... 28 Older Lesbians...... 30

4. The Theatre Group 32 Overview...... 33 In the beginning…...... 34 Money makes a difference...... 35 Calling the tune...... 36 Feedback...... 38 Dramatic challenges...... 39 Not all roses...... 40 International Year of Older Persons...... 41 The new millennium and beyond...... 44 Women Centre Stage...... 47 And they have continued to be heard…...... 49 Passion and power in the Snowies...... 54 Remembering Louise...... 56 More dramatic challenges...... 56 Lifting the spirits...... 62 5. Healthy Ageing 66 On the lighter side…...... 67 The Health Group...... 68 The cost of caring...... 69 Feminism and health...... 70 Partners in health...... 71 The Wellness dream...... 72 The Bankstown Wellness Story...... 73 Northside Wellness...... 75 Promoting Wellness ...... 76 Expanding Wellness...... 79 Sutherland Wellness...... 80 Collaborative Wellness Research ...... 81 Wellness Evaluation...... 81 Active Ageing and Falls Prevention Research...... 82 The picture in 2012 …...... 82 Sydney OWN Wellness...... 83 Blacktown OWN Wellness Centre...... 84 Illawarra OWN Wellness Centre ...... 84

6. Advocacy 87 A different view...... 88 Skill development workshops ...... 89 Guiding Principles and policy goals...... 89 An enduring passion...... 90 Louise Anike...... 90 Gwen George...... 93 Noreen Hewett...... 94 Muriel Hortin...... 95 Betty Johnson...... 96 Joy Ross...... 97 Margaret Sargent...... 99 Renate Watkinson ...... 100 Conferences, forums and workshops ...... 100 Conferences...... 101 Forums...... 105 Workshops...... 108 Policy Submissions...... 110 Other submissions...... 111 Large Funded Projects ...... 111 Older Women and Decision Making...... 112 Peer Support Advocacy Network (PSAN)...... 113 Violence and Abuse...... 114

7. Publications 118 The Newsletter...... 118 New directions...... 121 Current concerns...... 122 Other Publications...... 123 OWN-published books ...... 124 Reports by OWN members and others...... 124 Papers written by OWN members ...... 126 Written in collaboration with OWN members and published by others...... 126 Books...... 126 Reports...... 127 8. Aboriginal Support Circle 129 Aims, beliefs and values...... 131 Reconciliation in Action...... 133 Spreading the word...... 133 Guest speakers ...... 134 From ‘study’ to ‘support’...... 139 ASC initiatives...... 139 Support for other initiatives...... 141 Women’s Reconciliation Network...... 141 Survival/Invasion ...... 142 The Sea of Hands...... 142 Reconciliation Groups...... 142 Reconciliation Week 2000...... 143 Women for Wik...... 143 National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council... 144 Listening, Learning, Supporting...... 144 Student Support...... 144 The Block...... 145 Down South...... 146 La Perouse...... 147 In the City...... 147 Further Education ...... 148 Visits to galleries and cultural events...... 149 Support for campaigns...... 150 Publication of Steppin’ Out and Speakin’ Up...... 151

9. OWN Groups throughout NSW 154 Overview...... 154 Group closures...... 156 OWN Groups in NSW...... 157 Involvement of groups in OWN NSW...... 158 Group Profiles...... 159 Sydney OWN ...... 159 Past and present OWN groups in NSW ...... 164 Shoalhaven OWN – from 1989 to 1990...... 164 St Marys OWN – from 1990 to 1997...... 164 Blue Mountains OWN – from 1991 to 2001...... 164 Gosford OWN – from 1991 to 2002...... 164 Northside OWN – from 1992 to 1995 ...... 164 Nowra OWN – 1992...... 164 Bankstown Greek OWN – 1994 ...... 167 Northern Rivers OWN – from 1994 to 2001...... 170 Penrith OWN – 1994...... 170 Newcastle OWN – 1994...... 173 Woy Woy OWN – from 1996 to 2009...... 176 Wyong OWN – 1996...... 176 Wagga Wagga OWN – from 1997 to 2011...... 178 Macarthur OWN – 1997 ...... 178 Albury OWN – from 1998 to 1999...... 181 Illawarra OWN – 1998 ...... 181 Bellingen OWN – from 1999 to 2011...... 184 Orange OWN – from 1999 to 2000...... 184 Kiama OWN – from 2001 to 2006...... 184 Shellharbour OWN – from 2001 to 2006...... 184 Mid-Mountains OWN – from 2001 to 2005...... 184 Ashfield Greek OWN – from 2002 to 2011...... 184 Southern Highlands OWN – 2002...... 184 Wollondilly OWN 2002 ...... 187 Sutherland OWN – 2002 ...... 190 Parramatta OWN – 2003...... 194 Blacktown OWN – 2004...... 197 Hastings OWN 2004...... 200 Hills OWN 2009...... 202 Brisbane Waters OWN 2010...... 203 Bankstown OWN – 2011...... 206 Northside OWN 2011...... 208 Deepwater OWN – 2012 ...... 210

10. OWN (Australia)212 212 The Think Tank...... 213 Making it happen...... 215 Funding...... 216 Advocacy and lobbying ...... 217 Research projects ...... 218 Funding crisis...... 218 Project funding 2000 – 2009...... 219 Support from the Governor-General...... 221

Conclusion 224

Appendix A 228 OWN brochures...... 228 1990 OWN brochure...... 229 2000 OWN brochure...... 234

Appendix B 240 Picnic at Parliament House project report 1988...... 240 Appendix C 244 OWN Inc’s Guiding Principles 1995...... 244

Appendix D 248 Consumer representation – 1991 and 2001...... 248

Appendix E 250 Aims and Objectives of OWN NSW – 2001...... 250

Appendix F 252 What am I?...... 252

Appendix G 254 OWN NSW Inc. Strategies for Change...... 254 Introduction

In 1985, as a member of the Executive of the NSW Combined Pension- ers Association (CPA), Noreen Hewett decided to do something about the lack of recognition of women’s differences within CPA’s research and policies. She asked the President for permission to run a series of women-only workshops that would assist women to identify their different needs and become more assertive about expressing them. The Chairman glared at Noreen, declaring: “I don’t think we need any more assertive women around here, do we?” His lack of enthusiasm was short-lived and before long the women had their workshops. Initially called the Older Women’s Workshops, towards the end of 1987, at Noreen’s suggestion, they became known as the Older Women’s Network (OWN) Project. The following year project funding enabled the OWN Project to conduct a series of health workshops and to send a group to Canberra to highlight the invisibility of older women through performance art. xxii > VISION & VITALITY

By 1991 the Older Women’s Network had moved to new premises, been formally incorporated, and was in receipt of a NSW government grant to cover operating expenses and the employment of one permanent part-time worker and, two years later, a second. OWN Inc. was also expanding its reach within NSW, establishing new groups in Syd- ney and regional areas and creating a stir with its Theatre Group and consumer advocacy activities. OWN was soon being identified within government and non-government agencies as an important voice for older women. In 1992, a national body, OWN (Australia), was formed at a Sydney Think Tank attended by representatives of emerging OWN groups in all states and territories in Australia, with the exception of the Northern Territory. For the first ten years OWN Inc. (commonly referred to as Sydney OWN) was the de facto peak body for OWN groups throughout NSW. In 2001, as a means of formalising its statewide status, OWN Inc. was separated into two organisations: OWN NSW (responsible for statewide projects and policy development) and OWN Sydney (concerned with local government issues, wellness activities and socialising). From the outset OWN has been a self-help voluntary organisation. The women who founded it had long histories of activism in the women’s and peace movements, trade unions, the environment, Aboriginal rights, and social policy reform. They also came from diverse social, political and economic backgrounds. OWN has never been party-political. Nor has it ever identified it- self as a feminist organisation despite a majority of active members being feminist, and a key objectives being to “oppose ageism, sexism, and racism and address issues of discrimination against older women”. Repeated attempts have been made to challenge this anomaly, but like the timeless debate about removing ‘older’ from the Older Women’s Network, the issue remains on the backburner. Introduction < xxiii

Being a ‘non-feminist’ organisation has not been a barrier to numerous OWN members working tirelessly over the past twenty-five years to challenge the sexism and ageism that daily pervades the lives of older women. With support from paid workers they have used their political interests and campaign experience to undertake research projects, share policy submission skills, organise and run meetings, lobby governments, speak out at public gatherings, engage with the media, produce a wide range of publications, and write politically persuasive scripts for the Theatre Group. As membership of regional and metropolitan OWN groups has expanded, OWN has seen the development of a greater diversity in ideol- ogy and focus. Many members now have leisure activities, friendship and support as their primary interest, which is consistent with another of OWN’s objectives: “To promote enrichment, mutual support and companionship/friendship amongst older women”.

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Vision & Vitality covers the years between 1987 and 2012. I describe the early years of OWN’s development within the Combined Pensioners Association NSW (which in 1991 became the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association NSW), and outline OWN’s changing structure over the years. This is followed by a focus on the many and varied activities that emerged during the first frenetic years following incorporation. The main chapters outline key activities and projects that have made a difference in older women’s lives and to the public perception of older women. They include the development of the Theatre Group, healthy ageing projects, advocacy, publications, the Aboriginal Support Circle, and the growth of OWN groups in NSW. After some consideration xxiv > VISION & VITALITY

I have included the process of establishing the national body, OWN (Australia), and outlined some of its research and policy achievements. The past twenty-five years haven’t always been harmonious. While the intention was to create a culture of cooperation and mutual support there have been inevitable tensions when a personality became too intense, a too-quick decision was asked for, or the pressure to produce something was too demanding. Special interest groups have sometimes fallen by the wayside and conflicts have surfaced. In the interests of balance I will identify and describe these ‘problems’ when relevant, but do not intend to dwell on them. My aim in Vision & Vitality is to describe and celebrate what older women have accomplished over the past twenty-five years. I also hope it will be read as an informational framework and resource for those currently working to create a dynamic and influential future for the Older Women’s Network in NSW. 11

The Age of Invisibility

The forecast was for a ‘mostly sunny’ day, but when twenty-three older women arrived at Victoria Park Camperdown for a picnic in mid- December 1987 soft rain was falling. Unfazed, they threw a few rugs under the dense branches of a Moreton Bay fig and began to talk about future possibilities for the Older Women’s Network Project. The women included feminists, lesbians, socialists, trade union- ists, Quakers, Catholics, and a few members of the Salvation Army. Many of them had been meeting together since the Combined Pen- sioners Association had agreed to auspice the Older Women’s Work- shops Project in 1985/86. Noreen Hewett, a long time member of the Combined Pensioners Association, and the late Linda Adamson, a brilliant research worker employed by the Combined Pensioners As- sociation, had suggested the picnic to look at ways to energise and strengthen what had now become known as the Older Women’s Net- work (OWN) Project. 2 > VISION & VITALITY

It soon became clear that despite their differences the women were of one mind. Older women’s invisibility was a big problem, both within the culture and within government policy, and they wanted to change it.

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Two years previously Noreen had successfully argued that women in the Combined Pensioners Association needed a space of their own to talk about their experiences, concerns and aspirations. With support from Linda and the Combined Pensioners Association’s policy officer, John Barber, Noreen made successful grant applications to the Fam- ily and Children’s Services Agency (NSW Government) and the Myer Foundation (national) for a one-year pilot project called the Older Women’s Workshops. Two feminist facilitators, Maggie Kyle and Pam Benton, were employed to design and run the workshops, which were not only for women in the Combined Pensioners Association but also for non-members, especially those on low incomes and living in public housing. Joy Ross, who for the next twenty years would take a leading role in coordinating, maintaining and shaping OWN, organised one of the workshops at a large public housing estate in Surry Hills. In workshop evaluations a majority of participants identified positive outcomes for themselves, reporting an increase in self-esteem and assertiveness, and a better understanding of the roles and rights of older women in the family and in society. They also reported having a better understanding of how sexism and ageism had impacted on their lives, and found sharing their experiences with other older women to be enjoyable and stimulating. To further consolidate friendships and to look at ageing issues, a group of twelve, led by Pam and Maggie, spent a lively weekend at Fingal Bay in 1986 with funding from the Office of the Status of Women. In workshops they explored strategies to improve the The Age of Invisibility < 3

status and visibility of older women, looked at ways to develop a core of group leaders to initiate groups of new state-based groups, and devised methods to increase older women’s participation in decision-making.

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At the 1987 planning picnic in the park the momentum was high, with original ideas and suggestions coming thick and fast. Of the many suggestions put forward at the picnic there was one that particularly captured the women’s imagination. Gwen George, a political activist with many campaigns behind her, drew the group’s attention to the Australian Women’s Weekly promotion of women’s visibility during the forthcoming 1988 Bi-Centennial celebrations. The Weekly was inviting Australian women to come up with projects – run by women – that were “worthwhile, imaginative, fun or unusual”. Gwen suggested they hold a picnic in the Rose Garden at Old Par- liament House in Canberra to let politicians know that older women wanted to be recognised for their contributions to family and society. It was Noreen and Gwen who, with Linda’s support, put together a funding submission for a picnic and theatrical performance on the lawns outside Old Parliament House. The aim was to symbolically portray ‘invisible’ older women ‘re-appearing’ to take up a significant and respected role in society. They received $1000 from The Austral- ian Women’s Weekly to help with expenses and on 24 April 1988 the performance group, which two years later would become known as the OWN Theatre Group, was launched. Senator Patricia Giles, a well-known social activist with a history in Trade Unions, and Senator Margaret Reynolds, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Status of Women, were both in the audience that day. With their support, two federal grants were later made available to OWN. 4 > VISION & VITALITY

The first grant was for a series of health workshops held in 1989 with funding from the National Consumer Health Forum. The workshops were based on Our Bodies, Growing Older – a spin off from Our Bodies, Ourselves, published in 1973 by the Boston Women’s Health Collective. Sharon Doolan was employed as the project officer and once again the focus was on healthy ageing and exploring older women’s invisibility, especially in the media. Renate Watkinson and Everald Garner, who were in the paid workforce at the time but who went on to become active OWN members in retirement, were employed to run sessions on sexuality, loss and grief, and self-esteem. The second grant, through the National Agenda for Women, was for a project worker to assist in consolidating the Older Women’s Network project. The women involved in the OWN project entered a sharp learning curve when Pam Benton was employed to “invigorate, motivate and educate” those who were eager to advance the project’s agenda. She ran Guided Autobiography workshops where women reviewed and integrated their life experiences, and skill development workshops where she encouraged members to take a more proactive role in managing and promoting OWN. Most women involved in the OWN Project had not had previous experience in managing meetings and forward planning, but they were keen to learn. Joy Ross and Peggy Hewett, who had been appointed joint coordinators, found Pam’s advice invaluable as they initiated a wide range of unfunded activities, including the expansion of OWN into other regions in NSW. Throughout these early years, primarily under the influence of Joy, Peggy and Gwen George, OWN bubbled with energy as suggestions for projects and activities were put into effect and membership grew. Speaking engagements with the Combined Pensioners Association groups, Women’s Health Centres and community groups throughout The Age of Invisibility < 5

NSW and suburban Sydney soon resulted in state-based OWN groups in local areas being established. Noreen Hewett’s promotion in Canberra of the need for a national Older Women’s Network resulted in further small grants – one through Wendy McCarthy, then coordinator of the National Better Health Pro- gram, and another through Quentin Bryce, then Federal Sex Discrimi- nation Commissioner, now Governor-General and Patron of the Older Women’s Network (Australia). These were both national grants auspiced by the Australian Pension- ers and Superannuants Federation (AP&SF) where Noreen was by then National Secretary. The late Louise Anike was appointed the National OWN project worker. During the following three years Louise, Peggy and Joy, affectionately known as The Three-legged Stool, successfully raised OWN’s profile in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, with South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT not far behind. The support of the Combined Pensioners Association was crucial to the success of the OWN Project. Not only were they willing to auspice grant applications, they provided office space and allowed the use of all office equipment. They also consented to staff members – Sarah Fogg, Jenny Hudson and Margaret Howard – facilitating workshops and responding to the OWN women’s day-to-day needs. This successful collaboration between paid and unpaid workers was a vital element in OWN’s development.

Flying high … During 1989 the atmosphere was exhilarating, with women carried along on a wave of optimism about the possibilities of changing older women’s place in the world. And the OWN Project was growing. By mid-year eighty women were receiving minutes of meetings and paying a membership fee of $5, which was increased to $10 a year later. 6 > VISION & VITALITY

To become affiliated with the Combined Pensioners Association it was necessary for the OWN Project to establish formal organisational aims and objectives. The following were unanimously accepted at a meeting in February 1989.

• To provide enrichment, support and friendship for older women • To lobby for a fairer deal for older women • To encourage discussion about ageism and sexism • To promote appropriate policy in the areas of older women’s health, income security, housing, home support services and transport. • To provide information and skill development.

Underpinning the aims and objectives was a positive philosophy of personal enrichment and enjoyment through entertaining leisure activities. As one woman commented, “OWN is different from other volunteer organisations in that, though it confronts serious issues relating to older women, it is also serious about having fun!” Leisure activities included Tai Chi, gentle exercise, stimulating talks, writing and poetry readings. New women, motivated by social justice issues, joined the OWN Project with fresh ideas and enthusiasm. They included Merle Highet, Mary McCusker, Joan Matheson, Jan Monson, Una Nichols and Ermes Solari. With Joy Ross, Peggy Hewett, Louise Anike, Gwen George, and Noreen Hewett, they became a creative and productive team, holding events such as an Older Women’s Spring Festival in Burwood and presenting a paper on Security and Dignity for Older Women in Canberra. Promoting OWN through radio and print media was also high on their agenda. OWN’s profile expanded, leading to an increase in invitations to talk at community functions and forums, which in turn led to a greater emphasis on growth, and seeking out new funding sources. The Age of Invisibility < 7

At a 1989 workshop on The Role of OWN facilitated by the Com- bined Pensioners Association workers Jenny Hudson and Margaret Howard it became clear that too many ideas for expansion, inexperienced leadership, overwork and the lack of a structure for decision- making were causing concern. To address these issues a Working Com- mittee was established (Joy and Peggy remained joint coordinators) and monthly meetings were split into discussions of ageing issues – sometimes with a guest speaker – in the morning and a business meeting in the afternoon. Monthly social activities were planned for the fortnight in between Working Committee meetings. By 1990 the OWN Newsletter had replaced the newssheet. The newsletter was seen as essential to facilitate the flow of information between groups in NSW and amongst an increasing number of OWN members throughout Australia.

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The OWN logo OWN’s ‘leaping ladies’ logo was reproduced in the newsletter and on letterheads and brochures until 2001 when the organisation’s name was changed to OWN NSW, and a new logo designed.

Increasing visibility By 1990 the OWN Project was a whirlwind of activity with numerous special interest groups in the pipeline initiated by members and supported by the Combined Pensioners Association paid workers. The workers also offered workshops on health, housing, self-defense, in- 8 > VISION & VITALITY

come security, telecommunications, memory training, the environment, conflict resolution and public speaking. OWN’s profile was enhanced through representation on government committees such as the National Women’s Consultative Council, collaborative research with Cherry Russell and Pam Benton into the role of Women’s Health Centres, presentation of a paper on violence against older women at the University of Western Sydney’s newly- funded Women’s Research Centre, and an invitation to speak at the National Foundation of Australian Women. The extraordinary success of the Theatre Group’s performance at the 1990 Premier’s Forum Age- ing: Facts, Fears and Fictions had also placed older women’s issues right where they belonged – under the spotlight, on centre stage!

New premises! All these activities and developments required financial resources – and larger premises. Throughout 1990 and early ‘91 OWN workshops had moved from the Combined Pensioners Association (the group was far too noisy!) to the Quakers Hall in Devonshire Street and to training rooms at the Australian Metal Workers Union in Elizabeth Street. Both were interim measures. When a grant from the Board of Adult Education was unsuccessful because OWN was not formally constituted, the committee decided to incorporate. In April 1990 a generous donation from the City of Sydney of $4000 to cover administration expenses enabled the process to go ahead. In November 1990 Sarah Fogg, who had replaced Linda Ad- amson at the Combined Pensioners Association, facilitated discussion of a constitution prepared by constitutional lawyer Graham Wheeler and in January 1991 the Older Women’s Network Incorporated became ‘official’. The Age of Invisibility < 9

Gwen George approached her old mate Frank Sartor, a councillor with the City of Sydney, for free premises somewhere in the city. Fol- lowing strong representation to Council by Brenda Perkins of the East- ern Area Health Service, Joy Ross and Peggy Hewett spoke at a City of Sydney Council committee meeting about the need for premises. Sub- sequently, OWN was offered co-occupation with a Baby Health Centre at 87 Lower Fort Street, Millers Point. (In 1994, with birth rates falling in the area the Baby Health Centre was re-located to Kings Cross and OWN Inc. was given sole occupancy of the premises.) At around the same time the Abraham Mott Hall, across the road from ‘87’, was also made available free-of-charge by the City of Sydney. The Mott Hall has been regularly used for OWN’s special events, Theatre Group rehearsals and Wellness activities for the past twenty years. OWN’s new premises were officially opened on 7 May 1991 with a lively office-warming party attended by members, friends and a number of state and local government officials, including Frank Sartor, who became Sydney’s longest serving Lord Mayor four months later. Dis- tinguished guests praised OWN’s achievements and wished them well in their new rooms. Amongst the most unstinting in her praise was the late Jane Woodruff, then Director of the NSW Women’s Coordination Unit and later the Director-General of the Department of Ageing, Dis- ability and Home Care. Jane referred to Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own, saying it was essential for older women to have a place of their own where they could not only feel comfortable, but also flourish. Jane was a strong supporter of OWN’s work in general and an especially keen fan of the Theatre Group. Noreen Hewett officially opened OWN’s new ‘home’. Her vision of a separate organisation for older women had finally come to fruition. In her speech Noreen wondered if she “was opening a power house, a performing arts centre, a non-nuclear generator of older women’s actions and ideas, a drop-in centre offering friendship, support and 10 > VISION & VITALITY

information that would tap into the huge resources and reservoirs of older women’s experiences – or all of the above?”

Noreen Hewett, front right, Frank Sartor, third from left, and others listening in- tently to Jane Woodruff’s speech.

The champagne corks popped as members of the Theatre Group enthusiastically sang a song written for their inaugural performance at the Canberra picnic in 1988.

Just Because We’re Grey (New words to ‘Painting the Clouds with Sunshine’, written in 1929.)

Oh, just because we’re grey They make us feel this way The Age of Invisibility < 11

By never asking for our opinion And we’ve got a lot to say We learned it the hard way That we’re entitled to our opinions They say we’re mad, we say too bad Calling it interference They’re in a bind: what’s on our mind? (All shouting) Health, Housing, Social Justice and A Fair Go! And even though we’re grey We’ll never feel that way And we’ll keep voicing our OWN opinions.

It was an auspicious occasion, marking another phase in what would be an impressive and inspiring drive to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women throughout NSW. 2

Networking, Management and Roles

A question often asked of OWN members is “Why a network?” In a 2002 OWN Matters article called ‘The Pyramid and the Circle’ Pat Simpson, a member of the Management Team and a member of Illawarra OWN, explained the network principle and OWN’s commitment to it:

Shapes, like the pyramid, tend to dominate our lives, particularly our social systems. A pyramid system has a president or chairman (usually a male!) at the top, tapering down to a large base of workers at the bottom (often, the lower we get, female). Communication trickles down from the all-seeing, all-knowing, high point to the unknowing mushrooms at the base. Other shapes, such as the circle have no defined points or edges. OWN works on the circle principle. This is manifest in the name, ‘network’. Even though the circle has a geographic centre (OWN Networking, Management and Roles < 13

has its office at Lower Fort Street, Sydney), the centre is no more important than the groups on the circumference of the circle. Communication within OWN depends upon the network principle. The word ‘network’ conveys images of a ‘net’; a useful tool made of rope that has many linkages. Each small knot, each small loop, in a net, is a point of communication. Information, decisions and just plain talk can travel all ways on the net without reference to either a top or a bottom. It is this networking, circular structure of OWN that consti- tutes its uniqueness and its strength. It is unique in that no group, project or committee is more important in the structure than another, and its strength lies in our willingness and ability to communicate regularly, openly and respectfully with each other.

•

Sharing the work The first OWN Inc. Working Committee met on Monday 18 March 1991, two months after moving into the new premises at Millers Point. Joy Ross and Peggy Hewett were again confirmed as coordinators with Louise Anike, Dorothy Frazer, Everald Garner, Gwen George, Merle Highet, Mary McCusker and Elinor Russell appointed committee members. Merle became treasurer, a position she held until 1994 when electronic accounting was introduced and a paid worker took over the role of bookkeeping. Having enjoyed the support of the Combined Pensioners Associa- tion employees, one of the first priorities of the new committee was to seek funding to employ a community development worker. With characteristic confidence – “we are a dynamic and motivated consumer 14 > VISION & VITALITY

voice for older women” – Joy Ross and Noreen Hewett wrote an application for recurrent funding to the NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS). The application was successful. Although modest, the grant covered program costs, office expenses and the employment of a part-time Development Officer. Within a couple of years it also included the employment of a part-time bookkeeper. In January 1992 Margaret Howard, who had previously worked at the Combined Pensioners Association, was employed as the first De- velopment Officer. Margaret was a vital force in shaping the culture of OWN. Her experience working with older women involved with the OWN Project, her wide-ranging skills, and passionate commitment to social justice were a perfect match as OWN sought to increase its advocacy role and engage more members in skill development. In addition to planning, running and facilitating a wide range of workshops, Margaret set up a basic computer system and recruited and trained office volunteers. Her role also included the reinvigoration of projects that had either stalled or needed more focus. There was no shortage of members’ ideas for workshops, events and activities for OWN to take on, which meant that Margaret, like future community workers at OWN, sometimes had her work cut out coping with the speed of evolution – or was it revolution? In November 2009, when asked to comment on her time at OWN, Margaret wrote:

I have wonderful memories of working with OWN as the first paid worker. There were serious times and fun times. The hardest part of the job was trying to harness all that energy and enthusiasm and to find the resources to make the ideas and concepts a reality. I remember the workshops we had and the reams of butcher’s paper full of ideas. It was overwhelming for me at times. Too many older women with too many ideas – and they were all so good! I tried to Networking, Management and Roles < 15

slow the pace by introducing workshop rules such as, “If you open your mouth you’re it…” but the ideas still flowed. I even brought my little pet rat Prudence into the office thinking she might reduce the numbers, but that didn’t work either. Rather than scare some women off she became quite popular. I think those early times were the thrashing grounds for unique concepts like wellness, which have now materialised.

The women involved in those early days remember with gratitude and affection Margaret’s unswerving commitment to networking processes that encouraged shared decision-making, participation and self-ex- pression. She particularly supported women who were less assertive, encouraging them to not only be more politically active on behalf of and within the Network, but also to celebrate and enjoy their lives. Employing Margaret at this early stage of OWN Inc.’s development was an inspired choice. In October 1994 Margaret resigned to live with her partner on the NSW mid-north coast, and I was employed as OWN’s new Community Development worker.

Coordination of OWN Inc. Joy Ross was 54 when she joined the OWN Project at CPSA in 1987. Fol- lowing incorporation of OWN Inc. in 1991 she was elected to the first Working Committee and occupied the unpaid role of joint coordinator for ten years until 2001, with the exception of 1999 when she coordinated OWN activities during International Year of Older Persons (IYOP). Continuing on from their days at CPSA, Joy and Peggy initially shared the coordination role of the newly formed OWN Inc. for its first two years, although Peggy’s primary focus was always on developing the Theatre Group. In 1993 Peggy resigned to become the full-time coordinator of the Theatre Group and Louise Anike became Joy’s off- 16 > VISION & VITALITY

sider for many years. Louise was never a ‘hands on’ coordinator, but was highly valued for her wisdom and calmness, and her ability to lead and inspire without stepping on toes. Joy was a true grassroots worker who never disdained routine tasks. She was first to arrive and last to leave and invariably worked five days a week. With a passionate determination to “put gender on the agenda”, as she used to say, Joy had the proverbial finger in every pie. She was the Public Officer for 10 years, a member of the Theatre Group for a couple of years, was involved in policy development, initiated and co-wrote funding submissions, managed funded projects, organised OWN’s involvement in public events, took minutes of every meeting (including Working Committee meetings), followed up media invitations, interviewed and supported staff, and nurtured OWN groups throughout the state. It was always Joy who followed up decisions from Working Committee meetings and Joy who was always there to offer administrative support to members involved in projects and advocacy. While it would not be fair to say that OWN’s success hinged on one person’s contributions, Joy was pivotal in keeping OWN afloat and forging a positive future for it. At a personal level Joy’s enthusiasm, civility and good humour created a warm and welcoming environment in the office. Many regarded her as the very heart of OWN. At the beginning of 1999, when Joy relinquished the coordination role to become OWN’s International Year of Older People (IYOP) activities Coordinator, it took three women – Margaret Bridger, Sam Smart and Renate Watkinson – to replace her!

Structural challenges Four years after its 1991 incorporation it became clear that various funding sources considered that OWN Inc. was the peak body for state- Networking, Management and Roles < 17

wide projects and OWN groups across NSW. While this idea didn’t challenge OWN’s identity as a network (the Working Committee decided that it was possible to be both an organisation and a network) it did raise a number of important issues such as accountability, policy development and who had the right to speak on behalf of other groups in the network. At a workshop in 1995 attended by elected members of the Working Committee, plus Noreen Hewett (OWN member) and me (the Com- munity Development worker) long discussions eventually led to an acceptance that OWN Inc. was indeed acting as a de facto peak body. But whether or not this role needed to be formalised was a matter of contention. Louise Anike suggested that it would be impossible to separate out the interests of OWN Sydney and a NSW peak body without upheaval and trauma. She also argued that if the groups wanted a state body they would have to do some of the work by nominating for the Working Committee, attending meetings, responding to government and non-government requests for submissions on policy issues and becoming public speakers on key issues. Her recommendation was that OWN Inc. continue as it was with minimum disruption except that there would be a greater amount of democratic representation from across the state. Others strongly disagreed with Louise and following a number of facilitated workshops over the next five years OWN Inc. was finally dissolved in 2001 and replaced by two new organisations – OWN NSW and OWN Sydney. OWN NSW was to take responsibility for statewide projects and policy development while OWN Sydney’s focus would be on local initiatives and social activities, outlined in Chapter 9. Significant changes to the structure of the new peak body were recommended and accepted, the chief one being that membership of OWN NSW would be open only to women’s groups (individual women comprised the membership of OWN Inc.) with each group paying an 18 > VISION & VITALITY

annual capitation fee per member to OWN NSW. The new structure also stated that the coordination role of OWN NSW would be shared between three or four women who would each be rostered to work in the office on certain days.

Management and coordination of OWN NSW When OWN NSW – the peak body – was formally constituted at an Annual General Meeting in mid-2001 a Management Team was elected and various roles were streamlined to reflect statewide responsibilities. Members of the Management Team were drawn from member groups in NSW. Although a majority of those elected to the Management Team were, and still are, from metropolitan areas – the involvement of representatives from rural and regional groups was encouraging. Decision-making at OWN NSW meetings remains by consensus or a simple majority vote. Throughout 2001-2002 three members of the new Management Team, Betty Murphy, the late Pam Ledden and Sam Smart, collectively took on the role of coordinating OWN NSW, identifying problems, ironing out kinks and initiating shared administrative responsibilities in the office. Pam took the striking photograph (opposite) used in a promotional poster and a new brochure, featuring three OWN members: Ros Gordon, Betty Little and Ermes Solari. At the second AGM in 2002 a four-member Coordination Team was elected with each member expected to work in the office with paid workers on specific days. All four volunteers took a hands-on approach to coordination/administration, with roles and responsibilities divided up according to their interests and expertise: Networking, Management and Roles < 19

• Pat Simpson (Illawarra OWN) was responsible for draft policy for- mulation, employment related matters, the Finance Committee, liaison with the OWN Matters newsletter team and with OWN groups in Sutherland, Macarthur and Newcastle,

• Mollie Smith (Sydney OWN) was responsible for liaison with the Wellness Coordination Group, Public Relations Committee, the Theatre Group, and OWN groups in Wagga Wagga, Bellingen, Mid-Mountains, Woy Woy and Wyong

• Cate Turner (Sydney OWN) took responsibility for constitutional matters, was the representative on the OWN (Australia) National Council, and liaised with the Aboriginal Support Circle and OWN groups in Sydney, Bankstown (Greek) and Ashfield (Greek)

• Anne Warren (Nowra OWN) liaised with the Advocacy Coordi- nation Group and OWN groups in Kiama, Shellharbour, Southern Highlands, Wollondilly and Nowra. 20 > VISION & VITALITY

Working collaboratively with the two paid workers (Kris Ferguson and me) for an entire year these four volunteers involved themselves in every aspect of the day-to-day running of OWN NSW. Having a self-selected Coordination Team facilitated healthy communication links at all levels, which was recognised in the Management Team report to the 2003 Annual General Meeting. The report noted that the Coordination Team had:

• facilitated greater inclusiveness of groups in the Network • encouraged groups to network with each other • assisted groups to communicate through the state-wide newsletter OWN Matters • worked to strengthen information sharing between management and state-wide projects – Theatre Group, Aboriginal Support Cir- cle, Wellness Coordination Group and Advocacy Coordination Group • kept communication lines open about its work through monthly reports in OWN Matters

The practice of a team approach to coordination was very successful until ill health, lack of confidence, and other factors such as distance, created a vacuum.

Paid workers and their roles From the very beginning paid workers have played an essential role in the development of OWN Inc. and later on, OWN NSW. For a decade Kris Ferguson and I worked together three and four days respectively until I retired in 2005. Kris retired in late 2011. Kris was a highly skilled and dedicated worker with outstanding communication skills and an intelligent and thoughtful approach to Networking, Management and Roles < 21

her work. She managed the finances of OWN Inc. and, from 2001, the finances of OWN NSW and OWN Sydney. Her work included the management of recurrent funding, project grants, newsletter subscriptions, donations and membership fees. Following the transition from OWN Inc. to OWN NSW and the upsurge in funding for Wellness practices throughout the state (see chapter 5, Healthy Ageing), Kris’s workload increased exponentially. She successfully negotiated statewide insurance protection and formal risk management strategies for NSW groups and Wellness projects, a complicated process at the time. Kris also assisted OWN groups with funding submissions and administered subsequent grants to those not incorporated. (At the end of 2012 only Newcastle, Penrith and Blacktown groups were incorporated although others are exploring this option.) My job title was originally Community Development Worker but following the development of OWN NSW it was changed to Informa- tion and Resource Coordinator. Immediately prior to my retirement, the Management Team reappraised the role and changed the title to Coordinator. A new job description emphasised the coordination of volunteers. In April 2005 Beth Eldridge was employed as the Coordinator, working four days a week. Her job description, like mine before it, included recruiting and training volunteers, the monthly production of OWN Matters, developing plans with project coordinators and long term organisational goals and objectives with the Management Team, assisting in the planning of meetings, workshops, conferences and major events, and supporting the development of OWN groups. In 2005, at the first AGM following Beth’s appointment, the new Management Team decided that three elected Management Team Coordinators would liaise between the Management Team and the OWN groups allocated to each of them. They would also be responsible for communicating the needs of the Management Team to the new 22 > VISION & VITALITY

Coordinator (Annual Report 2004/2005). This worked for a couple of years until members of the Management Team ceased liaising with OWN groups and being in the office on a regular basis. The result was paid workers taking more and more responsibility for the day-to-day running of the organisation, and reliance being placed on a small number of volunteers, many of them recruited through the NSW Centre for Volunteering. This remains the case in 2012. There have been numerous special project workers employed over the past twenty-five years. However, apart from the two positions at Lower Fort Street, the only other permanent part-time paid position is the Coordinator of the Bankstown Older Women’s Network Well- ness Centre. Jan Malley was employed at Bankstown for twelve years until her resignation in August 2012. Diane Brooks now occupies this position.

And now … In 2011, an updated constitution confirmed that an elected Coordina- tion Committee would “meet monthly to progress tasks decided upon by the Management Team and to act on behalf of the Management Team on matters requiring immediate attention between meetings”. Members of the Coordination Committee are not involved in the day- to-day running of the OWN office, although in late 2012 a decision was made for committee members to spend time in the office when paid staff are on sick or annual leave. The current role of the OWN NSW Management Team is to receive internal project reports, make statements on issues in line with OWN’s strategic direction and policies, recommend or agree to funding submissions, recruit and manage staff, organise forums, implement research projects, and authorise spending in line with budget guidelines. Networking, Management and Roles < 23

Communication is achieved with statewide OWN groups through OWN Matters and at OWN groups’ Quarterly Meetings. Two of the quarterly meetings are rotated between regional groups, one is held in Sydney, and the fourth held at the OWN NSW State Conference. In addition to OWN groups, projects under the OWN NSW umbrella include the Theatre Group, Aboriginal Support Group, OWN Matters, and the Wellness Coordination Group. Convenors of these projects are not members of the Management Team but report quarterly and approach the Management Team for direction and policy decisions when necessary. At the 2012 AGM the following women were elected to the Manage- ment Team: Jo Allon, Mary Bentley, Pat Carter, Elaine Cohen, Beverley Farley, Betty Johnson, Glenda Laird, Sonia Laverty, Maura Outterside and Rita Tratt. OWN NSW receives recurrent funding through the NSW Family and Community Services (FACS) Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. The Department of Health provides recurrent funding for the Bankstown OWN Wellness Centre. • In one sense this chapter is included to provide an organisational context for the following chapters. In another sense it highlights significant structural variations within OWN over the past twenty-five years. While internal change in any organisation is inevitable, the form of change can sometimes be so dramatic that the entire organisation changes. This was the case with the separation in 2001 of OWN Inc. into OWN NSW and OWN Sydney. Within a relatively short time – as old members died or resigned and new women with new ideas and perspectives took positions of responsibility – OWN NSW drifted away from the ‘network’ principles on which it was founded and within a few years had begun the transition to a more centralised management structure. 3

When older women get together…

The growth of OWN was unstoppable. Within three years of its 1991 incorporation fourteen groups had been established throughout suburban Sydney and regional NSW, and the Aboriginal Support Circle was added to its list of projects. With women putting time and energy into learning new skills and “doing something with older women for ourselves”, as one woman put it, the Network was flourishing. Its progress was due in no small part to an increased focus by local, state and federal governments on the ‘problems’ of an ageing population. OWN’s commitment to healthy ageing dovetailed neatly with this discourse. Small grants became more readily available and lobbying efforts more productive. Members were also making their mark conducting research, publishing papers, and raising policy issues at conferences, forums and seminars on issues such as health, superannuation, telephone access, home care, and income security. (See chapter 6, Advocacy). When older women get together… < 25

To encourage more women to become involved in advocacy, OWN organised workshops on facilitation, group work skills and understanding and influencing government policy. Weekend planning workshops were held in various locations outside Sydney to explore organisational issues and to look at strategies to increase older women’s representation on government and non-government boards and committees. Building friendships and having fun was a strong feature of these weekends. The Theatre Group was moving ahead in leaps and bounds enlight- ening and changing practices and attitudes among politicians, health professionals, academics, students, and community service providers, as well as entertaining and educating the public. In 1993 a skill-development grant of $20,000 from the Australia Council’s Cultural Com- munity Development Board (CCDB) enabled them to pay a range of professional arts workers, which boosted members’ theatre skills and confidence. A National organisation, OWN (Australia), was established in 1993 following a 1992 Think Tank at Elanora Conference Centre organised by OWN Inc. (or Sydney OWN as it was called) and funded by the federal Office for the Status of Women. Expanding OWN Australia- wide was an important development since many issues affecting older women required a national, not just a state, approach. Social activities and special interest groups were also blossoming within the freedom of OWN’s new and independent environment at Millers Point. Creative movement, music appreciation, arts discussion, creative writing, film discussion, book discussion, bush walking, bootscooting, and environmental workshops were but a few of the many self- help activities to bourgeon during those early years. Then there were regular BYO lunches, parties, and special events to celebrate anything from the Melbourne Cup to Winter Solstice. In 1996 a scarcely recognised aspect of older women’s lives was captured at an OWN community festival Celebrating Older Women’s 26 > VISION & VITALITY

Creativity, funded by the City of Sydney. Toni Lamond, herself an older woman, opened the one-day festival, which showcased an amazing variety of older women’s arts and crafts, and other skills such as writing and acting. It drew in a huge number of people including members and their families and a few older women from the local community. (This was the only time that older women living in the Millers Point area attended an OWN activity – at least to my knowledge. From personal discussions I had with a number of them over the years – usually over their front fence – they perceived OWN as elitist and/or feminist and wanted nothing to do with it.) Discussion groups were always a big winner at OWN. In late 1992, Pat Brogan, an OWN member and a professionally trained group leader, offered to facilitate monthly discussion groups. Over the next six years subjects discussed in Pat’s groups included feminism, assertiveness, interpersonal relationships, how to survive Christmas, the media – its influence, ethics and entertainment value, and turning points in life. In 1998 Joan Hook, an OWN member from the northern beaches area, took over the role of group facilitator when Pat resigned to join the team at the Bankstown OWN Wellness Centre. During the early years and for many years afterwards, Renate Wat- kinson offered health workshops on a wide range of topics – including some she called ‘unmentionable’ – living alone, death and dying, grief and loss, incontinence and sexuality. Voluntary euthanasia and associated issues such as Advance Power of Attorney and Living Wills also featured in workshops during the early years, and have continued to do so. Occasionally, professionals with specific skills and/or knowledge conducted workshops, but generally they were planned and facilitated by OWN members. When older women get together… < 27

Democracy in action OWN’s commitment to the involvement of members in decision-making resulted in regular ‘Have your say’ and ‘What’s your view?’ sessions. The idea was for members to air their opinions and make suggestions about the future. These sessions were popular in the early days, but became less so as time went by. Why this happened is unclear. One frequently aired complaint by members was that OWN was ‘too political’ and needed to focus more on social activities. As someone commented at the time, “All work and no play effects all of us negatively, and can soon lead to burnout and frustration.” This was a recurring complaint and a continuing tension that was never fully addressed, although the separation of OWN Sydney and OWN NSW in 2001 went some way towards resolving the problem. Another continuing tension was around feminism. Since the early days of the OWN Project at CPA the question – Is OWN a feminist organisation? – was regularly asked by individuals about to join the Network, and also at various events and workshops. In 1986 Brenda Smith, a lecturer in Social Work at the University of NSW, had run a lively discussion for eleven members of the OWN Pro- ject called ‘What is Feminism?’ She pointed out the ways in which the women’s movement, trade unions and older peoples organisations were ignoring older women. The women agreed that, “not being seen is the most damaging thing for self-acceptance, feeling valued and trusting our own experiences”. Yet a majority did not see feminism as relevant to their lives. Over time this scenario would be played out many times, and always with the same result: a significant number do not want OWN to be identified as a feminist organisation. 28 > VISION & VITALITY

A snapshot of one year The year from 1 July 1994 to 30 June 1995 tells a powerful story. Dur- ing this period OWN conducted twenty-three discussion groups and experiential workshops; undertook five projects involving many thousands of dollars; presented thirteen submissions, papers and reports to government and legislative bodies; was represented at nine special events in Sydney, had a staggering thirty-seven meetings and liaisons with other organisations, and gave five educational talks at hospitals and universities. All this as well as running special interest groups, social activities and fund-raising, not to mention regular activities like the monthly newsletter, the Aboriginal Support Circle and the Theatre Group.

A good idea, but … There were exceptions to OWN’s growth during the early years. One was the collapse in 1992 of the Telephone Support and Information Ser- vice (SIS). SIS was an initiative of two members, Pat Brogan and Monika Law, who both had expertise in counselling and groupwork. The idea was for OWN members to be trained to provide callers with emotional support and, if necessary, refer them to government or community organisations for assistance with practical problems. The assumption that older women, most of them with family and other responsibilities, could commit themselves to skills training and to being on roster four days a week proved unrealistic and within a few months the idea was abandoned.

Housing Another initiative that ultimately failed to get off the ground was the OWN community housing project. A group called Housing Options When older women get together… < 29

for Older Women had been meeting for some years at CPA under the guidance of Margaret Howard. When OWN moved to Millers Point the project came with them, as did Margaret, a short time later. The project was renamed the OWN Community Housing Project. By 1993, principally under the guidance of Margaret Sargent, the project began looking at the cost and feasibility of purpose-built community housing in one of Sydney’s inner suburbs. It was envisaged that eight to twelve women with varying incomes would be accommodated in self-contained units, with lots of common areas and a spare unit for a live-in housekeeper or guests. The central idea was to give older women the opportunity to live independently and at the same time to share companionship and support with like-minded others. With encouragement from advisers at the Department of Housing, and Hostel and Care, a Trust was established to receive investments by future residents and other interested people. As a result, in early 1994 the OWN Community Housing Project decided to incorporate as Women in Community Housing (WICH) to comply with funding guidelines of the new State Community Housing Program. A grant enabled WICH to employ a project worker, Jack Draper, and to produce and circulate brochures about the project. While OWN gave in-principle support to WICH and its aims, when asked to provide a guarantee in 1995 for a considerable loan that WICH was negotiating, the Working Committee, on legal advice, withdrew its support. WICH continued to operate and by late 1997, following considerable press and radio exposure and a small grant through the Office of the Status of Women, its membership had increased to 200 throughout Australia. WICH continued detailed discussions of legal and financial frameworks for a pilot housing project throughout 1998, but by early 1999 the group was disbanded as a result of interpersonal tensions, a 30 > VISION & VITALITY

lack of financial viability, and increasing bureaucratic demands for more control by the Department of Housing.

Older Lesbians Also failing to thrive was an Older Lesbian Support Group. The first mention of lesbians in the Sydney newsletter was an advertisement for a Sydney lesbian conference in July 1991. The aim of the conference was to explore the politics of living as lesbians as well as strengthening lesbian culture and celebrating diversity. The conference inspired two lesbian activists, Louise Anike and Joy Ross, to advertise in a 1996 issue of the Sydney Newsletter the start-up of an Older Lesbian Group. Subscribers who identified as lesbians were invited to attend a weekend meeting at OWN’s second site (75 Wind- mill Street, just around the corner from Lower Fort Street) with a view to forming a friendship group and exploring ageing issues. Around a dozen women responded to the invitation. The group met for over a year but eventually disbanded, largely because a majority of participants discovered they were more interested in social networking rather than lesbian feminist issues. Paralleling the differences emerging between members of the group was a growing anxiety amongst some original members of OWN about the potential of a lesbian group to fragment OWN and also to negatively affect OWN’s reputation. It was a view not widely shared.

Footnote In 2010 a Sapphisticated Soiree, a collaborative project between OWN NSW and Lesbian Artworks sponsored by the City of Sydney was advertised in OWN Matters. Coordinated by Beth Eldridge and OWN member Uma Kali Shakti, it focused on the cultural achievements of older lesbians. When older women get together… < 31

•

The three years covered in this chapter demonstrate the enormous energy and creative thinking that OWN members brought to the new organisation. Their progressive politics and shared values were the driving force behind the search for unique opportunities to make older women socially and politically visible and to add value to their lives. The following chapters outline what they did, and demonstrate how successful they were in achieving their goals. 4

The Theatre Group

In the lead-up to my retirement from OWN in 2005 I promised Peggy Hewett, the Theatre Group’s founder, that I would write a history of the Theatre Group “when I had time”. For personal reasons Centre Stage: Celebrating the Rise and Rise of the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group took more than three years to research and write, and was not published until late 2009. In Centre Stage I provided a social and political context for the emergence of the Theatre Group in the late 1980s and covered its growth from 1990 to 2004. The following chapter will provide a brief overview of those years before highlighting the Theatre Group’s development between 2005 and 2012.

• The Theatre Group < 33

Overview It was 1988 and for the first time in Australia older women were loudly and publicly demanding that their voices be heard. The event was a picnic and performance outside Canberra’s Old Parliament House organised by the Older Women’s Network Project, at the time attached to the NSW Combined Pensioners Association. The picnic and performance was made possible by a Bi-Centennial grant from the Australian Women’s Weekly, which was looking for women’s projects that were ‘imaginative, fun or unusual’. The Picnic at Parliament House was certainly imaginative and fun and was very unusual (see Appendix B). A front page spread in the Can- berra Times the following day reported: “Older women do not intend to remain invisible” below a large photo of Isa French holding a placard reading ‘Age is Not a Disease’.

Canberra Times 19 April 1988 34 > VISION & VITALITY

The Theatre Group that emerged two years after the Canberra picnic has continued with variations of these two themes – invisibility and healthy ageing –for more than twenty-two years. Their funny, provocative and moving performances of skits and songs, in the tradition of street theatre or political cabaret, have demystified myths and social stereotypes about older women. Their performances have included topics such as health, invisibility, inequality, domestic violence, Aborigi- nal reconciliation, transport, housing, telecommunications, pensions, banking, media images and attitudes towards older women. Words of popular old-time songs are changed to illustrate the woes, worries and triumphs of older women. The Theatre Group creates -en tirely new shows, modifies skits, and combines elements from previous shows to suit particular audiences. Their flexibility results in performances that captures the imagination and raises the spirits of audiences both young and old. With a cast ranging between eight and eighteen plus a musician, director and coordinator, the Theatre Group acts as ‘gateway’ entertainment at forums, conferences and celebratory events to audiences as few as twelve to over one thousand. They undertake interstate and intrastate tours and often replace university lecturers with sing-talk performances to students. They also encourage the establishment of other performance groups by sharing their skills in workshops at OWN conferences and with individual OWN groups in NSW.

In the beginning… OWN was initially invited by the NSW Office on Ageing to run a workshop at the 1990 Premier’s forum on Ageing: Facts, Fears and Fictions. Noreen Hewett came up with an idea to show how innovative older women could be by writing and performing a parody of the ‘facts, fears The Theatre Group < 35

and fictions’ in the life of an older woman. The show was called Older Women Centre Stage. Before an audience of 200, Peggy Hewett, Gwen George, Sylvia Harding, Merle Highet, Helen Murphy and Joy Ross identified in songs and sketches the gender expectations they grew up with and lightly touched on some of the social and cultural issues faced by older women. Louise Anike and Lyn Ariel, two older feminists who had written a performance piece called Older Women Show and Tell about their experiences of growing up in post-war Australia, were also included in the Theatre Group’s presentation that day. Older Women Centre Stage was not only an immediate success – it also put the Older Women’s Network Inc. firmly in the government’s sights for an operating grant, which they received the following year following incorporation as a non-profit community organisation and a well-argued funding submission. From its inaugural performance at the Ageing: Facts, Fears and Fic- tions forum, the Theatre Group quickly grew into an effective voice for older women.

Money makes a difference Large and small grants played a crucial part in the early success of the Theatre Group. During 1991, 1992 and 1993 they received a total of $34,000 in grants from the Cultural Community Development Unit of the Australia Council (CCDU) – all of it targeted for professional development through paid arts workers. The State Government’s Office on Ageing was another source of secure funding (albeit much smaller than the CCDU grants), which meant that for the first four years the Theatre Group could confidently plan to produce a new show for a Seniors Week concert or forum. 36 > VISION & VITALITY

During 1991, backed up by small grants from the City of Sydney and the NSW Office on Ageing, the Theatre Group developed and polished Women Centre Stage and also wrote, produced and performed Show- ing Our Own Age to an audience of 500 at the Hilton Hotel during Seniors Week. In 1992 a number of short plays and skits were developed into a fifteen-minute send-up of media portrayals of older women. Called Our OWN Time of Life, the show accentuated the fact that older women are not a homogenous group but come from many different backgrounds, lifestyles and cultures, and also come in different shapes and sizes. There were songs about diets and glossy magazines, with I’m Not an Elle McPherson, written by Noreen Hewett and sung to a conga tune, being one of the most memorable. Elle concluded with the provocative statement: “Ageism is the bias directed towards older people by the temporarily young”. By the end of the first four years, the cast, together with professional arts workers, had produced a repertoire of three thirty-minute and seven fifteen-minute shows. From this pool of creativity they could put together combinations of songs and skits for shows that were as short as six minutes, as long as an hour, and everything in between. 1994 saw the Theatre Group undergoing a sartorial conversion when Louise Anike suggested they wear on-stage clothing in the feminist colours of green, white, and violet. Two years later they raised the political bar by wearing purple T-shirts printed with a green slogan, ‘You can’t beat a woman’, combined with white skirts or pants. It remains a great look.

Calling the tune In 1994 ten members of the Theatre Group plus their guitarist travelled to Adelaide to perform at the 2nd OWN (Australia) National The Theatre Group < 37

Conference, and also at a Speakout organised by the South Australian Government’s Older Women’s Advisory Committee. Their songs and sketches exposed weaknesses in entrenched bureaucracies and poked fun at hidebound, conservative attitudes towards older women. They completely captivated audiences at both events. Two highlights of this tour were the script- and lyric-writing workshop the Theatre Group conducted at the conference, and the official launch of Makin’ Whoopee, devised and written by Marie Williams and set to a 1928 tune called Whoopee! Makin’ Whoopee was received with great acclaim, and continues to be each time it is performed. The final event for 1994 was in celebration of International Day of the Elderly. The Theatre Group chose to focus on health issues, in particular Casemix, which was being promoted as a new way of classifying hospital patients to save money – for the hospital, of course. The satirical script based on Alice visiting Wonderland Hospital was performed at the Sheraton-Wentworth hotel to an enthusiastic audience of 700; a majority of them aged over sixty. Throughout 1995 requests for performances were coming from community health organisations, government health agencies, youth groups, and mixed audiences with no previous exposure to the Theatre Group’s ‘sugar-coated’ satirical skits and songs. Since publicity about the Theatre Group was all but non-existent, the increase could only have come about through word-of-mouth, which members found truly affirming. A winner in 1996 was a completely new show called Superwoman, in Super or in the Soup? With lyrics written by Lucy Porter, Peggy Hewett and Merle Highet, and input from other cast members, the show was artistically developed with well-known actor/director Julie Hudspeth. Some of the issues in the fifteen-minute superannuation show were security of funds, affordability, portability, tax cuts vs super and high administration charges. Apart from Superwoman, performances that 38 > VISION & VITALITY

year were by and large a collage of skits and songs from previous years, chosen with particular audiences in mind.

Feedback Written and verbal feedback from audiences was invariably compli- mentary and deeply rewarding. On one occasion an audience of Aged Care Providers and government representatives told them that their ‘message entertainment’ had inspired them to think differently about their work and to feel more hopeful about the future for older people in aged care. Following a performance to a conference audience of mainly doctors, the Theatre Group received a letter from Dr. Chris Bauer, from the NSW Health Department, who wrote (in part), “I saw, shared, laughed and ‘teared’ at our recent Organisational Change conference at Hawkesbury. And that, in part, was about your parody of myself and my ‘white-coated’ compatriots. Keep on ‘chipping for change’. Thank you and congratulations.” Feedback from the third, and final, Aboriginal Gathering at La Per- ouse organised by OWN and the Women’s Reconciliation Network in 1996 was even more rewarding. After a story-telling segment the Thea- tre Group took centre stage and delighted the audience with a program of well-known songs, plus two new additions to their repertoire, Sister and White Hands, Black Hands written by Lucy Porter. Lucy introduced White Hands, Black Hands with an acknowledgment that white people were never taught the true history of Aboriginal people. “We now know,” she said, “that under the guise of civilisation and Christianity their land, children, culture and language were stolen from them. To help heal the past we need to listen, learn and understand, and continue the fight for social justice.” The Theatre Group received a standing -ova The Theatre Group < 39

tion after singing White Hands, Black Hands while holding hands with a number of Aboriginal women in the audience.

White hands and black hands Who’ll take my white hand I’ll take your black hand Walking together Reconciliation Treaty for our nation

Later the same year the Theatre Group created another sensation when they performed a selection of material from their Health and Media shows to a packed audience of delegates from all over Australia at a Community Aged Care conference at Sydney University. The audience response was astonishing, with continued applause and laughter throughout the performance and a sustained standing ovation at the end. When they left the stage people asked them questions about the Older Women’s Network and OWN’s Wellness Centres for over an hour. It was a moving and exhilarating experience. Four bookings were received that day, and within six months they were negotiating a week-long tour of the Murray/Mallee region of South Australia, which finally eventuated in mid-1999.

Dramatic challenges In April 1997 an invitation to perform at a Stop Domestic Violence Day – co-sponsored by the NSW Department of Community Services and a number of women’s services – set a new challenge for the Thea- tre Group. They didn’t have any suitable material! Louise Anike, by this time the Group’s Creative Director, suggested they devise a show around their own experiences of domestic violence. Eventually they 40 > VISION & VITALITY

agreed on a fifteen-minute program of existing songs and sketches plus a new segment where cast members, including Josie Jackson who had joined the Group earlier that year, shared personal stories of violence and abuse and the impact that it had had on their lives. Each song and sketch in the program was linked to domestic violence through a spoken introduction or comment from a cast member. When they were ready to make personal statements about violence and abuse, Judith Mustard introduced the segment with: “Domestic violence is not only black eyes and broken bones, it can also be the relentless whittling away of self-esteem by a hostile partner.” One by one, three members of the cast bravely stepped forward and spoke about their experiences. Feedback was muted that day, but in later shows written evaluations reported audiences not only being deeply moved by the women’s statements but also educated about the diversity and nature of domestic violence and abuse.

Not all roses Although the Theatre Group had grown to around fifteen members at different times during its first eight years, at the beginning of 1998 cast numbers were down to eight. They also had no funding. Peggy Hewett, the Coordinator, and Lucy Porter, who helped out with bookings and finances, were desperately trying to manage the administrative work on top of their creative and performance activities. Eventually it was decided to spend some of their performance money on a seven-hour a week paid worker for six months. Those who had been with the Theatre Group from the beginning were now eight years older – some were well into their seventies – and many had health problems. The requirement to attend weekly rehears- The Theatre Group < 41

als and perform fortnightly (and sometimes weekly) was very demanding. During 1998 a number of longstanding members of the Group bowed out, mainly for health reasons. Amongst them were Dorothy Cox, Nina Walton, June Goss, Mollie Smith and Noel Carpenter. Lucy Porter had also taken an extended overseas holiday so when two new recruits Brigid Sen (who later became Coordinator) and Janet Waters joined up they were very warmly welcomed. Finding older women to become involved in the creative side of the Theatre Group was a persistent problem. In late 1998 the following recruitment plea was published in the OWN newsletter and sent out to women’s centres, senior’s centres and assorted community groups across Sydney.

All you need is commitment, a sense of humour, a willingness to have fun and a secret desire to be centre-stage. It won’t hurt if you can sing, act, write scripts, use a computer, look after props, drive a car, or play an instrument. You will have to put up with audience appreciation, public acclaim, lots of pleasure and an increase in self-esteem. Your training will include weekly rehearsals, public performances and periodic workshops on voice, movement, micro- phone techniques and stagecraft. Don’t resist! Call Peggy Hewett now, and ask how you can be involved!

The only people to call Peggy were Margaret Bridger, Sam Smart and Renate Watkinson – all members of the OWN Management Team and all offering to help with transport!

International Year of Older Persons 1999 was International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) and the money was flowing, but not in the direction of the Theatre Group. What they 42 > VISION & VITALITY

wanted was a small IYOP grant to employ professional arts workers to help them write and produce new material. Their $5000 funding application to the State Government for a new show called Catching Tunes was knocked back, and instead they received a cheque for $2500 – with the unspoken expectation that they could achieve the same outcomes. The cast refused, arguing that their submission was based on paying arts workers industry rates of pay and that it would be unethical to compromise by offering them lower rates. The government accepted the Theatre Group’s counter offer, which was to use the $2500 to employ two women – one to research copyright issues and one to work seven hours a week for seven months as administrator/director. The outcome of the copyright researcher’s non-legal opinion was that with more serious commercial copyright infringements regularly occurring elsewhere it was improbable that attention would be focused upon a non-profit organisation such as OWN. She also provided a long list of lyrics and music out of copyright, as well as a list of popular music in the public domain for the cast to use as inspiration, which they did. That year an unexpected windfall of $1000 came from the Mercy Foundation, a Catholic organisation working to create greater social equity and inclusion in the Australian community. The donation, plus a handsome plaque, was in recognition of the Theatre Group’s work in “confronting social, cultural and political attitudes and issues that discriminate against older women”. The first ‘big event’ show during IYOP was a twenty-minute performance at the Premier’s International Women’s Day (IWD) reception at Government House on 2 March 1999. The Fairies Skit was a huge hit. The next day Peggy was contacted by the Deputy Principal of Burwood Girls’ High School, who had been told by one of her teachers that the Theatre Group’s performance at Government House was one of the best things she’d ever seen. Could she book them for a performance? Six months later the Theatre Group performed to a thousand girls and The Theatre Group < 43

nearly a hundred teachers at Burwood Girls High School. It was the largest and noisiest audience they’d ever entertained, with the girls’ earsplitting response to the opening number Hey, Hey, We’re the Old- ies becoming even louder after each song and sketch. The tumultuous applause was exhilarating.

The fairies – Brigid Sen, Peggy Hewett and Judith Mustard.

In a generous act of support the OWN Inc. Working Committee held a literary lunch at the Mott Hall to launch its second anthology, Tell Me More … Voices of Older Women, and advertised it as a fundraiser for the Theatre Group. (The first anthology was Untold Stories: Voices of Older Women, published in 1998.) The fundraiser added a total of $700 to the Group’s coffers from entry donations and a well-subscribed raffle. IYOP was one of their busiest years ever. They performed a record fifty-one shows, undertook a roller coaster of country and interstate 44 > VISION & VITALITY

tours, and during the last quarter of the year accomplished a combined total of thirty-six performances. Their seven-day Off the Beaten Track tour of southern NSW in November was particularly gruelling, as each show included the segment where four cast members talked about violence in their lives. At the end of 1999 Peggy Hewett took ‘long service leave’ and June Goss and Josie Jackson both resigned. In the meantime Lucy Porter and Janet Waters agreed to temporarily take on the coordination role until Peggy’s return mid-2000. Josie also returned in 2000 and took on the coordination role when Peggy retired in 2002.

The new millennium and beyond During the four-week summer break Louise Anike, who was by this time Creative Director, wrote a new script to welcome in the new millennium. It was called Wow! 2000 and in addition to a signature tune – In the Years 2000 to Come – it included skits on hospital funding, the GST, pensions, banks, disability access, and a new song, Celebrate Our Age. Five new members – Ann Cunynghame, the late Jean Jacobs, Norma Bastock, Olga Jacubova, and Valda Marshall – had joined the Theatre Group, bringing their numbers to eleven. With a new script, new music and new cast members, they had to rehearse twice a week for five weeks to have the new show ready for International Women’s Day (IWD) and Seniors Week events. Wow! 2000 was a big hit, particularly the health songs and hospital skits. Despite a long vacation during the Sydney Olympics in September, the Theatre Group still managed to perform to thirty different audiences in 2000. During the Olympic recess Louise Anike, Marie Williams, Merle Highet and Judith Mustard wrote scripts for a 2001 show, Doing Our OWN Thing! which explored new themes using a selection of old and The Theatre Group < 45

new material. The show focused on myths of ageing, and skits and songs on current issues affecting older women – age discrimination, mutual obligation and volunteering – and ended with an anti-violence song, I’m not going to take it any more, written by Josie Jackson. One of the highlights of 2001 was an Open Day at Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness Centre where Doing Our OWN Thing was performed for the first time to an excited audience of over 230 older women. In early 2002 the cast was reinvigorated with new and returning performers, increasing their number to fourteen. (By the end of the year they were down to seven!) Marjorie Moffat joined the Theatre Group in February, Brigid Sen returned after an absence of fifteen months in China and Josie Jackson also returned after a short break. The multi- talented Elizabeth Swain was employed part-time as director, office assistant, choir-trainer and emergency pianist for a year. Louise Anike once again wrote a new show Older Women on Show over the summer holidays, which meant that the cast had to learn a completely new script while simultaneously rehearsing and performing the previous year’s show. At one stage during the early months of 2002, the cast had three shows running simultaneously! They performed fifty- seven shows that year. The high point in 2003 was without doubt the Andrew Denton interview with Louise Anike and Josie Jackson on national television. Watched by 1.7 million people, the two women sparked and sparkled throughout, with not a hint of anxiety or shyness in their responses to his probing questions and provocative comments. Their appearance on Enough Rope was later described by Andrew as “one of those that really made a difference”. In the weeks following the Denton interview, OWN was inundated with letters, emails and phone calls from across Australia from people describing their admiration for the work that OWN does and expressing their identification with Josie, who had spoken so openly about 46 > VISION & VITALITY

walking away from the violence she had endured throughout her mar- riage. At Christmas that year Andrew Denton donated $500 to the Theatre Group to support their message that older women can and do live productive and powerful lives.

Louise Anike (left) and Josie Jackson with Andrew Denton

Another performance of note in 2003 was at OWN Sydney’s Older Women’s Right to Safety at Home forum where the Theatre Group once again struck just the right note in the illustrious company of well- known and highly respected speakers involved in policy-making and support for victims of domestic violence. Then there was their magnificent performance at the Third Annual Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival. Notwithstanding the awe-inspiring presence of some of Australia’s top female comediennes, the Theatre Group took to the stage and with characteristic nerve performed three The Theatre Group < 47

of their most popular songs from Older Women on Show to an equally enthusiastic audience of more than 700!

Women Centre Stage 2004 was a real buzz. Members of Macarthur OWN had written and performed a skit for their 2003 Christmas party and following unre- strained applause from their peers decided to become a performance group. Calling themselves The Melody Makers they approached OWN NSW to help them stage a concert, Women Centre Stage, and to seek funding through Seniors Week. The theme of Seniors Week 2004 was appropriately called The Best Time for Ages. By the time a grant of $5000 was awarded to OWN NSW a collaborative planning process with Mac- arthur OWN for a concert in Campbelltown was well underway. Nothing stood in the way of The Melody Makers, even the fact that they were completely inexperienced until Peggy Hewett, Lucy Porter and Ann Cunynghame ran a one-day workshop for them. They managed to get the best venue in town (the Crystal Room at the RSL Club) free of charge and successfully tackled local businesses to donate raffle prizes so that grant money could be used for a sound engineer, light- ing staff and buses to transport OWN members to Campbelltown. The concert was a raging success with a total of eighty singers, dancers, musicians, actors, drummers, tap dancers, comediennes – all OWN members – and many different OWN performance groups entertaining a rapturous audience of over 500. The rest of 2004 was characterised by comings and goings and country tours. Brigid Sen was welcomed back after a year in the UK, Jo Al- lon came back for a while, but then went overseas, and Joan Modder joined them. The Theatre Group’s first tour that year was to Batemans Bay in July. The event was a Women in Business conference, sponsored by a local 48 > VISION & VITALITY

bank. Bank officials were in the audience, along with the local Member of Parliament. The cast sang their Fair Go Banks song and then gave them the benefit of Josie Jackson’s latest effort, The Liars’ Song (sung to the tune of If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands). Both songs received robust applause from the general audience, but went down like lead balloons with officials. Their second tour that year was a four-day health information tour to western NSW organised by Macquarie Health Services. The final performance of the tour was to a packed house at the Women’s Gather- ing at Coonabarabran. With their previous experience in mind, the cast wondered how their songs would be received when they discovered that a local councillor and an MP were in the audience. They needn’t have worried. The audience erupted into deafening cheers and prolonged clapping after The Liars’ Song and also after a cheeky new song they’d written about politicians’ pay, Governments are for the People. In December 2004 the Theatre Group was once again invited to perform at the Darling Harbour Convention Centre. This was the site of their very first performance fourteen years before. On the first -oc casion there had been 200 in the audience; this time there were 800! There were other differences too – this time they were paid to perform, and this time they weren’t quaking with nerves. In fact, they felt so sure of themselves that the provocative Liars’ Song was included in their program despite (or because of) the presence of Federal and State health politicians. In the last paragraph of the final chapter of Women Centre Stage: Celebrating the Rise and Rise of the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group I wrote:

In the course of their lives (members of the Theatre Group) have experienced the full gamut ... fear and pain, joy and despair, zest and weariness, wonderment, love, loneliness ... every emotion there The Theatre Group < 49

is. Whatever the mix in private, once members of the OWN Thea- tre Group go into performance mode, all that life experience is shared with their audience. They are living proof that advancing years bring women accumulated insight and strength, perception, empathy, warmth and wit. And for all those reasons, and many more, their voices will continue to be heard.

And they have continued to be heard… The Theatre Group’s first big event in 2005 was a second Women Centre Stage concert at the Campbelltown RSL Club organised by OWN NSW and Macarthur OWN. Once again the Macarthur women achieved astonishing support for the event from Campbelltown Council, the RSL Club and the head of the local Anglican Church, who lent them a portable piano for the day. Beginning with speeches (of course!) and a two-course lunch generously subsidised by Campbelltown City Council in honour of Seniors Week, the concert began with a colourful Rock Band of Macarthur members in full and noisy stride. Following acts, including the OWN Theatre Group’s performance, drew huge applause from the audience of 500. MC for the day, Josie Jackson, with her humour and wonderful irreverence, kept the concert happily boiling along to its riotous rock band finale. Shortly after the concert, the cast was off on a seven-hour coach trip to Gunnedah where they performed for residents and staff at Alkira Hostel, an aged care facility. Just before they were due to perform disaster struck when their pianist, Anne Cunynghame, had a fall and was taken to hospital. But like the real trouper she is, Anne returned – in a wheelchair – in time to accompany them. During 2005 they performed at the OWN NSW State Conference and AGM in Sydney and at the OWN (Australia) Conference in Bris- 50 > VISION & VITALITY

bane, but performed only three shows for which they received pay- ment. One was for people with Huntington’s Disease holidaying with their carers at San Remo on the Central Coast, while another was at a Celebration of the Older Woman held at the Blue Mountains Women’s Health Centre. A year later the Theatre Group was invited back to the attractive grounds of the San Remo camp to perform once again for the Australian Huntington’s Disease Association. Funding cuts during 2005 to many non-government organisations led to the significant drop in bookings for events such as AGMs, conferences, and ‘thank you’ events for volunteers. Seventeen enquires that year did not proceed to bookings because the organisations lacked the funds to pay. A fee of between $400 and $500 is usually asked for each performance and although the Theatre Group has a policy of adjusting fees under certain circumstances, they decided that there was a limit. By early 2006 they had a team of eleven, a new show, and bookings were picking up. During the first half of 2006 Louise resigned for health reasons and Josie Jackson took leave of absence. Brigid Sen, who had been with the group since 1998, was appointed creative director while Jo Allon and Marjorie Moffat (cast members since 2000) shared the coordination role. Marjorie joined Joan Modder (who later took on the coordination role) to focus on publicity, and with Norma Bastock’s assistance also took on costumes, props, song sheets and performance calendars. (Norma joined the group in 2000 and continues to travel three hours by train from Nowra for rehearsals and performances.) Judith Mus- tard, who had been a member since 1991 also resigned in 2006, but later in the year took on a liaison role with the OWN NSW Manage- ment Team. Brenda Hardwick, with a history in dance and movement, was appointed choreographer, and much-appreciated musician Anne Cunynghame, who had been with the group since 2000, continued on as resident pianist and ukulele player. Audrey Curtis, Monique Reiher The Theatre Group < 51

and Edith Sykes were kept busy seeking sponsorships and publicity and working on a new brochure. The new show was a thirty-minute compilation of new and old material. Amongst the new material were two songs written by Brigid – In- surance CEOs sung to the tune of a Scottish jig, A Hundred Pipers, and Brainagra, sung to The Foggy Dew, an old Irish ballad. (“There’s Viagra for men, but wouldn’t it be good if we had some really useful pills like Brainagra, or Urinagra, or Osteo-agra?”). The show also included a poignant anti-war song Let Children Live! written by Joan Modder to the tune of When you wish upon a star. Taking a more upbeat approach, Josie Jackson wrote Menopause and set it to the Bing Crosby hit, Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? There were skits about the financial struggles of older women, age discrimination and a revival of a segment from the 1990s skit Perils of the Doctor’s Surgery in which Ms. Every- woman faces up to Dr. Careless with her bucket of pills. In March the Theatre Group journeyed to the South Coast, performing in four towns – South Durras, Broulee, Tilba and Bodalla – over five days. The tour was sponsored by the Eurobodalla Small Communities Access project to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD), whose theme that year was Inspiring Potential. Ironically, a question asked of cast members on the tour was: “Are you all widows or single women”? The idea that women could go away together for a week to do what they enjoyed doing was a matter for comment! It was a lovely break from the demands of city life. With performances confined to mornings the cast had the afternoons and evenings off to enjoy historical sites and indulge in other delights with the aid of Richard, a local driver and all round helper assigned to them by the tour organiser Sue Anderson. On their return to Sydney they played to an audience of culturally diverse younger women involved with STARS (Skills, Training and Resource Service) at Campsie. The cast found it an unusual but satisfy- ing experience when the younger women began showing considerable 52 > VISION & VITALITY

interest in the ways older and younger women relate to and understand each other. Between April and October 2006 the Theatre Group performed to a very large audience at Bowman Hall, Blacktown sponsored by the Dementia Advisory Committee and an even larger one at Penrith RSL Club sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The predominantly older women in the audience were members of Wives of Vietnam Veterans, the Nepean Division of Sydney Legacy, and the Lower Blue Mountains War Widows Guild and had come together to raise awareness of health issues under the banner, All of Me. Health issues were certainly on the minds of the eight cast members who arrived at Penrith station that morning to haul props and a keyboard more than one kilometre up to the RSL Club. First the keyboard on a trolley, then a large suitcase on a trolley followed by a smaller suitcase, and to make it really awkward, a very large pillbox in a very large plastic bag. As one of them grumbled, “You don’t only need musical talent, you need muscles too!” Marjorie’s plaintive plea, “Oh for a roadie with a combie van!” only became a reality some years later – and only for a short time. Other performances in 2006 were at the Jemby-Rinjah Conference Centre at Blackheath for the Baptist Church Community Services; the Australian Technology Park Redfern for NCOSS; Citigate Sebel House for the Women’s Housing Company; Caringbah Baptist Church for the Endeavour Seniors Computer Club; and Lotty Stuart Hospital at Dundas for the Huntington’s Disease Unit. The crowning glory for 2006 was an October fundraising performance at the Mott Hall for members of OWN, family, friends, special guests, and the general public. Over 200 people crowded into the Hall to hear a large selection of entertaining songs and skits presented with warmth and humour. Cast members had worked relentlessly to make the day a success by rehearsing twice a week for many weeks: preparing The Theatre Group < 53

props, publicity and programs; organising refreshments, raffle prizes and donation signs; heaving mikes around; and hanging up banners. On the day, the audience could not have been more appreciative. One of the highlights was Josie Jackson, coordinator of the Thea- tre Group for many years, acting as compere and also singing one of her own songs. Another was the experience of performing at ‘home’ to such a responsive, supportive audience. Of course there were some hiccups – one of the mikes got the wobbles in the second half of the show and the refreshment table was overwhelmed, i.e. there was not enough food! However, the audience forgave them by buying up every raffle ticket and donating generously. All together they received more than $600 for their efforts. During March 2007 their feet hardly touched the floor. Performanc- es at Wyong, Concord and Cockle Bay were followed by a three-day tour of Central NSW performing two long shows each day at Baradine, Coonabarabran, Mendooran, Binnaway and Dunedoo. Their schedule was awesome – leaving Sydney at dawn, travelling by train for five hours, then by bus for two hours and, on arrival at Coonabarabran, rehearsing for two hours! They were billeted with local families and fortunate to be allocated a cheerful young man, David, as bus driver and roadie who happily lifted and loaded props, keyboard and all the paraphernalia accompanying eight women on tour. Given that all were older, and there was little time for sleeping and eating between travelling and performing, it seemed likely that they would need more than the services of a ‘roadie’ before the end of the tour! However, despite their exhaustion the entertaining mix of wisdom, irreverence and relentless honesty was a hit with audiences in every town. Back in Sydney rehearsals were once again going on in earnest, with the usual difficulties of catering for shows of differing lengths and the absence of some performers due to illness or holidays. Although those preparing the programs rarely complain – and usually joke about the 54 > VISION & VITALITY

problems they face – it is always a juggling and balancing act getting a show together. By mid-year Susan O’Brien, an accomplished dancer with considerable theatrical experience had joined the Group, as did Halcyon Evans. Susan undertook a rapid learning curve to understudy as many parts as possible and by the time she resigned later the following year had been in the roles of rehearsal and stage director and had run two acting workshops. Halcyon became a lead singer with the Group.

Passion and power in the Snowies Women’s Day is a strictly all-women annual gathering held in the peaceful village of Dalgety on the Snowy River. No men, no children. In 2007 the theme for their day was Passion and Power. The Theatre Group had a special connection with Dalgety. In 1999 they had undertaken an exhausting seven-day tour of southern NSW (see Off the Beaten Track, chapter 5 Healthy Ageing) offering sing-talks to women in five towns, Dalgety being one of them. To hear cast members talk about how they had not only survived violence, but were leading full, active lives with loving support from friends had a powerful effect on the Dalgety women, who decided to keep the feeling alive by celebrating once a year on a special Women’s Day! As the Theatre Group entered the Dalgety Hall the happy noise of women doing their favourite things – greeting, laughing, talking – was overtaken by a loud cheer of recognition for Jo Allon, a member of the original tour group. Women of all ages had come from across the Shire to share a special day off from the hardships of rural life. To begin, four Aboriginal Women Elders gave a powerful Welcome to Country. The Theatre Group’s skits drew roars of laughter, and the challenges in Never too Old and Celebrate Your Age as well as issue-based songs such as Grandmothers and Mutual Obligation went down a treat. As the day The Theatre Group < 55

unfolded, cast members were also inspired by the passion and power of these remarkable country women.

Never Too Old (Words and music written by Bernice Lynch in 1994)

Never too old to have some fun Never too old to be the one To change over to a new career. Never too old to exercise Never too old to just be wise

Pace yourself and wear the proper gear. Don’t let the young ones put you down When they look at you and start to frown They say “What do you know about how I feel.” I say “Listen you’re unreal

That kind of attitude leaves me flat.” You’ll be old yourself someday And I won’t be around to say I told you so So what do you think of that? Never too old to be yourself

Don’t be left upon the shelf Be a mover and a shaker Remember you only get one chance To live and love and sing and dance Enjoy yourself before you meet your maker! 56 > VISION & VITALITY

Remembering Louise In late 2007, following the death of Louise Anike, a special celebration of her life was held by past and present members of the Theatre Group. Around twenty members recalled warm memories of Louise. She had promised to come back as a butterfly, so with lots of colourful card- board butterflies to encourage her spirit to be with them, it was easy to imagine Louise sitting quietly amongst them. She had made an amazing contribution to the Theatre Group through her skills as a writer and director; through her quiet, humorous presence; and through her ability to direct with ‘an iron fist in a velvet glove’. Not long after Remembering Louise the Theatre Group entertained over one hundred and sixty older women celebrating OWN’s 20th An- niversary celebration. The celebration included a three-course sit-down lunch superbly organised by Blacktown OWN at the Rooty Hill Seniors Centre. Once again there was sadness that Louise was no longer around to celebrate OWN’s achievements; she had been such a key figure in both the Network and the Theatre Group.

More dramatic challenges Sing-talk formats have a long tradition at OWN, but when the invitation for a sing-talk on domestic violence came late in 2007 from Westmead Hospital, no one then in the Theatre Group had ever been involved in one. Fortunately, Peggy Hewett and Lucy Porter agreed to come out of retirement and teach them the format, which the cast of six accomplished to unreserved approval. Unlike the earlier format of sing-talks (which mostly focused on OWN’s healthy ageing agenda) the ‘new’ sings-talks include information about OWN as well as anti-violence material. For instance, at the Age Gives No Immunity to Violence forum Lucy Porter, Josie Jackson The Theatre Group < 57

and Ann Cunynghame courageously told personal stories of violence and abuse, and at the forum on Abuse of Older Women in early 2008 the performance featured Ann Cunynghame who spoke briefly about some of her own life experiences before reading the much-loved, but absent, Josie Jackson’s history of violence and survival. Ann’s soft, steady voice describing the violence and abuse suffered by Josie brought many in the audience to tears. When the cast sang Josie’s song I’m Not Going to Take it Any More! the audience roared approval. Another Sing-Talk was presented at an IWD Celebration Breakfast to a packed Barnaby’s Restaurant in Parramatta, and two hours later, also in Parramatta, a longer version was performed for workers at the NSW Health Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) at Cumberland Hospital. As they moved into 2008, another serious reduction in cast numbers was causing concern with Brigid Sen overseas for a year, Monique Reiher taking time out, others juggling grand-parenting duties and illness claiming others. However, on a high note, talented musician Rhona Nicholson joined the Group and began alternating with Ann Cunynghame, their long-standing and overworked pianist. Saturday 8 March 2008 – IWD – saw the Theatre Group belting out songs at Ashfield Town Hall for the Council’s IWD Multicultural Celebration. Many immigrants and refugees from Asia and Europe entertained with songs and dances from their own cultures, even though the concept of a ‘women’s day’ was somewhat of a mystery to many of them. When the Theatre Group opened with their signature song Making Whoopee the giggles became laughs before very appreciative clapping broke out.

Makin’ Whoopee (Marie Williams wrote the words in 1994 to an old 1928 Blues tune) 58 > VISION & VITALITY

We’re here today, we’ve come to say We’re older women, who pave the way To recognition, a new condition We’re making whoopee!

We come together to strut our stuff And may we say, we’ve had enough Of being down there, a place of nowhere And not much whoopee.

We haven’t got much money Titles or millions plus Won’t make the big time honey Still that’s all right with us.

We write our shows and sing and dance We’re getting famous and not by chance These pretty faces are going places We’re making whoopee!

We mean to change the system Brush off or pills won’t do Life’s troubles we can list them But we have our point of view.

We’re growing old and much more bold Can live alone ’cos we’ve got OWN We’re sitting pretty here in the city And making ... money? No!! We’re making whoopee! The Theatre Group < 59

Later the same day the cast sang two songs on stage in Hyde Park – Never too Old and Josie’s I’m Not Going to Take it Any More – and were cheered by the hundreds of feminists who had marched up Elizabeth Street to Hyde Park for the IWD concert. A month later they were asked to perform at the launch of the Old- er Persons Legal Service established by the Aged Care Rights Service (TARS) in partnership with Legal Aid NSW. There were three unusual aspects to this invitation: it was in the evening; they were asked to perform only three songs; and they were asked to submit their songs beforehand – which they refused to do! The audience included the stern-faced NSW Attorney General, John Hatzistergos and Legal Aid workers from across Sydney who enthusiastically showed their approval of the three songs. 2009 closed with a colourful, exhilarating and occasionally riotous concert called Our OWN Show. Together with members of OWN Syd- ney the Theatre Group put their everything into presenting a concert suffused with a different way of seeing older women: no longer sensible, lack-lustre stereotypes, but older women with exciting lives to live and important contributions to offer the wider society. The concert also included the launch of my book, Centre Stage: Celebrating the Rise and Rise of the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group, and a short performance by Peggy Hewett and Lucy Porter, two performers who had previously enjoyed brilliant careers with the Theatre Group. The dazzlingly decorated Mott Hall was filled to overflowing. From the opening trumpet solo by Valda Marshall, through a rich program of singing from The Sutherland Dames, the SilvertOWNS of Illawarra and the professional and exuberant songs and skits from the Theatre Group, the audience was captivated. Individual artists also included mistress of the mandolin, Angela Heathwood, dramatic singer Anne Passmore and a wickedly funny WENCHes duo from the Southern 60 > VISION & VITALITY

Highlands. The swirling national costumes and foot-tapping rhythms of the Greek Dancers from Bankstown had the audience clapping and dancing in joyful appreciation before the concert concluded with all eight groups singing Razzle-Dazzle and showering the audience with glitter and bright streamers. With a crescendo of applause Our OWN Show came to an end. In 2009 then musical director Jo-Anne Cahill drafted a completely new show called Don’t Knock Your Granny. (Some members of OWN considered the ‘granny’ in the title unfortunate, knowing that the women’s movement was partly born out of frustration with being defined by our roles as mother, daughter and wife.) The show involved the use of puppets and performance to deal with the difficult subject of elder abuse. Don’t Knock Your Granny had its genesis in the Theatre Group’s 1997 segment on domestic violence and the sing-talk format on violence and abuse that was re-introduced in 2007. It also emerged as a result of an invitation to perform another anti-violence sing-talk at the NSW Health Education Centre Against Violence (ECAV) in North Parramatta. Impressed with their sing-talk format, the organisers at ECAV began to book the Theatre Group for the specialised training programs on adult and child sexual assault and domestic violence they ran for social and community workers. Cast members Joan Modder and Jo Allon were both invited to be participants in one of ECAV’s three-day intensive training workshop, Not Seen or Heard: Recognising and responding to the abuse of older people. With a grant of $1800 from the Mercy Foundation, Jo-Anne used her professional training to further develop Don’t Knock Your Granny using material from the intensive ECAV workshop attended by Joan and Jo. By early 2010 the script was being ready to be performed. The Theatre Group < 61

Never before had the director and cast tackled a show with such a challenging theme. Songs such as Staying Alive, Stop Look and Listen, Respect and vox populi (personal comments) based on real-life experiences were deeply confronting to many of the cast during rehearsals. Some feared Don’t Knock Your Granny was too dark and not at all entertaining. However, they persevered and at its first airing at OWN’s Older Women Ageing Safely in NSW forum in April it was well received, although they agreed that the script and choreography needed further refinement. In October 2011 Don’t Knock Your Granny was performed in Perth at the OWN (Australia) Conference. Later, it was performed at two Stay Safe and Connected forums conducted by the South Eastern Syd- ney Area Health Service in Cronulla and Sutherland, followed by two performances for the Education Centre against Violence in Penrith and Wollongong. By the end of 2012 Don’t Knock Your Granny had also become an integral part of ECAV training. As a result of the Theatre Group’s performance at the Stay Safe and Connected forums, the South East Area Health Services commissioned them to perform in a training DVD to project more widely that elder abuse is an attack on those who are amongst the most vulnerable in our society. They believed that a DVD would educate more people about the issues and hopefully lead to greater protection of older women against threats from family members, workers and others. The DVD was launched in August 2012 and initially distributed with a training booklet to targeted organisations such as University Social Work departments, Nursing Colleges and Community and Aged Care Centres. In 2012 the Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, held an International Women’s Day reception for members of OWN at Admiralty House in Sydney. The Theatre Group was invited to entertain. Once again, Don’t Knock Your Granny was performed with puppets, songs and accompanying actions, each of which pointed to the many painful and difficult 62 > VISION & VITALITY

issues older women can face. A note of optimism was introduced at the end with a rousing rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life that had the audience singing along with gusto. The Theatre Group later received a letter of congratulations from Her Excellency: “As Patron of the Older Women’s Network, I congratu- late you on the strident messages put forward in the DVD. There are lessons for all of us, no matter how old, to keep eyes, ears and hearts open to possible abuse, to learn about help for carers, about Aged Care Pack- ages for those at home, and above all to remember the word respect.”

Lifting the spirits

Front row: Ruth Thompson, Miranda Walker, Inez Jessurun. Second row: Halcyon Evans, Rita Tratt, Janice Beavan, Norma Bastock, Joan Modder. Back row: Mar- jorie Moffat, Brigid Sen, Denise Miel. Not present: Meg Venning and Itojo Hardie. Photographer: Jill Moore, 2013 The Theatre Group < 63

The previous year, 2011, the Theatre Group had received a grant of $4800 from the City of Sydney to develop a new show called The Village People. With cast numbers hovering between ten and twelve, the show was subsequently performed in ‘villages’ within the City of Sydney – Millers Point, Kings Cross, Alexandria, Redfern, Ultimo and Glebe. The show’s theme song was In the Village, and together with a number of skits and other songs proved to be a funny and uplifting stimulant to pre-baby-boomer audiences at events such as Christmas in July, and December Christmas parties and concerts. It was regularly performed over a period of two years to a wide range of audiences who enjoyed toe tapping and singing along with the cast. In the latter part of 2012 Ilona Lee and other members of the writing group devised the script for a new show called Stayin’ Alive. It was subsequently directed and choreographed by the new director, Uma Khali Shakti. Stayin’ Alive celebrates the passions, resilience, challenges and friendships of older women. Through songs, skits and puppetry it confronts politicians, the transport system and hospitals, and demands that older women be treated as independent women who refuse to be fitted into little boxes, constrained by age and discriminatory attitudes. Like a decade before, members of the cast had to learn a completely new script while simultaneously rehearsing and performing the previous year’s show. At one stage during 2012, they had three shows being rehearsed and performed at the same time! In addition, a sing-talk presentation was offered to social work students at the University of Sydney. The experience of producing and performing Don’t Knock Your Granny has provided the Theatre Group with the confidence to tackle and perform more difficult material. In 2013 they are putting the -fin ishing touches to a new script called Ma, It’s Time to Move which focuses on older women and hidden homelessness – another dark, but important subject. 64 > VISION & VITALITY

•

The passion to raise awareness of older women’s issues through entertainment, which began in 1988 with Peggy Hewett and Co., is still as powerful today as it was back then. At a personal level, being part of such a dynamic group does have its moments. Brigid Sen, who has played many roles – both administratively and theatrically – recently described what being a member of the Theatre Group means to her:

It can be challenging: there’s a lot to learn and a real commitment to rehearse every Tuesday, not to mention performing all over Syd- ney, and all that entails. What may not be appreciated is how much fun we have. As a group of women with fairly strong opinions on most things (especially how we should line up to go on stage!), it is amazing that we are such a harmonious bunch and work so well together. Usually. And we enjoy each other’s company, too. Usually.

There are now fourteen women involved in the Theatre Group. Brigid, along with current members Marjorie Moffat, Joan Modder and Norma Bastock all joined up before 2004. This is a remarkable achievement considering the burnout, pressures and tensions inherent in most creative undertakings, and especially when they involve a group of stroppy older women. The turnover of members in recent years has been relatively high although accurate figures were not available. I have calculated that around sixteen women have joined and left the group during the past seven years after being members for varying periods of time. In an age group where ill health is a common challenge, time is precious and memory sometimes unreliable, this might be quite normal. On the other hand it could indicate that women are joining the group without The Theatre Group < 65

fully understanding the impact such a commitment can have on the rest of their lives. 5

Healthy Ageing

The slogan ‘Age is not a disease’ was first used by older women in 1988 at the picnic and performance outside Canberra’s Old Parliament House. It sent a strong message to the media and to politicians in the small audience that healthy ageing is more complex than the absence of disease. The terms healthy ageing, wellbeing, and wellness are synonymous within OWN. Derived from OWN’s primary aim – to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women – a sense of wellbeing can be achieved in two different, but complementary, ways through OWN. The first concerns the development of OWN groups – in 2012 there were nineteen groups in NSW – which provide opportunities for friendships through social activities, special interest groups, guest speakers and community activism. The second involves the development of wellness programs consisting of physical activities and healthy lifestyle workshops. OWN groups alone, or combined with wellness activities, are unswerving in their commitment to fostering older women’s wellbeing. Healthy Ageing < 67

As far back as 1985, CPA workers Maggie Kyle and Pam Benton conducted healthy ageing workshops on minor tranquilliser use, being assertive with doctors, and the significance of stress. In 1989, an OWN Health Project was launched at CPA with a small grant from the Consumer Health Forum. Project worker Sharon Doolan consulted widely before designing a series of workshops on topics such as making the health system work for you, images of women ageing, self defence, memory training, dealing with loss and grief, resolving conflict, sexuality, developing confidence and learning more about our bodies. The aims of the workshops were to identify the many factors that contribute to healthy ageing and to emphasise the knowledge that older women have about their own bodies and themselves.

On the lighter side… From 1991, when OWN became incorporated, members continued to organise social events, interest groups and creative activities. The purpose of these activities was to provide opportunities for women to participate, play, act, work together and generally enjoy a communal life. This shared commitment to their own wellbeing meant an almost daily flow of older women into the OWN office, creating an agreeable atmosphere of conviviality and companionship. Weekly and/or monthly activities included Creative Movement, which met for over a decade, International Dancing, bootscooting, Arts Discussion, Music Appreciation, feldenkrais and drumming. One-off or irregular activities such as quarterly sit-down Sunday Lunches (each with a special food theme) catered for by the fund-raising committee, an Arts Festival, a Retirement Forum, holiday weekends away, and other events too numerous to mention, were not only great fun but forged strong social bonds between women. When OWN NSW and 68 > VISION & VITALITY

Sydney OWN were established in 2001, all these activities became the province of Sydney OWN.

The Health Group The OWN Health Group, which met monthly for twelve years from 1990 to 2002, had two principle roles. The first was related to the -in terests and concerns of individual members who monitored and responded to public health issues. They included quality hospital care and admission procedures, electronic health records, acute care, cervical screening, domestic violence, adverse events in hospital care, oral health, discharge planning and the lack of community and home care services. (See chapter 6, Advocacy.) The Health Group’s other role was an internal one: to promote healthy ageing by organising and facilitating events, workshops, conferences and forums based on the concept that how we age is influenced not only by physical factors, but also by socio-economic, emotional and social considerations. Renate Watkinson, who was convener of the Health Group in 1991 and remained a central figure in its development throughout the next twelve years, organised and/or facilitated regular workshops where participants could explore health and lifestyle issues. Amongst the topics covered were euthanasia, anger, incontinence, disability, depression, living alone, domestic violence, voice care, and the healing power of laughter. Renate continued her commitment to organising OWN workshops until she retired in 2004, although she remained an active supporter of Wellness initiatives in NSW for a further three years. Healthy Ageing < 69

The cost of caring Some OWN members were concerned about their caring responsibilities for ailing mothers, fathers or husbands. It was clear that the lack of government support and the unacknowledged effects of caring on their own health and wellbeing needed to be explored. In October 1991 the late Freda Brown, a longtime political activist and a member of OWN, was the keynote speaker at an OWN seminar called The Duty of Care. Following her husband’s diagnosis with Alz- heimer’s disease in 1988, Freda had become his full-time carer. At the seminar she graphically described the situation she found herself in: “For me, caring is not rewarding – it is enslaving on all levels, physically, mentally and morally. It takes over the carer’s life, often destroy- ing the carer’s health and undermining their confidence.” Former social planning consultant and OWN member, Zula Nittim, opened the seminar with her own forceful statement: “I don’t want to be a carer.” These provocative words were spoken to the large audience, many of them in the same situation as Freda and Zula. Throughout the day women continued to truthfully and painfully confront mainstream expectations and assumptions about the nature of care, finding common ground and a new political awareness. The seminar clearly identified caring as a health risk, as well as a public policy issue. Participants became aware of research showing the physical and psychological effects on the health of carers who are isolated from peer support networks. They also heard about poor health resulting from the poverty caused by an interrupted career without the cushioning effect of superannuation, and from inadequate compensation for disabilities caused by caring. The lack of rehabilitation and job training for carers when their services are no longer required was also noted. 70 > VISION & VITALITY

The Duty of Care seminar provided older women with an understanding of how adequate resources and services, initiated and managed by older women in collaboration with professionals, could allevi- ate or solve many of the social problems affecting carers’ health and their quality of life.

Feminism and health The following year, 1992, Noreen Hewett worked with the Health Group to organise a conference called Older Women, Feminism and Health to further expand the issues raised in the 1991 publication Older Women and Women’s Health Centres: A report of feminist research by Pam Benton and Cherry Russell. More than eighty women attended the conference, which was opened by the Hon. Beryl Evans, M.L.C. Gerri Greenfield, a health worker from Liverpool Women’s Health Centre, assisted participants to explore various dimensions of positive ageing, including media stereotypes of older women. Thanks to Gerri and members of the OWN Health Group – plus consultants in psychiatry, natural health, and public health policy – the conference generated a strong sense of optimism for the future. Many women expressed a belief that they “could become the people we want to be: active, involved and with a say in our own wellbeing, and in our own society”. This was the first public occasion organised by OWN where a workshop on feminism was included in the program. Margaret Sargent, a lecturer in Sociology at the University of Western Sydney (UWS) and an OWN member, ran the workshop. She focused on three main aspects of feminist theory that can influence health outcomes for older women: (1) the medical model can be replaced by a wholistic approach; (2) theory based on women’s experience can offer an understanding Healthy Ageing < 71

of the social conditions of women’s lives; and (3) women can reclaim their bodies and take responsibility for their care with a minimum of medical intervention. Despite Margaret’s suggestion that a strict definition of feminism was neither useful nor necessary, some women felt a need to preface their remarks throughout the workshop with “I’m not a feminist, but …” while others felt threatened by what they described as the disparag- ing or pejorative tone of the word ‘feminist’. Some rejected feminism outright.

Partners in health In 1993, with financial assistance from the National Women’s Health Program and support from the NSW Women’s Health Unit, Linda Adamson was employed by OWN to undertake a research project exploring the health needs and experiences of older women. The project, WELL-BEING: For and By Older Women was overseen by members of the OWN Health Group: Renate Watkinson, Joy Ross, Noreen Hewett, Margaret Sargent, Betty Johnson, Joan Mathieson, Jan Monson, Pat Brogan, Trish Stenning, Trude Kallir, Yetty Windt and Shirley Gerlic. The project involved a literature review of older women’s health problems, explored barriers to good health, and included a series of six focus groups with older women: two with carers, two with women from Vietnamese and Spanish backgrounds, one with the frail aged, and one with a group who saw themselves as fit and well. Renate Watkinson, Margaret Howard and Linda facilitated the groups in which seventy- two women participated, including fifty who were members of OWN. The report from the project, WELL-BEING: For and By Older Wom- en concluded that: 72 > VISION & VITALITY

Older women have both needs and resources. There are many opportunities for the health system to work in partnership with the older woman consumer in forging new responses to those needs and better utilisation of their resources. Older Women can be innovators and pacesetters. They need opportunities for their input, resources to develop their voice and their advocacy role, and acknowledgement of their contributions. Above all, they need support to break out of the traditionally perceived roles of carer and dependent in order to seize healthier fu- tures for themselves and their sisters.

The Wellness dream Linda’s subsequent report on her research developed the concept of, and need for, a wellness centre for older women. Towards the end of 1993 the Health Group approached the NSW Women’s Health Unit for financial assistance to establish a wellness centre. OWN was offered a $50,000 grant through the National Women’s Health Program to develop a pilot wellness project for older women, with one condition: it would be located in South Western Sydney, a low-income area with a diverse ethnic mix. Some members of the Health Group were hesitant about establishing a centre in this area and considered returning the grant. Noreen Hewett, who had been lobbying the Health Department for a number of years, was alarmed. “You don’t ever,” she said, “give money back!” It was decided to accept the grant and locate the project in Bankstown, a south-western suburb seventeen kilometres from the city. Unfortunately, no one had consulted with members of the newly formed Bankstown OWN group about the wellness project. Not only were they not consulted about whether or not Bankstown needed a wellness centre, they were expected to become involved in its activities. Healthy Ageing < 73

Despite being told that OWN had no say about where the centre would be located, the matter was never fully resolved and only one member agreed to support the project. Within a short time Bankstown OWN had disbanded.

The Bankstown Wellness Story Noreen Hewett resigned from the OWN (Australia) Executive in 1994 to concentrate on the new pilot project – the Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness Centre (BOWWC) – which was located a short distance from where she was living at the time. With Di Lane, the part-time coordinator, Noreen set about making BOWWC known within the community. Before long wellness activities were being offered one day a week in a small room in the Bankstown Square shopping centre. Determined that Bankstown Wellness (as it became known) would be more than a pilot project, Noreen invited representatives from federal and state health departments to meet with management and facilitators. Together key women involved with the Centre forged partnerships with local and state organisations, and made connections with local government people and services. By the end of 1995 their lobbying had resulted in stable funding, an increase and expansion of activities, higher attendances, and larger premises at the Bankstown Police and Community Youth Club. Be- fore long older women attending Bankstown Wellness were involved in planning the delivery of activities and, in many cases, taking a leadership role in them. In 1996 OWN (Australia) commissioned Linda Adamson to write an account of the Bankstown experience. A Picture of Wellness: The Story of the Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness Centre was published in 1997. Linda tells a graphic story about the uniqueness of the Bankstown Wellness Centre – the first of its kind in Australia, and probably the 74 > VISION & VITALITY

world – describing it as a testament to the enthusiasm, energy, vision and determination of the women who made it a reality. Di Lane resigned in 1997. Julie Earngey was then employed for more than three years and Judy Laws filled in for a short time before Jan Mal- ley was appointed coordinator in 2001. Jan, who resigned in late 2012, was a dedicated worker with an extensive knowledge of the Bankstown area and an inclusive leadership style. Under her direction Bankstown Wellness expanded into new areas and involved larger numbers of overseas-born women. In 2002, with a budget of nearly $100,000, Bankstown Wellness was offering twenty-seven different activities each week, had a strong Management Committee comprised of participants, and a register of over one thousand attendances per month. A partnership was formed with the Greek Older Women’s Network and a gentle exercise class for Arabic-speaking women using a bilingual facilitator was also introduced in 2002. Cur- rently, around 36% of women attending activities are from non-English speaking backgrounds. By 2011 the range of weekly activities had expanded to include outreach demonstrations in hospitals, participation in culturally diverse culinary activities, coach trips and picnics outside Sydney, and active participation in local activities celebrating International Women’s Day. Bankstown Wellness is recognised within the community as an in- trinsic part of life for older women living in south-west Sydney – and beyond. To complete the circle, a local Older Women’s Network group has once again been established in Bankstown. There is no membership distinction between the Bankstown OWN group and the Bankstown Wellness Centre. The project is now known as the Bankstown Older Women’s Network Wellness Centre and participants in either are au- tomatically members of both. Bankstown Wellness is living the dream. Healthy Ageing < 75

Northside Wellness In 1996 the Northern Sydney Area Health Service (NSAHS) provided a seeding grant to establish a Northside Older Women’s Wellness Centre (known as Northside Wellness) at Chatswood. Sam Smart, who had a long history in women’s health in Canada, was employed as the project coordinator for two days a week. Collaborating with a nine-member management committee of local women, Sam established a range of partnerships with local councils and communities to extend the program beyond Chatswood. In 1997 Cara MacDougall was appointed project coordinator following Sam’s decision to concentrate more of her energy on promoting the OWN model of wellness. This included strengthening OWN’s relationship with government departments and other community-based organisations. Lobbying efforts by Sam and Cara resulted in NSAHS funding being extended to June 1998, and with one-off grants from local councils and the Casino Community Benefit Fund, plus voluntary donations from participants, Wellness activities became a loose association of groups meeting in four different suburbs: Chatswood, Crows Nest, Lindfield and Turramurra. Each of these groups ran a weekly program with ongoing support from their local council. In 2003 a partnership between OWN and the Women’s Health Unit of the NSAHS led to Wellness groups being established at Gladesville/ Ryde and Dee Why, and a series of forums were funded to explore topics associated with older women’s health and wellbeing. Despite this brief period of growth, funding for wellness staff had diminished and participants were required to play an ever-increasing role in the day-to-day management of groups. By 2004 the only group still connected to OWN NSW was in Chatswood. (Wellness groups in 76 > VISION & VITALITY

other northern suburbs had become attached to their local community centres.) Although Northside Wellness was reduced to activities at Chatswood, morale remained high with increased attendance and activities such as discussions groups, Qi-gong and feldenkrais forming the basis of its program. Free rental space, a small grant to assist with meeting costs and the printing of a program each term, together with planning support from Cara MacDougall (then Women’s Health Of- ficer with Northern Sydney Health Services) provided the group with the impetus to keep going. In late 2004 Cara moved to the NSW South Coast, which meant participants taking full responsibility for the Cen- tre. They continue to do an outstanding job with no paid worker and the occasional small one-off grant from the local council or a community organisation.

Promoting Wellness In 1998 Sam Smart convened the Wellness Coordinating Committee. The Committee had two aims. Firstly, to clarify and document the roles and responsibilities of OWN and the project teams and staff at Bankstown and Northside Wellness Centres, and secondly, to promote wellness practices and the need for properly funded wellness centres to relevant state departments, local governments and community organisations. OWN Wellness Centres have a philosophical commitment to:

• Involving older women directly in defining their own needs, in designing and implementing programs that respond to these needs and in evaluating the effectiveness of these programs in relation to their health and wellbeing. Healthy Ageing < 77

• Acknowledging the full range of factors that contribute to older women’s health and wellbeing including societal attitudes, social justice and feelings of isolation.

• Promoting, acknowledging and utilising older women’s knowledge and skills and the vital role that life long learning plays in increasing a person’s capacity to maintain their own health and wellbeing and to contribute to community life.

• Encompassing the rich diversity of older women’s experience and cultural backgrounds.

• Including one or more forms of gentle exercise, health and lifestyle information in a discussion format, peer support and social interaction.

• Providing an inclusive and welcoming environment where older women from all cultures have fun and support one another.

In 1999 Sam Smart organised a two-day forum on Wellness Practices for Older Women, funded by the NSW Department of Health. The event had been organised for two main reasons: firstly, OWN believed that older women everywhere were interested in sharing ideas about achieving a sense of wellbeing for themselves and secondly, it was an opportunity to include health and community workers in discussions and planning sessions so that the future spread of wellness activities could happen through partnership with service providers who understood and supported what OWN was doing. Over the two days a succession of impressive women highlighted lifestyle and health issues that produced wellbeing for older women and for the community as a whole. At the conclusion of the forum participants defined what wellness meant for 78 > VISION & VITALITY

them: purpose, control, freedom; involvement and participation; and feeling OK physically and emotionally. An outcome of the forum was a one-off grant of $40,000 from the NSW Department of Health to promote healthy ageing during 1999, designated International Year of Older Persons (IYOP) by the United Nations. The grant enabled the Wellness Coordinating Committee to allocate extra hours to Cara MacDougall to research older women’s interest in and support for the future development of wellness activities. Cara prepared an impressive publication, The Wellness Guide, which provided guidelines and practical information for older women’s groups and community organisations interested in supporting wellness initiatives by and for older women. It was launched in 2001 at a Bankstown Wellness open day. Another IYOP project, Off the Beaten Track, originated with the Wellness Coordinating Committee and was funded by the NSW De- partment of Health. The project involved a tour of southern NSW in a ten-seater bus with eight members of the Theatre Group, Kate Lohse, the driver and Women’s Health Coordinator for Southern NSW, plus Sam Smart and Betty Murphy from the Wellness Coordination Com- mittee. Independent filmmaker Digby Duncan and Tashe Long, the Regional Officer with the Attorney General’s program against violence, accompanied them by car. In a gruelling seven-day tour they met over 500 women in five towns: Crookwell, Young, Dalgety, Braidwood and Moruya. Sam and Betty presented OWN’s history and its Wellness initiatives before the Theatre Group performed skits, sang songs and spoke about violence in their lives. To hear older women talk about how they had not only survived violence, but were leading full, active lives with loving support from friends, had a powerful effect on audiences. A video of Off the Beaten Track, produced by Digby Duncan and Jane Castle, has proved to be a valuable publicity tool for the Theatre Group and for OWN. Healthy Ageing < 79

In 1999 the Wellness Coordinating Committee was also involved in a joint project with the Rural Women’s Network, Older Women Out There, which delivered weekly talk-back radio broadcasts on a range of healthy ageing issues to older women in rural NSW via ABC Regional radio and 2WEB Bourke. OWN members acted as resource people both on-air and in the planning.

Expanding Wellness International Year of Older Persons generated a number of imaginative community initiatives, a key one being Platform for Action from which emerged an approach to wellbeing called Supportive Neighbourhoods. The focus of Supportive Neighbourhoods, which had originally come from the NSW Government’s 1998-2003 Healthy Ageing Framework, was on social capital and social connectedness, both of which captured the imagination of OWN members in different locations around Sydney. Noreen Hewett was by this time living in the Sutherland Shire and with her friend Barbara Burnham had formed a Supportive Neighbour- hood group in the area. In 1998 they organised activities to create a support network for older women with a disability and/or who might be feeling socially isolated. Activities included monthly luncheons/discussions at the government-funded Miranda Community Restaurant (where the group continues to meet) and free computer training at Sutherland College of TAFE. Noreen and Barbara saw the formation of a Sutherland Wellness Centre as the next logical step. To make themselves known to service providers in the area they joined the Home and Community Care (HACC) Forum and the Carers and Consumers Forum. Noreen also joined a reference group comprising representatives from the Divi- sion of General Practice, the Sutherland Shire’s Worker for the Aged, 80 > VISION & VITALITY

a community nurse from South Eastern Area Health Service, and a physiotherapist.

Sutherland Wellness In 2000 a submission was made to Sutherland Shire Council for funding to establish a wellness centre. Following Noreen’s personal representations to councillors and her community advocacy, a grant of $17,000 (the largest ever given to one organisation) was received from Sutherland Shire, with a further $10,000 from the South East Sydney Area Health Service, to establish the Sutherland OWN Wellness Centre (SOWNWC). A year later Sutherland Wellness was operating in rent-free premises at the Shire Council’s Pensioner Centre and offering three activities on one day a week: Gentle Exercise, International Dancing and an Infor- mation/Discussion group. In its first year over one hundred and fifty women enrolled at Sutherland Wellness, recording over 4000 attendances. A volunteer committee was appointed to oversee the design and implementation of activities on a day-to-day basis. A snapshot of participants during the first term showed that 67% were aged between seventy and eighty-six years; 70% relied on the aged pension as their main source of income, 50% lived alone and a majority relied on public transport or walked to the Centre. By 2011 the ratio of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) women registered with the SOWNWC showed a slight increase to 10%, which exceeded Suther- land Shire census figures. The following year, 2002, Sutherland Wellness received one-off funding of $16,000 from Sutherland Council for a New Horizons program involving training courses for the volunteer Management Com- mittee. In 2004 they also attracted enhancement funding from the Sutherland Trade Union Club and funding of $18,000 over two years Healthy Ageing < 81

from the South East Sydney Area Health Service. By this time ten activities were spread over three days a week. Although members have long dreamed of recurrent funding to pay a permanent part-time worker, it was not to be. After prolonged lobbying efforts the Department of Health offered a one-off grant in 2005 of $40,000 for a part-time project worker. Since then the Centre’s financial survival has depended on fundraising raffles, support from the Sutherland District Trade Union Club through its Community De- velopment Scheme, and donations from participants. They also receive ‘in kind’ support from Sutherland Shire Council and the Sutherland United Services Club. Despite the lack of recurrent funding, the Management Committee of Sutherland Wellness Centre are committed to achieving and maintaining physical, mental and emotional wellbeing through a range of affordable self-paced physical, educational and social activities within a caring and supportive environment.

Collaborative Wellness Research

Wellness Evaluation In 2005 the Wellness Coordinating Committee participated in a research project conducted by Peter Whitecross, Beverley Lloyd and Christine Pearse from Northern Sydney Central Coast Health Promo- tion Unit and academics Judy Pinn and Stuart Hill from the University of Western Sydney. The aim of the project was to evaluate the OWN model of wellness. This was primarily achieved by collecting stories from women attending the three Wellness Centres: Bankstown, North- side and Sutherland. The result was an impressive report, Kicking up Autumn Leaves, launched by Her Excellency the Governor of NSW Pro- fessor Marie Bashir in July 2006 at Women’s College, Sydney University. 82 > VISION & VITALITY

Active Ageing and Falls Prevention Research In 2012 the NSW Ministry for Health provided funds, initially for twelve months, for research conducted through the University of Western Sydney by Deborah Sharp and Gina Vizza. Jane Mears, Sonia Laverty and Pat Bazeley prepared the final report, which can be read on the OWN NSW website under ‘Publications’. The research addressed the following questions: • Is the opportunity to participate in gender specific physical activities designed specifically for older women an incentive for them to join and remain in OWN Wellness Programs over time? • In what ways does this contribute positively to preventing falls in this group and to enhancing their social connectedness and general wellbeing? The research also identified: • Activities that contribute to improved health outcomes of participants with a focus on falls prevention • Areas of improvement/new activities that would enable the wellness centres to increase impact on health outcomes/falls prevention.

The picture in 2012 … In addition to Bankstown, Northside and Sutherland, there are now an additional three Wellness Centres in NSW – Blacktown, Sydney and Illawarra – all managed and run by older women. Some groups receive small one-off state or local government grants, while others rely on charging a small fee for activities. Some are fortunate to have rent-free premises. It is now policy that every woman attending a wellness centre is required to be a paid-up member of the OWN group responsible for it. Healthy Ageing < 83

The Wellness Coordination Committee is comprised of representatives from each Wellness Centre. The Committee continues to be a forum where ideas and contacts are shared, and solutions to problems explored in order to further advance older women’s engagement with wellness, in all its forms. To fully grasp the importance of OWN’s contribution to healthy ageing it is necessary to refer to chapter 9, OWN Groups in NSW, which outlines the extent of wellness activities offered by OWN groups which do not identify as wellness ‘centres’. Together the six OWN Wellness Centres attract more than 2000 participants each week to rich and varied programs. Physical activities and some social programs offered by the newer Centres are outlined below.

Sydney OWN Wellness Sydney Wellness offers Tai Chi led by eighty-five year old Nora Kemp and Gentle Exercise led by Alex Franczak every Wednesday and, until recently, Creative Movement classes with Ellin Krinsley. There are monthly activities such as the Book Club and a Film Group plus Coffee Clubs at Bondi and Lane Cove offering friendship and support. Other activities have included Cooking for One, and excursions to local places of interest such as Old Government House. One member recently initiated a Community Garden Project behind the office at Lower Fort Street, which is now bearing fruit. The long-standing social history group, Lost Ladies of Sydney, continue to traverse Sydney each month seeking out exhibitions and events to expose the unsung/invisible lives of local women. 84 > VISION & VITALITY

Blacktown OWN Wellness Centre The Blacktown Wellness Centre, a project of Blacktown OWN, is thirty- four km west of Sydney. It is now into its tenth year and a hive of activity three days a week. An average of thirty members of different ages and nationalities attend the daily range of wellness activities. The Centre has combined social inclusion and a healthy lifestyle in a program of activities run by three paid faciliators: Donna Strudders, Jeanene Lawson and Annette Maie, plus volunteers from the Centre. Activities include gentle exercises, heart moves, Tai Chi, Line Dancing, meditation and African Drumming, floristry, Bingo, board games and creative writing. Blacktown OWN Wellness Centre also runs a free Cancer Support Group for anyone touched by cancer. At an annual Feel Good Day a program of motivational speakers and guest presenters with different interests and expertise provide participants with ideas and skills to assist in their daily lives. They listen and learn, laugh together, share personal experiences, and leave the day feeling good. An annual fee of $10 is charged with exercise classes costing between $2 and $4. Our Lady of Conciliation Nursing Home, whose residents are invited to attend activities, is a generous benefactor.

Illawarra OWN Wellness Centre In 2009, Barbara Malcolm and other members of Illawarra OWN established the Illawarra Wellness Centre in a community hall in Con- iston, a few minutes south of Wollongong. Initially around forty older women attended Tai Chi, gentle exercise and drumming classes held over four hours once a week. In 2012 over one hundred women registered to attend an expanded wellness program, which is now offered two days each week and includes a fitness class, international dancing, Healthy Ageing < 85

Thai Yoga, and a Ukulele class, as well as Tai Chi, gentle exercise and drumming classes. An annual joining fee of $10 also covers membership of Illawarra OWN, while each class costs $5 with a cap of $12 per day for women taking part in multiple activities. Facilitated workshops are a regular feature of the Wellness Centre with a diverse range of topics on offer. These have included grief and loss, raising self-esteem, depression, making gardens, getting the most out of a digital camera, seasonal mood disorders, and Brain Elasticity. Art classes with a therapeutic focus are very popular – particularly one where participants drew memories of their lives stimulated by looking at old photographs. In 2012 a memorable workshop with a young man from Dying with Dignity provided an overview of the facts and explored members’ views on the controversial issue of voluntary euthanasia.

•

For twenty-five years OWN has rejected the medicalisation of ageing and created a new image of ageing through its Model of Wellness. De- signed by older women for older women the wellness model challenges medical discourses in which life events such as loneliness, poverty, grief and stress are frequently defined as health ‘problems’ to be medicated. OWN’s Model of Wellness, on the other hand, acknowledges the full range of factors that contribute to older women’s health and wellbeing, including societal attitudes, social justice and feelings of isolation. Through physical activities, community engagement, social interaction and skill development, Wellness enhances the capacity of older women to live positive and supportive lives, despite illness and frailty. Research conducted by health professionals and university researchers (Kicking Up Autumn Leaves 2006) clearly identifies the many ben- 86 > VISION & VITALITY

efits for participants engaged in OWN wellness activities. Women reported being more self-accepting, more self-directing, and more open to celebrating fresh possibilities in their lives. They felt able to challenge old stereotypes and replace them with a growing realisation that they are valuable and empowered older women, with the potential to become activists and leaders in their communities. The concept of wellness and wellness centres is now widely accepted and adopted far beyond the boundaries of OWN. However, despite being a proven health promotion strategy, funding bodies and social planners are slow to embrace the Wellness Model. Until the real value of wellness for older women is recognised and accepted, adequate funding for staff, activity facilitators and appropriate rent-free premises will continue to be elusive. The big question is, are there actions OWN can take to ensure that more Wellness Centres, in all their complexity, be established, supported and sustained into the future? 6

Advocacy

Research shows that when older women are encouraged to increase their self-esteem, to become more assertive and to have a sense of control over events affecting their lives, their physical and psychological states improve, they are better equipped to seek information they need and are more inclined to organise and develop mutually supportive services.

Jenny Onyx and Pam Benton in Community Empowerment: A Reader in Participation and Development edited by Gary Craig and Marjorie Mayo, Zed Books, 1995

Noreen Hewett and Gwen George, with long histories of activism in the Union of Australian Women and other progressive organisations, believed that OWN could improve the many personal, social and political disadvantages experienced by older women. 88 > VISION & VITALITY

Statistics had long revealed that older women, compared to older men, were more likely to be living alone, have less superannuation, are more likely to be on a pension, do more unpaid care of other people, experience more negative stereotyping, and are more likely to require home support services due to their greater longevity. To challenge these disadvantages the Older Women’s Network needed to become a strong and influential voice for older women. From the earliest days this goal contained two distinct components: firstly, organisational advocacy, and secondly, individual activism. The first was achieved through engagement with the media, demonstrations and marches, publications, conferences, funded projects, and OWN projects such as the Theatre Group, the newsletter, the Aborigi- nal Support Group, Wellness Centres and OWN groups. The second was achieved by individual members engaging in both OWN-directed consumer advocacy and on activist issues personally chosen.

A different view The idea of OWN being politically active was extremely attractive to OWN members with a consumer activist background, or those who saw an activist future in their retirement. However, the idea had little interest for a majority of members, despite the many workshops offered on skill development in the early days. Those members whose interests were ‘warm fuzzies’ – meaning personal growth, social activities, fun and friendship – often referred, with a slightly pejorative edge, to individual OWN activists as ‘The Heavies’. Despite their expressed indif- ference to political activity however, a majority of members involved in ‘warm fuzzies’ fully supported the many advocacy-focused meetings, forums and conferences organised by ‘The Heavies’. Advocacy < 89

Skill development workshops From 1991 OWN’s first Community Development worker, Margaret Howard, organised and facilitated workshops on advocacy and lobbying in collaboration with Jenny de Mole from the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA). Margaret used principles of peer education, training and support to encourage members to become questioning consumers, to speak for themselves, to express their pref- erences, and to assert their different needs. This challenged the usual practice of ‘experts’ telling older women what was good for them. The issues most commonly identified by workshop participants were inadequate health care, including mental and dental health; income security; home care; violence and abuse; and negative attitudes towards older women, particularly in the media and by health care practitioners. Those with a newly developed confidence sought positions on government boards and committees; spoke out publicly; and met with policy-makers in person. And some went on stage! The OWN Theatre Group’s use of wit and parody to sling off at health professionals, hospitals, banks, transport, and media attitudes to older women was very attractive to many women who saw it a particularly creative form of advocacy.

Guiding Principles and policy goals In late 1994, at the OWN Inc. Working Committee’s six-monthly Re- view and Planning meeting OWN’s primary goal was identified as “the development of comprehensive social policies to reflect older women’s lives, concerns, and visions for the future”. A Policy Team was formed to develop grassroots and action-oriented policies in line with OWN’s philosophy, and in 1995 a set of Guiding Principles were established 90 > VISION & VITALITY

for members to use when representing OWN (see Appendix C). Ac- countability of individuals to the organisation was, up to that point, a matter of reporting to monthly meetings of the Working Committee about what committees members were on and, sometimes, the issues they were raising. It was always assumed that members’ values and beliefs were in line with OWN’s.

An enduring passion For women committed to consumer activism, it was an enduring passion. Among the most dedicated OWN Inc. advocates were Noreen Hewett, Gwen George, Louise Anike, Muriel Hortin, Betty Johnson, Margaret Sargent, Renate Watkinson, Joy Ross, Nina Walton, Jan Mon- son, Trude Kallir and Barbara Burnham. When OWN Inc. was separated into OWN Sydney and OWN NSW in 2001 the women involved with OWN NSW – Pat Carlton, Sam Smart, Pam Ledden, Betty Murphy, Brenda Hodgkinson, Cate Turner, and Barbara Malcolm – also became strong activists. Later on, Lorraine Inglis and Sonia Laverty forged new pathways in advocacy. The most attractive forms of advocacy during OWN’s first decade was membership of government and non-government committees (see Appendix D for a list of Consumer Representation between 1991 and 2001). During the same period, grassroots activists (listed below in al- phabetical order) used research, lobbying, letter writing, public speaking, the media, forums and conferences to influence policy and create greater visibility for older women.

Louise Anike From 1990 Louise Anike campaigned to expose violence and abuse against older women. In 1991 she presented a keynote paper at the Advocacy < 91

opening of the University of Western Sydney’s newly funded Women’s Research Centre. In it she firmly rejected the commonly used term ‘elder abuse’, believing it minimised the seriousness of the violence and abuse suffered by older women. Later the same year the NSW Women’s Coordination Unit launched a Domestic Violence Strategic Plan that included, at Louise’s suggestion, a special section on older women. For the next fifteen years Louise campaigned relentlessly to raise community awareness about the need for counselling and accommodation services for older women resisting or coping with violence and abuse in the home. She represented OWN Inc. and later OWN NSW on endless government and non-government committees, had articles published in newsletters and journals and presented papers at conferences and seminars. Louise also initiated and analysed research conducted into family violence amongst OWN members. The results were written up in A Re- port on Violence and Abuse Against Older Women which was distributed to relevant organisations and placed on OWN’s website. The Report became the basis of a presentation by Louise to the NSW Women’s Refuge Movement State Conference where it was received with great interest. The NSW Violence Against Women Regional Specialists also used the Report’s ‘Directions for Action’ to look at ways of developing better services and strategies to encourage older women to access available services. Until Louise began raising the issue of violence and abuse towards older women it was rarely a topic at conferences focused on women and violence. For example, when she presented the results of a questionnaire on older women’s recollections of childhood sexual assault/rape at an OWN Sydney forum in 1998 it was acknowledged as the first ever made available – even on such a modest scale. In late 1990, in her role as the OWN Theatre Group’s primary script- writer and creative director, Louise persuaded the Theatre Group to 92 > VISION & VITALITY

incorporate into its repertoire a segment that involved some cast members sharing personal stories of domestic violence and abuse with audiences. It was a compelling approach to raising community awareness of the issue, and opened the door for older women in the audience to later disclose similar stories of abuse and violence in their own lives. In 2003, Louise and Josie Jackson, who was then coordinator of the Theatre Group, were interviewed on the Andrew Denton Show about violence and abuse in their own lives and, more broadly, against older women. With 1.7 million people tuned into Enough Rope that night it was a great way to get a powerful message across. Five years later, on the first Monday following Louise’s death, Andrew Denton movingly dedicated Enough Rope to her memory. In February 2003, at Louise’s suggestion, the OWN NSW Advo- cacy Coordination Group undertook research into women’s refuges to see how many older women sought refuge accommodation and what refuges had to offer older women. A questionnaire designed by Mar- garet Sargent was sent to all NSW refuges, but only twenty-seven out of ninety responded. Of those who responded none specifically offered accommodation to older women. A report went to the Department of Community Services, which funds refuges, recommending that it change its policy around emergency accommodation to cater for the needs of older women. Currently there are two refuges offering emergency accommodation to older women – one in Darlinghurst and another in the Parramatta area. Louise died in 2007. In 2008, as a consequence of her many years of advocacy on the issue of violence, the OWN NSW Advocacy Group, in partnership with the NSW Government Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women, organised a public forum, Age Gives No Immunity to Violence. This led to funding for OWN NSW from the NSW Office for Women to conduct a research project on Prevention of Violence Against Older Women. The final report of the research project was called The Advocacy < 93

Disappearing Age: A strategy to reduce violence against older women, and at its launch it was dedicated to Louise’s memory. Louise’s work on the issue of older women and violence remains a powerful inspiration for others. (For further information on The Disappearing Age and recent projects focused on violence against older women see Large Funded Projects – below.)

Gwen George In 1990 Gwen was a representative on the Telecom Consumer Council. She became alarmed when figures from the Australian Bureau of Sta- tistics revealed that 13,200 women over the age of seventy-five did not have a telephone connected. With a grant from the Telecom Fund for Social and Policy Research Gwen recruited Linda Adamson to conduct research into the importance of the telephone to older women. Their final report: The Information Superhighway or user-friendly byway? was published by OWN in 1994. Its many recommendations included local calls remaining untimed and calls to Emergency numbers remaining free. During the research Gwen discovered that NSW was the only state in Australia without a free information and advice telephone service. She began intensive lobbying of female members of parliament, which resulted in the establishment of a Women’s Information and Refer- ral Service within the NSW Women’s Coordination Unit. It was later moved to the Department for Women (until the department was abol- ished in 2004) and finally, in a reduced form, was housed in the Office for Women’s Policy. Currently, the Service is located with Law Access NSW and provides legal information and referrals, and an Internet service. 94 > VISION & VITALITY

In 1997 Gwen joined the Home Care Service Advisory Committee and was later awarded a certificate in recognition of her service to the Committee.

Noreen Hewett Noreen was an inspiring role model who wrote and spoke persuasively about the importance of overcoming feelings of fear, powerlessness and inferiority when surrounded by better-educated people. She was able to talk about these feelings because, as a grassroots advocate with little formal education, she had experienced them herself at one time or another. In her paper My Experience was their Evidence Noreen encouraged OWN members to become involved in advocacy. “Advocacy, consumer representation, negotiation skills, are formidable sounding words which often alarm older women. But words like enthusiasm, feelings, experience, wisdom, passion – all of us have these in greater or lesser measure. And they are core ingredients for successful advocacy.” In An Easy Path or a Rocky Road? Noreen spurred women to action:

In stirring our own pots, we’re stirring the cauldrons of public debate and we need to stir publicly still more. We’re a feisty lot, and we’re moving from debating amongst ourselves, the converted, to debating the unconverted, including policy and law makers, service providers and planners whose decisions, attitudes and methods can determine the quality of older women’s lives. We have the experience, can hone our skills and help change the world. Let’s do it!

Noreen’s passions were for Wellness (see chapter 5, Healthy Ageing) and Home Care. In 1996 she was appointed to the Home Care Ministerial Advocacy < 95

Advisory Board where she remained for three years. With the trend to privatisation of home care services accelerating, Noreen was unwavering in her efforts to ensure the government resisted the principle of user-pays and home care services going to for-profit organisations. At a Home and Community Care (HACC) conference in 1998 she called for all stakeholders to support an expansion and improvement of low cost Home Care services so that people could stay in their own homes rather than move to institutional care. Fifteen years down the track Home Care services are available on request and are reasonably low cost but not free. Current rates for pensioners using HACC services are $10.55 per hour with a maximum of $105 over a four-week period, but the costs are higher if the person can afford to pay. It’s doubtful whether Noreen would feel this is a reasonable compromise. Until ill health forced her to enter an aged-care facility at eighty- seven, Noreen was one of OWN’s most tireless advocates: lecturing, writing, and lobbying politicians and bureaucrats, and attending meetings with representatives from a wide range of consumer organisations. She died in 2012 aged ninety-one. One thing is certain: Noreen’s ongoing dedication to social justice and all forms of wellbeing for older women left OWN with an incom- parable legacy – a gift that has flourished for twenty-five years and will hopefully continue to flourish. (For a more comprehensive account of Noreen’s activism see Noreen Hewett: Portrait of a Grassroots Activist by Dorothy Cora.)

Muriel Hortin Social justice was also a lifelong passion for Muriel. She joined OWN in 1992 and with a long history of leftwing activism behind her continued to agitate on many issues until she died in 2008 at the age of eighty-eight. As editor of the Sydney Newsletter for most of those years 96 > VISION & VITALITY

Muriel used her superb analytical and writing skills to express her opinions and suggest actions on a wide range of issues (see chapter 7, Publications). Writing was not the only way Muriel expressed her outrage; she also took to the streets with placards and banners to make her point. Gov- ernment policies and attitudes that most riled her were the treatment of refugees, globalisation, the plight of Aboriginal people, economic rationalism, the undervaluing of volunteers, and anything to do with discrimination against older women. In 2008 Bobby Burke published a comprehensive collection of Muriel’s writings from 1992 to 2008 called The Grit in the Oyster.

Betty Johnson From the day she joined OWN in 1991 to the present time Betty has worked tirelessly for older women’s rights on countless state and federal health policy committees, and on the global stage. In 2000, she received an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day honours list for her services to the community as a consumer advocate in aged care and related health issues, and for her work on behalf of the Older Women’s Network (Aus- tralia) and the Australian Pensioners and Superannuants Federation. Following the formation of OWN (Australia) in 1993 Betty became National Convenor from 1993 until 1997 and was a member of the executive for many years thereafter. She represented OWN (Australia) at numerous events on the national and international stage. Along with Margaret Sargent, Betty was a member of the Beijing Plus 5 Planning Committee. They received federal funding through OWN (Australia) to attend a pre-Beijing planning session in New York and subsequently to attend the 1995 Fourth World Conference of Wom- Advocacy < 97

en in Beijing. There, Betty spoke about the need for older women to be included in the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action. Four years later during International Year of Older People (IYOP) Betty became a member of Australian Coalition ’99 and a member of the NSW Platform for Action Steering Committee. She and Joy Ross worked together closely together in their respective roles. During IYOP Betty and Noreen Hewett were invited to speak on Ageism at a graduation ceremony at the University of Western Sydney. Betty also spoke at the Benevolent Society’s AGM on IYOP and aged care and was one of the designated Elders at the Hammondville Annual Photographic and IYOP Exhibition at Customs House. On behalf of either OWN Inc. (later OWN NSW) or OWN (Austral- ia) Betty was a consumer representative on the Aged Care Alliance, the Home Care Board, NSW Breast Screen Accreditation Committee and the Health Care Advisory Council. She was appointed to the NSW Min- isterial Advisory Committee on Quality Health Care, established in 1996 following a report on the adverse effects of the over-medication of older women. With other strong voices she advocated against changed entry conditions to Residential Aged Care Facilities, once known as nursing homes and hostels, when it became clear that older women on low incomes would have to sell their homes in order to be accommodated. In 1997 Betty became a member of the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency in NSW. At the time of writing she remains an active consumer representative on behalf of OWN NSW on a range of consumer forums and committees.

Joy Ross Joy had key responsibilities in practically every advocacy project designed and implemented by OWN during the fifteen years she was a Coordinator. 98 > VISION & VITALITY

In the lead-up to International Year of Older People (IYOP) the Working Committee of OWN Inc. established a Planning Committee and appointed Joy IYOP Coordinator. She became central to OWN’s partnership with government and community representatives on Co- alition ’99, the central committee for policy development and IYOP planning. She saw her role as ensuring that gender issues were on every agenda and that strategies were developed relevant to the diverse needs of older women. During IYOP a number of imaginative community initiatives were developed – one being the NSW Platform for Action. Joy had input into the Platform for Action’s gender-specific research, its promotion of positive images of older women and acceptance that older women are predominantly the victims of violence against older people. With Betty Johnson, Joy ensured that OWN was an active partner in organising the 1999 Platform for Action forum convened by Australian Coalition ’99. Submissions developed by OWN Inc. and a number of regional groups were presented at the forum on issues such as attitudes, participation, advocacy, decision-making and social and legal issues. Other IYOP activities Joy organised included an OWN information stall at the three-day Seniors Week Expo in Sydney Town Hall, and OWN members leading that years International Women’s Day march carrying placards identifying major issues for older women and handing out statements along the route. She also arranged for OWN members to join older people marching behind the IYOP banner in the government-organised Grey Mardi Gras daytime parade, and got together a small contingent of OWN marchers in the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Joy was later involved in establishing a Supportive Neighbourhoods project, which involved OWN members getting together in small groups in their own neighbourhoods: swapping ideas, exploring needs, developing activities and projects, and having fun. Advocacy < 99

In 2006 Joy organised a consultation between OWN members and two senior women in the City of Sydney’s Aged Community Services unit about Council’s exclusive focus on services for the frail aged. They argued that services for the well aged should also be a focus. The Coun- cil’s Growing Old Disgracefully publication, which lists a full range of programs across the municipality, was seen as an outcome of the consultation.

Margaret Sargent When she joined OWN in the early 1990s Margaret had recently retired as an academic and was a member of the Disabilities Council. She quickly became a strong consumer voice for older women, advocating on, for example, community housing, and recognition of the long-term effects of an abusive childhood on relationships in later life. Margaret established Women in Community Housing (WICH) at OWN in the mid-1990s and lobbied for many years for the allocation of special funding for purpose-built accommodation for older women (see chapter 3, When Older Women Get Together – Housing). She also took strong recommendations related to older women and housing to the Beijing Plus 5 Non Government Organisations (NGO) Forum. In 1996, in an attempt to have older women’s needs included on the agenda, she attended Habitat II, the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements held in Istanbul. Margaret expressed her strong feminist politics – always free of dogma – in many position papers, articles and at public meetings. Her discussion paper, Older Women Free at Last: Government, Doctors, Feminists, Family – All Behind the Times! was published in 1994 by OWN (Australia). It was a powerful rebuttal to the common view of older women as dependent, sick and a burden on society. 100 > VISION & VITALITY

In 2006, in collaboration with Jane Mears, Margaret interviewed, transcribed and published a collection of stories using the voices of older women. A copy of Lifetime Stories of Violence can be downloaded from the Internet at www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au

Renate Watkinson In 1991 Renate was appointed convenor of the OWN Health Group. She had considerable expertise in running broad-ranging health workshops and was an enthusiastic and experienced consumer advocate for older women’s health and wellbeing. She played a central role on the OWN Wellness Coordination Com- mittee which eventually replaced the Health Committee and became a valued consumer representative on a number of government and non- government committees. They included the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, the Northern Sydney Area Women’s Health Advisory Committee and the NCOSS Health Policy Advisory Group. (See chapter 5 Healthy Ageing.) In 2003 when OWN NSW established the Advocacy Coordination Group Renate used her consumer know-how to identify the need for policy changes in specific areas of government neglect and to recommend action. For many years she also took responsibility for entering reference material and the names of key people in various organisations into OWN’s Peer Support Advocacy Network database.

Conferences, forums and workshops

Since OWN is the only organisation focused solely on older women, it has always been vital that issues of concern are raised and discussed in the public domain, and put firmly on the government’s agenda. Confer- Advocacy < 101

ences, forums and workshops play an important role in this process. (Reports from OWN conferences, forums and workshops are listed in chapter 7, Publications.)

Conferences Only two conferences with a special focus (see below) have been organised at OWN, and both were in 1994. It appears that ‘forum’ and ‘seminar’ replaced the word ‘conference’ after that date. Since OWN was incorporated in 1991 Annual Conferences, combined with an AGM, have provided opportunities for members to network, attend workshops and gain new perspectives on ageing. Inspiring and knowledgeable guest speakers, usually with a high public profile, are invited as keynote speakers on subjects of special interest to OWN members. For many years a government department, either Community Ser- vices or Ageing and Disability Services, financially supported annual conferences from slippage (or slush) funds. This is no longer the case, which means that instead of being held in the prestigious Women’s College at Sydney University, conferences are now held in the Abraham Mott Hall. With no financial support to subsidise overnight accommodation at Women’s College for out-of-town members, conferences have been reduced to one, rather than two days. This concerns some members who feel that two-day conferences better enable the cross- fertilisation of ideas and the creation of stronger networks: both important features of OWN’s conference culture.

1994 Older Women, Feminism and Health Conference (see chapter 5 Healthy Ageing) 102 > VISION & VITALITY

1994 Older Women and the Family Conference held during Interna- tional Year of the Family. The aim was for older women to discuss their roles in the family, look at ways to challenge negative images of ageing, and build alliances with older women from Indigenous cultures and non-English-speaking backgrounds.

1995 OWN Inc. Annual Conference with the late Jane Woodruff, Di- rector General of the (new) Department for Ageing, Disability and Home Care speaking about the responsibilities of her department. OWN requested that the following clause be included in the Department’s responsibilities: “That the responsibilities of the NSW Department for Ageing, Disability and Home Care be extended to include the provision of opportunities for self- development as well as life-long learning and maintaining of wellness, and that the Department cooperate with consumers to develop and provide these opportunities”.

1998 OWN Inc. Annual Conference with guest speaker Karen Byatt, manager of the Aged Issues Directorate in the Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care. Karen spoke about the importance of community/ government relations in policy and planning. Noreen Hewett made a plea for the aged to be recognised as their own best advocates.

1999 OWN Inc. Annual Conference with guest speaker Marianne Hammerton, Acting Director General of Ageing and Disability Department (ADD). Marianne observed that OWN was a role model and an important source of feedback to the Department by being able to articulate problems which affect older women and by being a vital part in the development of creative solutions to these problems. Advocacy < 103

2003 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Anne Sy- monds, former Labor member of the NSW Legislative Council. Anne gave a thought-provoking talk on the conference theme of Women Making a Difference. Claiming that women can make a difference, Anne said that there is no reason why a woman can’t have a good time and also be an activist against injustice and inequality.

2004 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Pat O’Shane, a NSW Magistrate who was also the first Aboriginal female teacher in Queensland, the first Aboriginal person in the country to graduate in law, and the first woman to head a government department. Pat’s speech ranged over many issues including the need to be concerned for our fellow Australians, especially the older Indigenous women of this country.

2005 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Cherry Russell, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney. Cherry drew attention to a new trend towards ‘rebalancing’, which seeks to end the tension between men and women in the fight for government funds and research grants, to acknowledge difference and appor- tion funds based on real need.

2006 OWN NSW State Conference at which the Wellness Report Kick- ing Up Autumn Leaves was launched by her Excellency, Professor Marie Bashir, the Governor of NSW. Her Excellency spoke of the principals of Wellness – women helping women to enable them to regain and maintain their physical, mental and spiritual health and avoid debilitating depression and social isolation. She offered to add her voice and influence to OWN’s quest for recognition, funding and support. 104 > VISION & VITALITY

2007 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Barbara Hol- borow, OAM, a former Children’s Court magistrate. Her fiery words and independence of mind called OWN members to consider carefully what our own personal attitudes to caring for disadvantaged children, women and families might be.

2008 OWN NSW Annual Conference with guest speaker Millie In- gram describing her work with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, advising the government on community/state relations and partnerships, including the Royal Commission into Abo- riginal Deaths in Custody.

2009 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Ludo McFer- ran, Domestic Violence consultant with the Australian Domes- tic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, who launched the final report of The Disappearing Age: a Strategy to Address Violence Against Older Women.

2010 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Alison Peters, Director, Council of Social Services NSW. Alison talked about more needing to be done to raise the awareness of gender as a significant issue in ageing because of the economic, social, health and financial implications that this difference embodies across a lifetime.

2011 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker The Hon An- drew Constance MP, Minister for Ageing. Members appreciated the opportunity to ask him challenging questions, and were delighted with the invitation to contact him if and when matters could not be easily answered or resolved. Advocacy < 105

2012 OWN NSW State Conference with guest speaker Meg Small from the Older Persons Legal Service within The Aged Care Rights Service (TARS). Meg spoke about Advance Care Planning and the provision of legal advice, assistance, referral and education available for people in NSW over sixty.

Forums The topics for OWN forums during the early years were usually focused on consumer advocacy or retirement. In later years the focus has been more on violence and abuse towards older women.

1996 Older Women Out Louder – a speakout at the Masonic Hall funded by a Seniors Week grant and attended by over one hundred OWN members who aired their opinions and offered suggestions about issues that impacted on their daily lives. The keynote speaker was Noreen Hewett. (See Appendix F for Noreen’s poem, Who Am I? written for the Speakout.)

1997 Advocacy and Older Women – a forum attended by sixty aspiring advocates where Quentin Bryce, Noreen Hewett, Eileen Pittaway and Betty Johnson outlined some pitfalls and provided pointers to success.

1997 Consumer Advocacy – a forum held at Parliament House at which OWN’s publication, You can make a difference: A guide to consumer advocacy, was launched by the NSW Minister for Women Faye Lo Po.

1998 No More Falling Through the Net – a forum at which Louise An- ike presented and answered questions to more than 200 people 106 > VISION & VITALITY

from government and non-government organisations about her research into older women’s experiences of childhood sexual assault/rape.

1999 Gains and Pains: Women and Retirement – a forum funded by the City of Sydney and attended by sixty older women anticipating retirement or recently retired. A panel of four, including Dorothy McRae McMahon, focused on older women’s experiences, hopes, ideas, fears and apprehensions about their retirement. Issues potentially affecting retired lives included social isolation, negative attitudes, freedom and ill health.

2002 Older Women’s Right to Safety at Home – a forum funded by Seniors Week, organised by Sydney OWN, and attended by more than one hundred women.

2008 Age Gives No Immunity to Violence – a forum organised by the OWN NSW Advocacy Group in partnership with the NSW Strategy to Reduce Violence Against Women. Conducted before a large audience at the Masonic Centre, the forum brought together a range of experts in the field to discuss the prevention of abuse of older people, particularly older women. It also provided important information to aged care workers on the issue of recognising and responding to the sexual assault of older women in residential care.

2010 Older Women Ageing Safely in NSW – a forum organised by So- nia Laverty (OWN NSW) and Ludo McFerran, a domestic violence consultant, held at Petersham Town Hall. The unfunded forum attracted two hundred people from local government areas, council workers, police, health, aged and family violence Advocacy < 107

services, plus a large contingent of OWN members. Two NSW government ministers – the Minister for Women Jodi McKay and the Minister for Health Carmel Tebbutt – were present. The forum was an important step in OWN’s campaign to promote the adoption of strategies outlined in The Disappearing Age – see below under Violence. The Minister for Health Carmel Teb- butt announced funding of $5,850 to OWN NSW to assist with the printing of educative and promotional materials for general medical practitioners. (See further information on page 114 about the outcome of this project.)

2012 Rights, Roadblocks, Resilience: Older Women Challenge Ageism – a one-day unfunded forum organised by OWN NSW together with a small committee led by Sonia Laverty. The forum arose from older women’s experiences of being ignored and made invisible. It was held in Parliament House and attended by over one hundred and seventy people. The 3 Rs in social and economic policy areas were highlighted by a range of speakers including the Hon. Andrew Constance MP, NSW Minister for Ageing; the Hon Susan Ryan AO, Age Discrimination Commissioner; Professor Barbara Pocock, Centre for Work and Life, University South Australia; Ludo McFerran, Australian Family & Domes- tic Violence Clearinghouse UNSW; Sue Cripps, Homelessness, Mental Health & Disability; Denele Crozier, Women’s Health NSW; Elisabeth Wynhausen, journalist and author (now deceased); Christine Sturgess, Bunnings; and Larke Riemer, West- pac. ‘Strategies for Change’ were developed through the process of planning and participation at the forum (see Appendix G). A full report from the Rights, Roadblocks, Resilience forum can be read on OWN’s website http://www.ownnsw.org.au 108 > VISION & VITALITY

Workshops Workshops organised by OWN have primarily focused on skill development for aspiring advocates, retirement income and healthy ageing.

1991 Who can have consumer expertise? – Margaret Howard

1992 Income security for older women into the next century – Noreen Hewett

1993 Consumer Representation – Margaret Howard

1994 Consumer Skills – Margaret Howard

1995 Understanding and Influencing Government Policy – Noreen Hewett and Colleen Chesterman

1995 Retirement Income for Older Women – exploring how lifestyles can change at retirement and analysing government initiatives for self-funded retirement schemes.

1997 Living Longer, Living Better – held as part of a series of seminars during IYOP organised by OWN, the Committee on Ageing and the Council on the Ageing (COTA).

2002 Towards a Plan of Action: Influencing Opinion and Policy – with guest speaker Ros Bragg, from NCOSS.

2004 Well-aged Focus Groups – organised by the Department of Age- ing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) at Parliament House to give older people a say about (a) important issues for addressing Advocacy < 109

their wellbeing and (b) how they felt about working until seventy. Forty older people, including eight from OWN, were separated into small groups, placed in a row in front of microphones and asked to answer the two questions. The discussions were vide- otaped and shown at that year’s Premiers Forum. OWN wrote to the organisers complaining that consulting older people in this way was alienating and non-inclusive, and urged the department to return to the format of a large and diverse audience listening to one or more keynote speakers and then sharing ideas in different workshops.

2010 What Women Want – a workshop held at the Annual Confer- ence to gauge members’ interest in public policy. Women wanted action on climate change; an end to mandatory income management; increases to the single aged pension; Medicare retained and strengthened; Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to be quar- antined from international trade agreements; and the rights of refugees and asylum seekers to be recognised.

2011 Presentation by OWN NSW on older women and violence at a workshop organised by Bankstown Area Multicultural Network for workers in the aged care and domestic violence sectors.

2011 Workshops conducted for workers in the aged care and domestic violence sectors in Penrith and Nowra.

2012 A workshop organised by Bankstown Division of General Prac- tice series, It’s Time to Talk. 110 > VISION & VITALITY

Policy Submissions

1994 Response by the Working Committee to a NSW Strategic Plan for Dental Health Services, in collaboration with CPSA.

1994 Response by the Working Committee to the NSW Government’s Ministerial Council of Review on Ageing

1998 Response to the NSW Government Healthy Ageing Framework Green Paper 1998-2003 following Sam Smart’s facilitation of a discussion on each objective: Attitudes, Participation, Decision- making, Supportive Neighbourhoods and Resources. OWN provided comments on the Green Paper, and formally complained about the lack of new money available to the Ageing Issues Di- rectorate.

1999 Pre-election statement to the NSW government based on members’ views.

1999 Platform for Action presentation of OWN’s policy submission to the NSW government for a three-year plan of action for older women’s wellbeing.

2010 Response to the draft NSW Women’s Plan by OWN NSW.

2011 Response by OWN NSW to the Standing Committee on Social Issues Legislative Council inquiry into domestic violence trends and issues in NSW. Advocacy < 111

Other submissions Since the de-funding of OWN (Australia) in 1998 OWN NSW has made a number of policy submissions on national issues, primarily initiated and written by Sonia Laverty, current chairperson of the OWN NSW Management Team. They include:

2008 Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community and Indigenous Affairs, Pension Review by Sonia Laverty

2009 The National Human Rights Consultation Secretariat on the impact of discriminatory practices on older women and the need for comprehensive human rights legislation to address concerns.

2009 The House of Representatives Standing Committee Draft Dis- ability (Access to Premises- Buildings) Standards.

2012 Australian Law Reform Commission. Grey Areas – Age Barriers to Work in Commonwealth Law by Sonia Laverty

2012 National Cervical Screening Program Review on extending the program for breast cancer and cervical cancer for women over seventy by Sonia Laverty.

Large Funded Projects

Large funded projects through the NSW Department for Women were once viewed as a right by OWN and other similarly under-funded community organisations. In 2004 the NSW Department for Women was 112 > VISION & VITALITY

renamed the Office for Women and relocated in the Premier’s Depart- ment with reduced staff and functions, and a much smaller budget. Project funding became largely unavailable to women's groups such as OWN. By 2009, to counter the lack of project funding, OWN began to collaborate with external researchers and community-based organisations on projects that primarily focused on violence against older women.

Older Women and Decision Making In 1995 a one-year grant of $75,000 was received through the NSW Women’s Grants Program for a Women and Decision Making Skills project. Robyn Cahoun was employed as the senior project worker and Jocelyn Vye as the administrative assistant. A volunteer project management team headed by Joy Ross was established to oversee the project. The project began in July 1996 with a series of consultations with OWN groups throughout NSW followed by skill-development workshops on a range of topics. The three main workshops were Handling the ‘F’ Words: Fear, Flak, Fuzz, Fights and Frustration; Being There: advocacy, meeting procedures, public speaking and planning for success; and I am Woman, Hear me Roar: personal effectiveness. A specially tailored workshop on prioritising and planning was held for Nowra OWN and separate sessions on management issues were conducted with the OWN Inc. Working Committee and the Theatre Group. The project culminated in an innovative Consumer Advocacy forum in June 1997 where the NSW Minister for Women Faye Lo Po launched You can make a difference: A guide to consumer advocacy, a publication prepared by Robyn Cahoun, Dorothy Cora, Judy Leaver and Louise Anike, and published by OWN Inc. You can make a difference covers issues such as how to understand and approach government departments, planning for success, the pitfalls and pleasures of committee Advocacy < 113

meetings, the meaning of advocacy, and how to become super-effective communicators. TheConsumer Advocacy forum brought together seventy members of OWN from around NSW and a panel of highly skilled and experienced women who examined approaches to advocacy, the structure of advocacy campaigns, and the means of making older women’s issues more visible.

Peer Support Advocacy Network (PSAN) In early 1999 OWN again received project funding through the Wom- en’s Grants Program – this time $20,000 for a Peer Support Advocacy Network database to enhance the Women and Decision-Making Skills project. The main idea was to establish peer support links between older women with limited advocacy experience and older women who were experienced advocates. A project worker with skills in database design was employed and a specially designed questionnaire was sent to all OWN members in late 1999. The data enabled an update to members’ records with contact details, issues they thought were important to older women in general, and issues they identify as being of particular interest to themselves. By 2002 a Resources Group convened by Pam Ledden met regularly to review, sort and cull material before it was entered into the database. Data entry involved members entering individual advocate’s interests and expertise, plus relevant material to assist in consumer representation. Also catalogued and recorded was the huge volume of material that OWN regularly received from community groups, government departments and research institutions. Two new advocacy groups were established: a Transport Group and Housing Group. The Transport Group’s area of interest was broad and complex and required members to set about educating themselves before deciding on a particular aspect on which to focus. The Housing 114 > VISION & VITALITY

Group found considerable expertise amongst OWN members on the many issues related to housing, particularly older women’s homelessness. It was hoped that other groups would soon be exploring issues such as mental health, income security, aged care and challenging the negative stereotypes of older women. However, when Pam Ledden – a strong leader and an energetic mover and shaker – resigned in 2003 due to ill health (she died the following year) the impetus to take up many of these issues faded. By 2010 it had become clear that the Peer Support Advocacy Net- work project had failed to capture the imagination of members, and on the basis that most members who were activists had access to In- ternet search engines for consumer information, a decision was made to abandon the database.

Violence and Abuse The issue with most traction during the past twenty-five years has been violence and abuse against older women. It has been highlighted in the Theatre Group’s repertoire and has been a key focus at public forums, in research projects and lobbying. (See Louise Anike’s profile – above.) In mid-2009 OWN NSW received a grant of $5,850 from the Office for Women’s Policy, Department of Premier and Cabinet NSW, to increase referrals by general practitioners for older women experiencing domestic violence. The funding for this statewide project proved inadequate and the decision was made to return the grant to the department. In 2009 a grant of $35,000 was received for a project called The Prevention of Violence Against Older Women. The grant came from the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Grant through the Office for Women’s Policy with support from the Australian Domestic and Fam- ily Violence Clearinghouse. Consultant, Ludo McFerran, was employed to map incidences of violence against older women and to identify ex- Advocacy < 115

amples of good practices in prevention. The project was managed by a Working Party comprising Sonia Laverty, Jane Mears, Matina Mottee, Joy Ross and Pamela Scaysbrook. The final report, The Disappearing Age: a Strategy to Address Vio- lence Against Older Women, was launched at the OWN NSW State Con- ference in 2009. The report showed evidence that one in four women currently experiencing physical domestic or family violence is aged forty-five or older (ABS National Personal Safety Survey 2006). Signifi- cantly, the greatest increase in reporting since the previous survey ten years earlier was by women fifty-five and older. The report also showed that the issue of violence against older women is serious and increasing. It falls in the gap between the aged care and domestic violence sectors, neither of which is prepared to respond to a problem which will as- sume significant proportions over the next twenty to thirty years due to the rapidly ageing population, an increase in impoverishment of some groups of older women and the high cost of housing. The report was the impetus for a successful Ageing Safely forum in Sydney (see Forums, above) and in Adelaide in late 2009. It was also presented at the International Federation of Ageing conference in Melbourne early the following year. In 2010 OWN coordinator Beth Eldridge in collaboration with Sue Field, a Fellow in Elder Law at the University of Western Sydney, initiated a project called How Could They? The idea for the project came from the 2007 forum Age Gives No Immunity to Violence. Beth and Sue received a small grant from the University of Western Sydney and Legal Aid NSW to design and print a series of brochures for older women based on real situations they might face in everyday life. Each brochure identifies issues with the potential for abuse within a family context. They provide questions, strategies and resources to give older women the tools to resolve problems and strengthen their position without jeopardising personal relationships. 116 > VISION & VITALITY

The five brochures available from the OWN NSW office are:

• A Room of One’s Own for older women considering a ‘Granny Flat’ • Love at Last! for older women negotiating new relationships • Over the Rainbow for older lesbians negotiating new relationships • One Good Deed for older women considering gifts and loans • Safe as Houses? for older women considering going Guarantor.

In 2011 OWN NSW collaborated with Homelessness NSW and the St Vincent de Paul Society in a study of homelessness and older women called It Could Be You: female, single, older and homeless. Ludo McFer- ran was employed to undertake research into the increasing numbers of older women entering, for the first time, the homeless population and the availability of affordable housing for older women on low incomes. Grants totalling $35,000 came from the Office for Women’s Policy and the St Vincent de Paul Society. This research was a follow-up to The Disappearing Age project, and was published in August 2012. It can be read at www.homelessnessnsw.org.au and on the OWN website www. ownnsw.org.au

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Twenty-five years ago older women’s lives were all but invisible in the public domain, and rarely a matter of interest to anyone outside family and friends. Older women were certainly not on government agendas. OWN has persistently presented older women’s experiences and issues to people who previously had little opportunity to hear grassroots viewpoints and opinions. Members have strongly questioned the perceived impact of an ageing population, in particular the perception that older people are (and will be) a social and economic burden. Advocacy < 117

OWN members have also been out there carrying banners at Inter- national Women’s Day marches and making themselves visible through the Theatre Group,OWN Matters, the Aboriginal Support Circle, Well- ness Centres, and in local communities (see chapter 9, OWN Groups in NSW). Together, these activities and projects have gone a long way to achieving what women in 1988 said they wanted: to make older women visible both within the culture and within government policy. There is still, however, a long way to go. While the status of older women has improved considerably in recent years, in communities throughout Sydney metropolitan areas and across the state, the Older Women’s Network remains virtually unknown. 7

Publications

The Newsletter

The first OWN ‘newsletter’ was a four-page newssheet produced in early 1988 on a Gestetner duplicating machine and collated on a desk at the Combined Pensioners Association (CPA). Distributed to a small number of older women in the inner suburbs of Sydney, the newssheet advised readers that it would be issued two or three times a year for an annual subscription of $5. A list of future workshops included housing and accommodation needs, home maintenance problems, the status and image of older women, health and wellbeing, personal safety, and home security. Also included was a report of the 1997 Christmas picnic, where the future of the Older Women’s Network was confirmed; and an invitation to the Bi-Centennial Picnic at Parliament House, where the Theatre Group’s future would (soon) be confirmed. Publications < 119

A year following OWN’s move to Millers Point, Bobbie Burke volunteered to take over the design and layout of what was now called the OWN Sydney Newsletter. Bobbie had learned to use a desktop publishing program on her new Apple Mac and was delighted to put her new skills to the test. A straight talker with a strong belief in a diversity of views and opinions being represented in the newsletter, Bobbie’s offer was perfectly timed. (Up to that point contributions were typed on a typewriter before being manually laid out: a very time-intensive process with little focus on ‘design’.) In 1992, Muriel Hortin, a recently retired English teacher and a political agitator looking for a cause following the death of her husband, joined Bobbie as principal writer and editor. Muriel’s first article set the scene with the provocative question: “Were we, shock, horror ... a bunch of feminists?” With their shared commitment to social justice, Bobbie and Muriel were a powerful team until Bobbie departed Sydney at the end of 1994 to teach ESL to children in Vietnam. Prior to leaving, she trained two volunteers in desktop publishing, one being Polly Gow, who remained a member of the newsletter team until 2006. Muriel was editor until 1997 when an Editorial Team was established. She continued to be part of the Team until 2005 when ill health forced her to resign. Throughout the next three years, despite increasing frailty, Muriel remained an inveterate newsletter contributor until just before her death in June 2008. Four months later, Bobbie Burke published sixteen years of Muriel’s writings under the title The Grit in the Oyster. During Muriel’s editorship, the Sydney Newsletter took on a decid- edly political flavour. She was a witty and idealistic writer whose desire for fairness and justice was a huge motivating force in her life. Almost every month Muriel wrote with clarity and zeal about some government action, or inaction, that could negatively affect older women’s lives, 120 > VISION & VITALITY

and advised readers about the actions they could take. She wrote about the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (in particular its threat to our Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme); globalisation and its potential to exploit poor countries; genetically modified food (especially it not being labelled); the evils of economic rationalism; the failure of banks to drop fees for pensioners; exploitative contracts in retirement villages; Community Services Obligations (would utilities have consumer protection?); means testing for entry to nursing homes; and much more. She railed against the government’s treatment of Aboriginal people and refugees and analysed state and federal policies in terms of their potential to discriminate against older people. On occasions Muriel would even read Hansard to discover first hand the truth of a politicians recorded position on some important matter! As Noreen Hewett once commented, “Muriel’s articles are a voice for the social conscience of those of us who haven’t acted enough.” In her Annual Report, Muriel always paid tribute to the volunteers who worked hard each month to produce the Newsletter. They included Renee Simons, number one typist, and editors Judith Mustard, June West, Helen McMaugh and Joan Johns who spent hours each week reading, commenting, proofing and editing material in preparation for Polly Gow, and later on Jacqueline Schofer, to employ their layout and design skills. Renee took responsibility for final proof reading, which was a demanding job requiring three close readings of between fourteen and twenty pages. Ermes Solari was responsible for ensuring the subscription list was up to date and address labels were printed, while Wilhelmina van Dorp’s job was to print out the required number of newsletters on the often-intractable photocopier. On the last Wednes- day of each month, the newsletter was ready for labelling and the following day a willing team of volunteers too numerous to mention took on the task of collating the pages, inserting flyers, then folding and seal- Publications < 121

ing each newsletter before Australia Post transported the final product to the Alexandria Mail Centre.

New directions With the formation of OWN NSW in July 2001 subscribers were consulted about a new name for the newsletter. OWN Matters was the clear favourite by four to one. A majority of readers were also in favour of the newsletter publishing news, reports and articles from OWN groups across NSW. This meant the end of Beyond the Rocks, a quarterly publication featuring reports from OWN groups that had been an insert in the Sydney Newsletter since 1994. Despite the name change, the newsletter’s function remains the same: to highlight political issues affecting older women, provide member groups and subscribers with information about what others are involved in; to let them know what is being planned for the future; and to share issues concerning older women in their personal lives and communities. It is also a vehicle for members to express themselves creatively; has a role in keeping members informed of issues facing the Management Team; and provides information about projects and group activities auspiced by OWN NSW. Over the years a number of new women, including Helen Young, who had outstanding writing and editing skills, joined the Editorial Team. Their contributions added greatly to the diversity of themes and the quality of content. I was also a member of the Team for many years until my retirement in April 2005. Beth Eldridge, the OWN coordinator, became a contributing Editor following Muriel Hortin’s resignation in late 2005. Beth not only contributed feature articles each month, she also took on the desktop publishing role following the resignation of Jacqueline Schofer in December 2005 and the following year, Polly Gow. In 122 > VISION & VITALITY

late 2012, the Management Team reviewed the processes involved in producing OWN Matters and amongst other changes decided to outsource the desktop publishing function to Michelle Davies of Mishy Dee Creative Designs. Eleven times a year OWN Matters offers readers a well-designed, well-written, readable, entertaining, provocative and, at times, controversial read. Since late 2012 responsibility for OWN Matters has been with a new team of editors: June West, Anna Logan and Fran Weston, ably led by ‘editor in chief’ Lorraine Inglis. They work tirelessly to ensure that subscribers receive a publication that ‘speaks’ to older women about a wide range of social and political issues, and also entertains them.

Current concerns The aim was to make OWN Matters a truly statewide newsletter reflecting the diversity of interests, the personalities, and the creativity of OWN members. It was also intended to become a vital communication link between OWN groups. Is OWN Matters achieving its aims? This is a question that currently concerns the Editorial Team. OWN groups throughout NSW have different ideas about how to achieve OWN’s primary aim – to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women. It is this diversity that the Editorial Team would like to see reflected more often in OWN Matters. However, the reality is that almost half the groups now publish their own local newsletters, containing news and views of specific interest to their members. This is possibly one of the reasons for the decrease in the number of contribu- tors writing for OWN Matters. The task facing the Editorial Team is to expand the number of writers and the range of topics they write about. With many older women being over-committed in so many areas of their busy lives, this might not be easy. Publications < 123

Another challenge to the Editorial Team is the length of contributions they receive. It is well recognised that reports and articles are a very effective means of communicating, but when unduly long they can defeat their purpose. Every month editors negotiate with writers to reduce their contributions to less than 450 words – effortless for some and impossible for others. Today OWN Matters consists of twenty A4 pages colour printed and collated on OWN’s photocopier. A team of volunteers prepares it for postage. The annual subscription is $30. OWN Matters is also published electronically, as a large print version, and is available on the OWN NSW website.

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Other Publications

Despite attempts to find hard copies of all the books, reports and papers published by OWN as an organisation and by individual OWN members over the past twenty-five years, I was unable to do so. The lists below are therefore incomplete. Only publications with an ISBN issued to OWN Inc. or OWN NSW are included under the category of ‘OWN-published books’. Published works written by members of OWN, OWN groups, or in collaboration with other organisations, are listed at the end of the chapter under the heading ‘Produced in collaboration with OWN and published by others’. For other reports and papers written by OWN members see chapter 6, Advocacy and chapter 10, OWN (Australia). 124 > VISION & VITALITY

OWN-published books 1994 Older Women Free at Last: Government, Doctors, Feminists, Fam- ily – All Behind the Times! by Margaret Sargent. 1997 A Picture of Wellness: The Story of the Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness Centre by Linda Adamson. 1997 You can make a difference: A guide to consumer advocacy compiled by Robyn Cahoun, Louise Anike, Dorothy Cora and Judy Leaver. 1998 Untold Stories: Voices of Older Women edited by the OWN Edito- rial Group. 1999 Tell Me More: Voices of Older Women edited by the OWN Edito- rial Group. 1999 Ripe for Repetition, a collection of contributions to the Sydney Newsletter. 2000 The Wellness Guide: For older women, by older women by the OWN Wellness Resource Project Team. 2003 Steppin’ Out and Speakin’ Up – an anthology of Aboriginal women’s stories edited by members of the OWN Aboriginal Support Circle. 2009 Centre Stage: Celebrating the Rise and Rise of the Older Women’s Network Theatre Group by Dorothy Cora 2010 Noreen Hewett: Portrait of a Grassroots Activist by Dorothy Cora

Reports by OWN members and others

1989 Health Education Project by Sharon Doolan, employed by the OWN Project at CPA. 1992 National OWN Think Tank by Margaret Howard, OWN’s first Community Development worker. Publications < 125

1992 The Duty of Care, a conference report compiled by Linda Adam- son 1992 Older Women, Feminism and Health, a conference report compiled by Roberta Burke 1993 Wellbeing By and For Older Women, a research report by Linda Adamson 1994 Older Women and the Family, a conference report compiled by Roberta Burke 1994 Information Superhighway or User-friendly byway? The telephone and older women by Linda Adamson and Gwen George. 1995 Women and Pensions by Noreen Hewett, Linda Adamson and Gerard Thomas. 1996 Difficult Decisions: Older Women talk about money, life and retirement, a report on research by Meg Bishop. 1997 What the Figures Show: older women in Australia, a report on research by Gerard Thomas 1999 Wellness Practices for Older Women by Sam Smart et al. 2000 Off the Beaten Track by Betty Murphy, Sam Smart, Kate Lohse & Tashe Long. 2003 Survey of Women’s Refuges in NSW by Margaret Sargent 2004 Should the Hours Count? by Meg Bishop 2005 Talkin’ ‘bout our generation by Cara MacDougall 2009 The Disappearing Age: A discussion paper on a strategy to address violence against older women by Ludo McFerran 2010 It Could Be You: female, single, older and homeless by Ludo Mc- Ferran 2012 The Three Rs: Rights, Roadblocks and Resilience – A Challenge to Ageism by Sonia Laverty et al. 126 > VISION & VITALITY

Papers written by OWN members 1991 Women over 60 growing old: Who are their allies and where is their equality? by Louise Anike 1991 Challenging the Myths: Women and Ageing by Louise Anike delivered at a University of Western Sydney conference, Creating a New Age for Older Women. 1991 Don’t tell them how old I am: Attitudes to the aged by Barbara Silverstone 1991 Ageing is Women’s Business by Louise Anike 1992 My Lifeline is My Phone by Gwen George 1992 Women and Superannuation by Noreen Hewett 1994 Women and Ageing: the politics of humour by Win Metcalf-Ken- dall 1994 Older People in Our Society by Noreen Hewett. 1996 Housing is a Feminist Issue by Margaret Sargent 1999 Models of Activism by Noreen Hewett 2002 Violence and Abuse Against Older Women by Louise Anike

Written in collaboration with OWN members and published by others

Books 1998 Kept on dancing by Pam Benton. Published by RW Connell. 1999 Revisioning Ageing: Empowerment of older women edited by Jenny Onyx, Rosemary Leonard and Rosslyn Reed 2000 For Older Women by Older Women: Autonomy and legitimisation of older women through social action by Pauline Reynolds for a Degree in Public Health, University of Sydney. Publications < 127

2004 A One-off Woman: Recollections of a life lived full by Dorothy Cox. Published by Raven Publishing. 2006 Kicking Up Autumn Leaves: A Report on the Women Owning Well- ness Evaluation Project by Judy Pinn et al. Published by Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service. 2008 The Grit in the Oyster – a collection of Muriel Hortin’s writings, self-published by Bobby Burke. 2010 OWN Newcastle – The First Fifteen Years – A history of OWN Newcastle by Pat Carlton. Published by OWN Newcastle Inc. 2010 Our Voices in Writing – biographies and autobiographies written by the Bankstown Older Women’s Network Writers’ Group, facilitated by Silvana Gruber. Published by Bankstown OWN.

Reports 1987 Older Women’s Workshops by Maggie Kyle. Published by the Combined Pensioners Association. 1991 Older Women and Women’s Health Centres: A report of feminist research by Pam Benton and Cherry Russell 2002 Two reports based on research from the Older Women Speak Up Project: More Than Survival and Survival Is Not Enough by Margaret Sargent and Jane Meers.

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The diversity of material produced by OWN members (and associated others) is impressive. The tragedy is that OWN does not currently have a database containing details of publications and materials written by or on behalf of members. Nor does it have a library where hard copies are easily accessible to the membership and to interested members of the public. 128 > VISION & VITALITY

In 2001, frustrated by the increase in archives held at both Windmill Street and Lower Fort Street, an enthusiastic member of the Manage- ment Team sent boxes of material off to the Jessie Street Library, but the selection was ad hoc and no one is entirely clear what was included. Creating and maintaining archives is a huge job, but one that will surely pay future dividends for an organisation such as OWN. 8

Aboriginal Support Circle

1993 was proclaimed International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peo- ple by the United Nations. In Australia, a number of significant events preceded the UN charter. The first was in 1991, when the Royal Commission into Aborigi- nal Deaths in Custody made recommendations to prevent future such deaths. The Commission noted the impact of poverty on criminality and the terrible legacy of forced removal of Indigenous children from their families. The findings raised broader social justice issues and the need for social and cultural solutions to empower Aboriginal communities. In late 1991 the Federal government established the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. One of its key aims was to foster cooperative action at a local level to overcome Aboriginal disadvantage and increase understanding. A Study Circle Kit was published by the Council and distributed Australia-wide to hundreds of Aboriginal Reconciliation 130 > VISION & VITALITY

Groups (ARG). Elaine and John Telford – who became great supporters of OWN’s reconciliation initiatives – were appointed State Coordina- tors for over thirty ARGs in NSW. In mid-1992 the High Court handed down its decision in the Mabo Case. It rejected the concept of Terra Nullius and gave rights to land ownership by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Federal Government legislated the Native Title Act in late 1993. This was the cultural context in which older women had become more involved in social justice issues and reconciliation. In 1993 the late Ruth Layard, a member of OWN, attended a talk by Sandra Yates, then Chair of the Australian Council of Women. Ruth was impressed with the ideas expressed by Sandra about different ways community groups could foster Aboriginal reconciliation. She approached Noreen Hewett – principal founder of OWN and passionate supporter of Aboriginal rights since the 1950s – about setting up a reconciliation group at OWN. Noreen then spoke to Lucy Por- ter, an OWN member with lifelong connections to Aboriginal families in the La Perouse area. It was mid-1993 and Lucy was supporting La Perouse women elders to organise the Third World Indigenous Peo- ple’s Education Conference in Wollongong. Together, Ruth, Noreen and Lucy organised a fund-raising luncheon at OWN to provide financial support to Aboriginal women who couldn’t afford to attend the conference. In the summer of 1993 Lucy successful applied for a Seniors Week grant for ten Aboriginal women elders from La Perouse and a similar number of OWN members to have lunch during a ferry trip around Sydney Harbour. The late Joyce Woodberry, an accomplished Aborigi- nal educator and guide, provided the commentary. A few members of OWN admitted afterwards that this was their first personal contact with Aboriginal women. It was a very successful event and had a direct Aboriginal Support Circle < 131

bearing on the decision to form the OWN Aboriginal Study Circle (ASC). The first meeting of the ASC was held at the beginning of 1994. Ruth, Lucy and Noreen were appointed coordinators, although Noreen resigned from the position after six months to concentrate on OWN’s Healthy Ageing agenda. Ruth and Lucy continued as coordinators for the few years until Lucy resigned to concentrate more on her role within the OWN Theatre Group. (In 1999 the Aboriginal Study Circle was renamed the Aboriginal Support Circle, but more on that later.)

Aims, beliefs and values

The identified aim of the ASC “is to study the history, customs and culture of Aboriginal people and to spread this knowledge amongst associates and friends so that a better understanding and appreciation of Indigenous people can be gained”. Members could then use this knowledge and understanding to cultivate better relationships and friendships with older Aboriginal women so that they could all work together to add value to each others’ lives. The group’s motto is: Listen – Learn – Understand. The ASC met twice a month to study guidelines set down in the Australians for Reconciliation Study Circle Kit, plus material presented in the Open Learning Aboriginal Studies program on ABC TV which was broadcast three times a week from early 1994. Each member contributed $2 at each meeting to fund photocopying and postage, and to buy books for a library. In a brochure produced in 1994, the ASC’s beliefs and values were outlined as follows: 132 > VISION & VITALITY

Since the invasion of Australia by white people the Indigenous people of Australia have been subjected to seizure of their land, attempted genocide, loss of dignity, persecution and gross discrimination. Through the tenacity of and struggle of black leaders, both women and men, and assisted by the growing awareness in the white community of the terrible injustices inflicted on our black sisters and brothers by our society, a great change is beginning to take place. However, an enormous amount of work remains to be done before our Indigenous people gain their rightful and just place in our society. Indigenous people, because of ostracism by our society, have long been estranged from non-indigenous people. A lack of knowledge amongst non-indigenous Australians of Aboriginal history, customs and culture has caused great misunderstanding and bit- terness amongst sections of the Aboriginal population towards white society. One goal of reconciliation is to mend the relationship between Indigenous and non-indigenous people. For this to be achieved there needs to be a full and open discussion of the issues that have arisen between the two groups with the intention of reach- ing a mutually acceptable agreement. A formal apology from the Prime Minister for past wrongs is critical for reconciliation to be achieved. It was understood that reconciliation involved “building positive, respectful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians, enabling us to work together to close the gaps and to achieve a shared sense of fairness and justice”. Aboriginal Support Circle < 133

Membership grew steadily. During the first five years the three founding members – Ruth Layard, Noreen Hewett and Lucy Porter – were joined by Pat Zinn, Marcia Angelo, Merle Highet, Gwen George, Ermes Solari, Molly Smith, Pippa Preston, Trude Kallir, Helen Monaghan, Frayda Cooper, Monique Reiher, Cate Turner, Brenda Palma (now Saunders), June Jocelyn, Judith Mustard, Lynn Pollack, Billie Kirlew, Marion Woof, Josie Clements, Sharon Page, Margaret Walker, Jan Mon- son, Norma Anet, Lola Sharpe and Aboriginal activist Betty Little. Since that time many other women have joined the OWN ASC. Throughout the past fifteen years Pat Zinn has been unwavering in both her commitment to Aboriginal reconciliation and to the survival of the ASC. In the following outline of the progress, achievements, mis- steps and passions of the ASC I have relied heavily on, and been very grateful for, the extensive historical material that Pat so generously put together in 2011.

Reconciliation in Action

For twenty years members of the ASC have undertaken an extraordinary range of activities in their efforts to challenge discrimination, promote equality and foster friendship and reconciliation with Aboriginal people. Below is an outline – sometimes brief and at other times more detailed – of these activities.

Spreading the word... In the mid-1990s Lynn Pollack, a passionate activist for reconciliation, with excellent computer skills, took over the production of a What’s On Calendar of Reconciliation Events, previously hand-written by Ruth La- yard for members of the ASC. Each month Lynn collected information 134 > VISION & VITALITY

and distributed the calendar by email and fax to reconciliation groups and to Aboriginal organisations in NSW. Funded entirely by Lynn, the calendar made the work of OWN and the ASC more widely known, especially when it was included on ABC’s Message Stick website. Fol- lowing Lynn’s death in 2004, nobody was in a position to continue this initiative and the calendars stopped being produced.

Guest speakers After completing the Study Circle Kit members of the ASC felt more personal contact with older Aboriginal women would promote greater awareness and foster stronger links between them. A decision was made to invite women elders as guest speakers to lunches at OWN prepared by members of the ASC. Some guest speakers were elders who had been stolen from their families as children, some were brought up on missions, and some were professional women who had overcome immense difficulties. Interest amongst the general membership of OWN was high and at times over fifty women turned up to hear personal stories of women’s survival and achievement. To give some idea of the stories that were shared by guest speakers brief summaries are listed below. The first two speakers were Elsie Heiss and Millie Ingram, both Wiradjuri women from central NSW.

• Elsie Heiss was one of eight children born to a mother forcibly removed from her family in 1910, at least five years before child- removal legislation came into force. After coming to Sydney she graduated from TAFE, became an Aboriginal Health worker in the La Perouse community, and the first honorary Aboriginal member of the Older Women’s Network. Elsie has dedicated her life to keeping the history of the Stolen Generations alive. Her Aboriginal Support Circle < 135

paper Older Aboriginal Women – Yesterday and Today was a highlight of OWN’s International Year of the Family conference held in 1994.

• Millie Ingram spoke with humour and warmth about her life in a family of eleven children living on Erambie Mission Station at Cowra. Despite only a basic education, Millie went to college in Sydney and was awarded a Diploma in Business Administration. For thirteen years she worked for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs as Assistant Secretary advising the government on community/state relations and partnerships. Millie was there during the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and later became Director of Policy and Research in the NSW Depart- ment for Aboriginal Affairs.

• In early 1995, on a visit to The Block in Redfern, members of the ASC met Betty Little, a Yorta Yorta woman. The following year Betty was invited to speak at an ASC luncheon. She used two charts to illustrate two different stories, one personal – a timeline of her life – and the other political. Through the first chart Betty told of growing up on the Cummeragunja mission on the Murray River, where her mother died when Betty was five years old. She spoke of her family later moving to the Shoalhaven area, and of the extreme poverty and sexual abuse she suffered as a child and later as an adult. Her descriptions of the blatant discrimination she had endured brought tears to the eyes of the audience. The second chart, later known as an Invasion Wheel, illustrated Abo- riginal dispossession and oppression through bullets, bibles and batons that subdued her people for more than five generations. Betty finished her presentation with two songs she had written, based on her experiences as an Aboriginal woman. She made a 136 > VISION & VITALITY

huge impression on the group, who felt they had learned more from Betty than from all the lectures and forums they had previously attended. The following year, 1997, Betty became the first Aboriginal woman to join the ASC. Sadly, she died in September 2011. At her memorial service in early December countless friends celebrated Betty as a grass-roots battler, a gifted, talented teacher and mentor, a great friend, and a singer songwriter with a wicked sense of humour.

• Ruby Langford Ginibi (deceased) was a Bundjalong woman born on the Box Ridge Mission on the North Coast of NSW. In 1984, Ruby wrote her best-selling autobiography Don’t Take Your Love to Town, which won the 1988 Human Rights Literary Award. Ruby spoke to the group about her long career as an author, historian and lecturer on Aboriginal history, culture and politics.

• Jean Carter’s story was a little different from the others. In 1941 Jean came home from school to find a shiny black car from the welfare department in front of her house. “I didn’t realise what was happening until they started dragging us down the hill and put us in this car,” Jean said. She and her three siblings were taken from their suburban home in Sydney and moved to a girls’ home at Cootamundra in the NSW bush, isolated from friends, family and traditional culture. During her ten years in the institution, she was allowed to see her mother once and never saw her father. As an adult, Jean tracked down the official records of her case and discovered that her parents had been charged with neglect because they lived in a shack with dirt floors and no indoor toilet. Many white immigrant families lived nearby in identical conditions but their children were not taken! Aboriginal Support Circle < 137

• Sylvia Scott (deceased) was born in Cowra in 1927. Sylvia told how she founded the Murawina Preschool in Redfern in the early 1970s and served as its president for seventeen years. During the 1980s she set up general skills programs at Petersham TAFE, and worked at the former children’s hospital in Camperdown as an Aborigi- nal health worker. Sylvia was renowned for launching a number of successful programs in Redfern connected to Aboriginal aged care, apprenticeships and health.

• Maisie Cavanagh, from the Wiradjuri language group of NSW, writes and publishes poetry and short stories with a spiritual basis, and explores life experiences from an Aboriginal perspective. Fol- lowing her talk to the ASC Maisie organised a convoy of cars from Penrith to take members to visit an extraordinary phenomenon of a huge tree spreading its roots over a large rock at Sackville, on the Hawkesbury River. Maisie had written a beautiful story about it entitled The Rock and the Tree.

• Nancy de Vries (deceased) was the guest speaker at OWN’s end- of-year party in 2000. Nancy was born in Sydney in 1932, taken from her Aboriginal mother when she was fourteen months old, and placed in state care where she suffered abuse and neglect in eight different foster homes until she was sixteen. Nancy became the first Aboriginal nursing graduate from the University of West- ern Sydney and became a Registered Nurse at the age of fifty-five, shortly after being reunited with her mother, Ruby. Sadly, Nan- cy and Ruby spent only ten hours together over a series of visits before Ruby died. In 1997 Nancy spoke on behalf of the stolen generations when the NSW Parliament delivered its response to the findings of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity report 138 > VISION & VITALITY

Bringing Them Home. This made her the first non-elected woman – besides the Queen – to ever address the NSW Parliament.

• Ali Golding, a Biripi woman from the north coast of NSW, spoke to the ASC about her life growing up on an Aboriginal mission outside Taree. She studied at Nungalinya College in Darwin and graduated with a Diploma of Theology. Ali was a close friend of Betty Little and, like Betty, was an activist around social justice issues, particularly in and around Redfern, where Ali had lived for most of her married life.

• Lavina Williams, a Bundjalung woman, spoke about her early life at Woodenbong mission near Kyogle where she attended school until she was thirteen. Moving to Sydney at seventeen, Lavina worked in factories, a pre-school centre, and an aged care facility, while furthering her education at Eora College. By 2005 she was working at WYANGA an Aboriginal Aged Care Program, as a client assessor. Aboriginal sisters, Millie and Dulcie Ingram and Sylvia Scott, had founded WYANGA in 2000 as an outreach service to provide Aboriginal clients (mostly women) with meals, medications and visits to the medical centre.

• Lorraine McGee-Sippel, a descendant of the Yorta Yorta/Wemba Wemba people of NSW/Victoria, was first invited to speak to the ASC in 1998. She had been adopted by a white couple a few weeks after birth and only met her mother and family from Cummera- gunja, in Victoria, later in life and just before her mother died. A decade after her first talk to the ASC, Lorraine’s autobiography Hey Mum, What’s a Half-Caste? was published. She later wrote in OWN Matters: “After twelve long years’ gestation … my book is out there! None of this, of course, would have been possible Aboriginal Support Circle < 139

without the support and encouragement of the Older Women’s Network, but especially Pat Zinn and members of the Aboriginal Support Group. To these women my heartfelt thanks and appreciation.”

Other guest speakers included writer Kerry Reid-Gilbert; Leanne Townsend, CEO of the NSW Reconciliation Council; Ruth McKenzie and Amy Williams (deceased); artist and writer Bronwyn Bancroft; Native Title lawyer Sean Flood; Fay Nelson from the Australia Council; story-teller Pauline McLeod (deceased); Sharon Galleguillos, an expert on Aboriginal studies; artist Elaine Russell; actor and dancer Lillian Crombie; and photographer Elaine Syron, who talked about the price- less Aboriginal art that she and her husband Gordon have created and collected and which they hope to place in a permanent ‘Keeping Place’.

From ‘study’ to ‘support’ In 1998, Betty Little organised a meeting between members of the ASC and Aboriginal women elders in Redfern, but on the day the Aborigi- nal women stayed away because they thought they were going to be ‘studied’. At that point the Aboriginal Study Circle was renamed the Aboriginal Support Circle.

ASC initiatives One of the first events organised by the Aboriginal Study Circle was a Gathering of Female Elders at La Perouse in March 1994. A funding submission to the Office on Ageing noted the different ways that older women are treated in black and white cultures: female Koori elders are treated with great respect by their people, while in white society older women are often subjected to negative and non-affirming labeling. The 140 > VISION & VITALITY

Gathering of Female Elders festivities commenced with a performance by the La Perouse Children’s Aboriginal Dance and Cultural Group, followed by Shirley Murphy – Lucy Porter’s sister – reading one of her poems about the history and culture of the district: A Black and White La Perouse History. Three young Aboriginal men then performed a special dance tribute to the women elders, followed by the OWN Theatre Group singing satirical songs about the status of older women in white society. The Gathering was an outstanding success, with more than 300 people involved – the majority of them older women. During 1995 and 1997, further gatherings to Celebrate the Spirit of Reconciliation were organised by the ASC at La Perouse during Seniors Week. They were as successful as the first one. The first National Sorry Day was commemorated by the ASC at the OWN office on the 26 May 1998. (The report on the Stolen Genera- tions, Bringing Them Home had been tabled in Federal Parliament the previous day.) A large banner strung across the OWN building had been decorated the previous week with the outline of Aboriginal and white women’s feet ‘walking’ together with the word ‘Sorry’ blazoned across it. Since the OWN office is in a tourist area of Sydney it attracted considerable attention. One initiative that didn’t turn out so well in the long term was a decision to provide warm clothing for Aborigines living in Utopia, in the Northern Territory. Through a member of OWN the ASC had learned that people were lacking warm clothes during the cold winters, so they began to knit beanies and blankets and to collect warm clothing. They organised raffles to pay for the postage of large containers that were packed by Lucy Porter and Pat Zinn. Because there were no responses to letters from the ASC, it was hard to keep up the momentum and the project was abandoned. However, before that happened a number of women artists from Utopia came to Sydney with an exhibition of batik Aboriginal Support Circle < 141

work and joined the group at Windmill Street for a celebratory lunch with their coordinator, Jan Ross-Manly, acting as interpreter.

Monique Reiher, Pat Zinn and Lucy Porter with artists from Utopia homelands in the Northern Territory.

Support for other initiatives In 1998 the ASC was honoured to receive an award, accepted by Ruth Layard, from the NSW Council of Aboriginal Reconciliation in recognition of its “creative involvement of women in Indigenous issues and events”.

Women’s Reconciliation Network In May 1996 several members of the ASC attended the first meeting of a new group called the Women’s Reconciliation Network (WRN) convened by Elaine Telford at the State Library. Its principal focus was “bridge building” and a rights-based approach to overcoming Aborigi- 142 > VISION & VITALITY

nal disadvantage. Quite a few members of the ASC (and other members of OWN) became actively engaged in its work. In 2007, members of the ASC attended a party organised by the WRN to celebrate forty years after the 1967 Referendum. There they met Aboriginal activist Faith Bandler, who had played a prominent role in promoting the yes vote. The WRN is currently planning forums with Aboriginal speakers to discuss changes to the Australian Constitution at a future referendum. More information can be found on WRN Facebook.

Survival/Invasion On 26 January 1998 several members of the ASC attended a Survival/ Invasion Day event at La Perouse as an alternative to Australia Day celebrations. Survival Day commemorates a deep loss of sovereign rights to land, loss of family, and loss of the right to practise their culture. ASC members support this event each year.

The Sea of Hands Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) was established in 1997 to advocate for Justice, Rights and Respect for Australia’s First Peoples. When ANTaR developed the Sea of Hands installation – people were invited to make a donation and sign a hand for reconciliation – members of the ASC were there to help. They often assembled and repacked hands in various locations in Sydney and made a financial contribution to the project. Lynn Pollack represented the ASC at the Sea of Hands in Canberra and later went on tour setting up the Sea of Hands at various centres and making contact with local Aboriginal populations.

Reconciliation Groups In 2000, Lynn Pollack received the Woollahra Citizen Reconciliation award for setting up a group called Eastern Suburbs Organisation for Aboriginal Support Circle < 143

Reconciling Australia several years previously. It was an extremely active group, drawing large numbers of people to meetings at Paddington Town Hall to hear prominent Aboriginal people speak on reconciliation and other issues. Lynn, Pat and Frayda Cooper – all Eastern suburbs residents – were active in the group, while other ASC members joined reconciliation groups in areas where they lived, such as Lane Cove and the Inner West.

Reconciliation Week 2000 The year Sydney hosted the Olympic Games the opening event for Rec- onciliation Week – Corroboree 2000 – was held on 27 May at the Opera House. Previous to this, the ASC had discussed and commented on changes to the Draft Reconciliation Document before presentation of the final document at the Opera House to the Prime Minister. The following day members of the ASC and of OWN were strongly represented amongst the many thousands of people walking across Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation. During the Olympics, an Aboriginal Tent Embassy similar to Can- berra’s was established in Victoria Park. The ASC donated money and bought groceries for the Embassy and several members also attended the sacred Peace Fire Ceremony.

Women for Wik The ASC became very active in opposing John Howard’s decision, known as the Wik decision, in which he proposed unacceptable restric- tions on native title claims. A group of concerned women, including members of the ASC, formed Women for Wik and embarked on letter writing and other actions. Unfortunately the Wik legislation became law in 1998, despite wide protests. 144 > VISION & VITALITY

National Aboriginal History and Heritage Council The ASC was very active in supporting the National Aboriginal His- tory and Heritage Council (NAHHC) to acquire the Australia Hall in Elizabeth Street for Aboriginal ownership. This was the site where the first national Indigenous protest action took place and the first time that Indigenous people had identified the issues affecting their lives. Members of the ASC, motivated by Lynn Pollack, were active at rallies, protests and vigils organised by Brenda Saunders who subsequently joined the ASC. When the Metropolitan Land Council acquired the building everyone involved was invited to a cocktail party at Sydney’s Town Hall.

Listening, Learning, Supporting To maintain a broader knowledge of current issues, the ASC subscribes to the Koori Mail, an Aboriginal-owned fortnightly publication. The group discusses items of interest at meetings, and writes articles on issues of importance for OWN Matters. Since its beginnings, the ASC has been interested in supporting programs related to the education of Aborigines. They have advocated for the retention of Abstudy, a key component in ensuring educational opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and have also advocated for the compulsory teaching of Aboriginal studies in schools.

Student Support Through a personal connection with a teacher, the ASC was invited to Cleveland High School to meet students and a teacher involved in Aboriginal Studies. A donation of $50 was subsequently made towards a prize for the pupil who made the most progress in Aboriginal Studies. The group also supported Matraville High School in this way. Aboriginal Support Circle < 145

At the end of 1994, a collaborative campaign for bus shelters adja- cent to the La Perouse School was successful. At the Primary School, the ASC helped fund a vegetable garden where children planted vegeta- bles that were later cooked and eaten in their refurbished kitchen, paid for from the proceeds of a raffle of one of Barbara Malcolm’s beautiful patchwork quilts. Mitre 10 also provided financial support for the project. In 2011 and 2012 further raffles were held with Barbara’s magnificent quilts again donated as first prize, this time to the Kool Kids Club, an intervention and prevention project for Indigenous and underprivi- leged youth aged seven to thirteen years who live in and around La Perouse. With a reduction in State Government funding the Kool Kids Club was struggling to survive, which meant that the money raised (over $3000) by the ASC could assist programs such as learn to swim and surf, dance and music, short filmmaking, and Indigenous cooking. The Kool Kids Club is a powerful tool in promoting children’s strengths while building self-esteem and confidence and creating positive relationships. The ASC intends to continue supporting the Kool Kids Club.

The Block The Block in Redfern was established as an affordable source of low-cost housing for disadvantaged Aboriginal people. In 1994, on their first visit to The Block as a group, Pat Mundine introduced them to the Koori Café, an enterprise funded by the Community Development Program to train Aboriginal people in catering and small business management. From there they visited the Aboriginal Children’s Education Centre – catering for the needs of babies to six year olds; the Christian Youth Mission – providing counselling and support to homeless youth; the Factory – teaching everything from fabric design through to garment making; and the Aunty Pollie Smith Centre – staffed by women elders providing advice to young mothers as well as turning beautiful pottery. 146 > VISION & VITALITY

Between their first visit to The Block in 1994 and their second in 2004 the ASC found many changes. Kaye Mundine, then Aboriginal Development Officer at South Sydney Council, now part of Sydney Council, explained that the new Redfern Community Centre was offering a range of cultural and recreational pursuits with a focus on art, music, culture, employment and training, and community events. Computer classes and a fully equipped sound studio were also available. However, the following years saw increasing violence and a destruc- tive drug culture develop. Aboriginal people moved out of The Block and the area around it gentrified. The only reminder of it is the large artwork near Redfern Station in the colours of the Aboriginal flag – yellow, red and black. Construction will commence soon on the award- winning Pemulwuy Plan, which will provide new Aboriginal housing, student accommodation, a business centre and other amenities for The Block.

Down South In 1995 Lucy Porter organised a four-day trip to Jervis Bay, where ten members of the ASC stayed at the field station of the University of Canberra. They were able to visit the Huskisson Arts and Crafts centre established by Koori elder Laddie Timberry and enjoy a bush walk with an Aboriginal ranger. On the last day, members of the Carter and Martin families from the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community paid a visit, which was followed up with a joint outing to see a spectacular collection of Aboriginal artifacts and painting. The following year another trip to the area was organised, this time with members of Nowra OWN. The focus was listening to stories of the local Wandanian tribe and learning about cultural practices, mostly told by Julie, a wise storyteller with a deep knowledge of her ancestry and culture. Aboriginal Support Circle < 147

La Perouse In 2006 Aunty Elsie Heiss invited the ASC to the Catholic Church of Reconciliation in La Perouse to hear personal accounts from Bonnie Djuric and Christine Green, a Wiradjuri woman, about the notorious Hay and Parramatta Correctional Centres where they were incarcer- ated in the 1970s. They were campaigning to preserve the Parramatta building (formerly the Parramatta Female Factory) from demolition. The ASC group made a donation to their fighting fund. Later, members of the ASC attended a bush tucker heritage walk at Yarra Bay House, La Perouse, with John Lennis, a horticultural expert, who had laid out the whole pathway with plants and appropriate signage. In 2010 two members of the ASC were invited to Two Women Dreaming Healing Inc., a non-profit organisation in La Perouse involving black and white women sharing different ways of healing body, mind and spirit. OWN donated money to the art group to enable the purchase of paint, brushes and canvasses, and later members of the ASC attended a successful art exhibition at La Perouse museum mount- ed by the artists.

In the City With John Lennis, then an Aboriginal Education Officer, the group walked through Sydney’s Botanical Gardens, while John pointed out trees and shrubs used for foods and medicine and also those used for making implements. The walk culminated at The Cadi Jam Ora: First Encounters Garden Display, regarded as the ‘first frontier’ between Aboriginal and European societies. In May 2010 the ASC organised a successful lunch to celebrate Rec- onciliation Week at Yaama Dhiyaan, a centre for hospitality training in Redfern-Waterloo run by Aunty Beryl van Oploo and Aboriginal chef Mathew Cribb. Aunty Beryl received the Education and Long Life 148 > VISION & VITALITY

Learning award during Seniors Week 2010 after being nominated by ASC member Cate Turner. In November 2012 Aunty Beryl realised a life-long dream when the mostly Aboriginal-owned Gardener’s Lodge Café in Victoria Park was opened, with her at the helm. In addition to introducing bush tucker to people, she’s using the cafe to give young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander hospitality students a chance to develop their culinary skills. In early 2013 members of the ASC enjoyed lunch at the Gardener’s Lodge Café to celebrate their 20th Anniversary.

Further Education Ruth Layard purchased the Macquarie Dictionary of Aboriginal Words for the ASC library. When Ruth died in March 2000 her extensive library of Aboriginal history, politics and culture was bequeathed to the ASC. Librarians Monique Reiher and Margaret Walker set up a professional library at Windmill Street, where OWN members continue to borrow books, tapes and videos. Brenda Saunders designed and printed ex-libris stickers for each item, so that the library has become a permanent memorial to Ruth. Monique Reiher is also the official photographer for the ASC, which now has an extensive pictorial record of its activities. Other educational activities:

• Every second month for two years Monique, Lynn Pollock and Pat Zinn attended lectures on Honour and Respect for the Land by Oomera Edwards and artist Yeri, visiting Yeri’s studio at Our- imbah.

• Monique also completed a course with Dr. Frances Bodkin and her husband Gavin Andrews on Food, Medicine, Law, Legend, Aborigines and the Land. Aboriginal Support Circle < 149

• Josie Clements completed a two-year course of Aboriginal studies especially tailored for non-Indigenous students at Tranby College.

• Two members attended a weekend at Stroud in the Hunter Valley with Aboriginal healer, Maureen Smith, to learn about ‘women’s business’.

• Members visited the Sydney Observatory to learn about Aborig- inal concepts of the firmament and stories connected with the stars.

Visits to galleries and cultural events These included:

• Boomalli, Aboriginal Art Gallery in Leichhardt founded by Bron- wyn Bancroft and other Aboriginal artists.

• The State Library, to see the Mari Nawi Aboriginal Odysseys 1790- 1850 exhibition, which revealed and celebrated the significant role Aboriginal men and women played in early Australian maritime history.

• The Museum of Sydney – From Little Things Big Things Grow: Fighting for Indigenous Rights.

• The Sydney Opera House for the annual Deadly Awards, celebrating the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in music, sport, entertainment and community.

• The National Maritime Museum to viewYirrkala Bark Paintings of Sea Country with the Aboriginal curator as a guide. 150 > VISION & VITALITY

• The Tin Sheds: Brenda Saunders’ art exhibition Skin Deep – about Native Title and land rights.

• The Museum of Sydney to view Brenda Saunders’ Pemulwuy Cloak based on the traditional possum-skin garment worn by her people and featuring an Indigenous map of Sydney with images portray- ing Pemulwuy’s life alongside native animals, dancers, and ships landing at Sydney Cove.

Support for campaigns Support by members of the ASC included letter writing and financial assistance and, when geographically possible, joining protests and rallies.

• The ASC wrote letters of support for the Irati Wanti; The Poison, Leave It campaign of the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta – the senior Aboriginal women of Coober Pedy – against a proposed nuclear waste dump on their country.

• They supported with letter writing and a donation the Ngarrind- jeri women Elders in South Australia who were fighting to prevent construction of a bridge to Hindmarsh Island, which they claimed was a sacred site. Unfortunately they were not successful, even though Hindmarsh Island was later found to be a sacred women’s site.

• Following the release of the Little Children are Sacred report in 2007, the Howard government’s Northern Territory Intervention was enacted. Many sections of the community, including the ASC, Aboriginal Support Circle < 151

became engaged in a flurry of letter writing and anti-Intervention rallies. It was all to no avail.

• While Aboriginal people warmly welcomed the formal apology to the Stolen Generations by PM Kevin Rudd in 2008 there was widespread disappointment by a majority of Aboriginal people and supporters, including the ASC, that his government had not ended the NT Intervention.

• Following the death of Rick Farley, husband of Aboriginal MP Linda Burney, financial contributions were made to the Rick Far- ley Foundation.

• The ASC supported the NSW Teachers’ Federation in its opposi- tion to the word ‘invasion’ being deleted from the school syllabus with a letter-writing campaign.

Publication of Steppin’ Out and Speakin’ Up Many of the connections made with women elders proved to be of enduring significance, and in 2003 led to the publication, proposed by Lucy Porter, of an anthology of Aboriginal women’s stories, Steppin’ Out and Speakin’ Up. A very impressive publication, it includes personal stories from thirteen Aboriginal women and two non-Aboriginal women. The emphasis is on the 3Rs of Aboriginal existence: Relation- ship, Respect and Responsibility, and on the tradition of generations of Indigenous women who have worked within and beyond their own communities to achieve social justice for their people. Lucy Porter, followed by Meg Coulson, supervised the two and a half year project. Lola Sharpe carried out a majority of the interviews with assistance from Meg, Lucy, Monique Reiher and Pat Zinn. Billie 152 > VISION & VITALITY

Kirlew transcribed tapes and typed them in readiness for designer and desktop publisher, the late Jacqui Schofer. Brenda Saunders handled the photography. Writing, editing and publishing the anthology was a joint project between members of the ASC and the Rona-Tranby Trust, the Mercy Foundation, the NSW Reconciliation Council, the Search Foundation and the Older Women’s Network. Lucy Porter was instrumental in obtaining financial and in-kind support from these groups. In November 2003 Linda Burney, Aboriginal MP for Canterbury, launched Steppin` Out and Speakin` Up before a large audience of In- digenous and non-Indigenous people in the Strangers’ Lounge at Par- liament House. Sales of the book raised $10,000, which was donated to Tranby Abo- riginal College to fund a Lynn Pollack scholarship for female students. Lynn was an outstanding woman totally dedicated to reconciliation, an inspiration to all and seemingly indefatigable. Sadly, she was too ill to attend the launch and died in 2004.

•

While there is a still a very long way to go in improving race relations in Australia, the Aboriginal Support Circle has made a real difference by positioning OWN as a non-racist organisation whose members have energetically celebrated the lives, community connections and creativity of Aboriginal people. Members of the ASC have marched with Aboriginal people, sorrowed, despaired and grieved with them. For some their activities might seen like a ‘soft’ form of activism, but for the Aboriginal women whose lives they have interacted with, and for ASC activists, it has been a marvelous journey of mutuality and respect. Long may it continue! Aboriginal Support Circle < 153

The proposed Commonwealth referendum due to take place in the next few years to change the Australian Constitution to acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as First People will require supporters with focus, energy and commitment – qualities that members of the ASC currently have in spades. However, like other groups in OWN where the membership is ageing, an important challenge for the future is to maintain and increase membership of the group. The perennial question is how to attract younger older women to ensure that those who have taken the group thus far can ‘retire’, knowing the group will continue to grow. 9

OWN Groups throughout NSW

Overview

Between 1990 and 2012 a total of thirty-five OWN groups were formed throughout NSW. In late 2012, nineteen groups were active – ten in metropolitan Sydney and nine in regional areas. Some groups closed and were later re-formed by different women in the same municipality. They include Gosford, which closed in 2004 and re-formed as Brisbane Waters in 2011, and Woy Woy, which closed in 2008 and re-formed four years later as Deepwater. St Marys OWN, one of the earliest groups to form, merged with Penrith OWN in 1997. In the Blue Mountain three groups functioned for different periods of time over twelve years, but all have now closed. In Kiama, an OWN group formed in 1992, closed within a year, re-formed in 2001 and closed four years later. Both Northside and Bankstown groups closed in 1994 and 1995 respectively and re-formed in 2011. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 155

OWN groups are self-help groups run by and for older women. Members support each other, share skills and knowledge and work together to improve the quality of their individual lives and their communities. They are involved in a variety of activities, such as meetings, information, workshops, producing newsletters, social gatherings and events, and community campaigns. Many enjoy the support and assistance of local community or health workers who might offer a meeting room, community contacts, ideas for local funding, and assistance with photocopying and mailouts. When OWN NSW is approached about forming a new group, the OWN Community Worker’s role is to listen to their ideas, make suggestions about how to proceed, and provide information about the activities of other OWN groups. She might also give them copies of press releases, flyers, questionnaires and brochures and put women in touch with coordinators of existing OWN groups for further advice and assistance. A resource guide, Getting Started: Growing Stronger, written in 2001, provides answers to key questions about forming an OWN group. It also includes a questionnaire called How well does your group work together? to assist existing groups to problem-solve internal issues. The first requirement to become an OWN group is acceptance of OWN’s aim – to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women – and agreement to abide by OWN’s Guiding Principles (see Appendix C) when representing the Older Women’s Network. This is the easy part. The hard part for many groups is finding women who will take on leadership roles. Effective leaders encourage members to have a robust sense of ownership of their group, while also fostering a sense of belonging to the larger Network. Groups seem to flourish when their members are connected to other OWN groups through regional get-togethers, quarterly meetings and annual conferences. 156 > VISION & VITALITY

Once groups are established the role of the NSW Community Worker, together with members of the Management Team, is to provide support, usually in the form of telephone contact and personal visits. Groups are also offered assistance with submission writing, technical support and clarification of insurance and other organisational issues, for example, annual capitation fees payable to OWN NSW.

Group closures Although OWN groups are encouraged to develop a structure where at least three members take responsibility for coordination, planning and organising, the reality is that sometimes there is only one person in the group who is willing to take on this role. While it can be immensely rewarding, it can also be an onerous task. When a key person resigns through overwork, increased family responsibilities or ill health, the resulting leadership vacuum can become a crisis for the group. Unless other women are willing to fill the vacuum, the group can founder and eventually close. Resignations are not the only reason for a group to close. In some instances a serious drop in membership caused by conflict or tension within the group leads to closure; at other times a group will close because a community worker who has provided ongoing support is no longer available. In recent years low membership has been a recurring issue for many groups. Since there is no magical age at which a woman becomes ‘older’, women who join OWN groups are, by definition, ‘older women’. This can mean anything from around forty-five to ninety years plus. It has become increasingly evident that women from within the next generation (the baby-boomers, or ‘younger older women’ as they are sometimes called) have different expectations from the women who started OWN Groups throughout NSW < 157

the Older Women’s Network more than two decades ago, when they were in their early sixties. Today, many women in their late fifties and sixties are working full or part-time and caring for grandchildren or disabled/elderly family members. They don’t have the time or see the benefits of belonging to a self-help group. The increased cultural obsession with staying young and the accompanying denial of ageing might also restrain retiring women from joining an ‘older’ women’s group.

OWN Groups in NSW OWN groups provide older women with opportunities for friendship, social connection, wellness activities, community involvement and community activism, all of which spring from common interests, a need to learn, a need to express and a need to share. While group programs and activities have common characteristics, it is fair to say that no two groups are exactly the same. For many groups the glue that holds them together is support and friendship, and regular social activities. For others it can be wellness activities, networking within their community and working for change. For some, there’s a strong focus on their musical or performance group. The composition of activities can change – sometimes dramatically – over time, depend- ing on the interests and commitments of key members. To a greater or lesser extent all groups experience variations in membership numbers. To sustain numbers most groups advertise in local centres, hold promotional community events, and provide media with information about their activities. While a majority of groups are fortunate to have rent-free meeting rooms – usually in neighbourhood, community or seniors centres – fundraising appears to be a regular activity for most. The money is sometimes used to pay wellness facilitators, donated to local or international charities, or used to pay annual 158 > VISION & VITALITY

affiliation fees to OWN NSW. On occasions it is used to financially support non-delegate members to attend state or national OWN conferences and to pay for special outings.

Involvement of groups in OWN NSW In the years following the formation of OWN NSW in 2001, women from regional groups in Nowra, Newcastle, Blue Mountains, Woy Woy, Wollondilly and Illawarra were elected to the Management Team for various periods. As mentioned in chapter 2, a number became volunteer coordinators in the OWN NSW office. In later years, with the exception of Wyong and Illawarra, involvement by regional groups in the management of OWN NSW tapered off. This is not the case for metropolitan groups: Sydney, Sutherland, Blacktown, Parramatta and Macarthur have all been (and some still are) members of the OWN NSW Management Team and the Wellness Coordination Group. Quarterly meetings for representatives of NSW groups have been a feature of OWN’s structure since the very early days. They provided important networking opportunities, and until 2006 were reasonably well attended. Travel to Sydney had become too time-consuming and tiring for many members so regional meetings were proposed as an alternative. Currently, two quarterly meetings are held in specific regional areas each year, another is held in Sydney, and the fourth is held at the OWN NSW State Conference. Regional quarterly meetings are very successful with good attendances, guest speakers, and networking over a shared meal prepared by the host group. In general, involvement in the business of OWN NSW by regional groups (and some metropolitan groups) is confined to attendance at the Annual State Conference and AGM, although not all groups are always represented. Most groups provide periodic updates for ‘Beyond OWN Groups throughout NSW < 159

the Rocks’, a special section in the statewide newsletter OWN Matters, and a majority write a report for the OWN NSW annual report.

Group Profiles

For reasons of space it is not possible to write profiles of all OWN groups that have formed and closed since 1990. Instead, group names and commencement/closure dates have been listed in order of their commencement. Group profiles cover nineteen currently active groups in 2012, beginning with Sydney and concluding with Deepwater, the most recently established group. They are not intended as histories, which would be the task of someone to write from within the group. They are, rather, intended to provide the reader with an idea of the general focus and ‘flavour’ of each group – as they have developed over time.

Sydney OWN Although Sydney OWN was not officially established until 2001 it -ex isted from 1991 in its previous incarnation as OWN Inc. (During those ten years OWN Inc. was usually referred to as Sydney OWN.) Following the formation of OWN NSW, Sydney OWN suffered an identity crisis. All statewide functions had become the responsibility of OWN NSW, while Sydney was left with wellness activities, social events, plus local advocacy and other activities within the City of Sydney. With a membership of more than three hundred and fifty living in both the Sydney CBD and the larger metropolitan area – many of them without ready access to one of the other OWN groups – Sydney OWN had a huge task ahead. How could it possibly hope to engage with such a geographically diverse membership? 160 > VISION & VITALITY

Concerns were expressed amongst members, including founding members of OWN Inc., about the need for a smooth transition to Syd- ney OWN. A Working Group was formed comprising Louise Anike, Peggy Hewett, Merle Highet, Betty Johnson, Jan Monson, Joy Ross, Mollie Smith, Ermes Solari, Yetty Windt and Beryl Winter. With few exceptions these women had been, at one time or another, members of the OWN Inc. Working Committee, which meant they came to Sydney OWN with considerable management expertise and advocacy skills. Joy Ross and Louise Anike once again shared the coordination role. Decisions were made about whether or not to incorporate (they decided not), the cost of membership and affiliation fees, keeping membership records and insurance. Answers were sought from OWN NSW about the insertion of Sydney activities in OWN Matters, whether or not there would be ongoing support from the Development Worker, and what workspace/s would be available. It was agreed that the OWN- rented space at 75 Windmill Street, around the corner from the main office at 87 Lower Fort Street, would be the new ‘home’ of Sydney OWN, and although support from the Development Worker was not entirely withdrawn, it was ultimately reduced to assistance with submission writing. Unwilling to accept an identity based purely on physical and social activities, members formed themselves into three teams – administration, activities and advocacy – to ensure that future activities were consistent with OWN’s aim and organisational goals. They appointed delegates to OWN NSW and OWN (Australia) AGMs and conferences, and planned their own AGM. A new brochure was designed and a well- attended planning meeting was held in early 2002 for members to ‘have their say’ about the future. Sixty members also responded to a survey circulated in OWN Matters seeking their views. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 161

Sydney OWN Activities Members’ ideas were successfully incorporated into planning and within its first year Sydney OWN had initiated an expanded and more varied program of wellness activities, social events, courses and guest speakers. Amongst their guest speakers were the late Barbara Holbor- row, a former Court Magistrate, Tanya Plibersek, Federal Member for Sydney, Margaret Small from the Women’s Legal Resource Services, Dr. Norman Swan, presenter of the ABC’s Health Report, and social researcher, Hugh Mackay. Other activities involved a writing course, a series of discussions on feminism and current affairs, and a TAFE computer-training course specifically tailored for older women. Wellness activities (called Well- ness on Wednesday) involved creative dance, international dancing, drumming, feldenkrais, gentle exercise and Tai Chi. For a number of years a group offering support for older women suffering depression met weekly at Windmill Street. In addition to regular discussion groups, there have been craft groups, art classes, guided autobiography, music appreciation and the very popular Lost Ladies of Sydney, a group that strives to uncover the unacknowledged lives of local women. A Battle Axe film group was formed to engage older women in telling stories about themselves – what they think, what they do, how they feel – and to record them on video. Popular social activities over the years have included film and theatre groups, monthly Fish Lunches at different cafes across Sydney, day trips, coffee groups, poetry writing and weekends away. These activities take much planning and a high degree of organisation. A big concern has been recruiting sufficient numbers of volunteers to work specifically on Sydney OWN projects. Over the years Sydney members have continued to overwhelmingly volunteer on statewide projects – OWN Matters, the Theatre Group, Aboriginal Support Circle, 162 > VISION & VITALITY

Health Group and Advocacy Team – creating a scarcity of volunteers available to work on behalf of Sydney OWN. This is an issue that has never been resolved.

Sydney OWN Advocacy There was also some apprehension in the early days about how to establish Sydney OWN’s uniqueness within the City of Sydney. Members wanted to offer something that other organisations were not offering. One of the ways this was achieved was by holding an Older Women’s Right to Safety at Home forum in 2002 at the Council’s Mott Hall. More than one hundred women (and a handful of men) from a wide range of organisations, including some from the Millers Point and Ultimo/ Pyrmont areas, attended the forum. An important outcome of the forum was the formation of a committee whose membership included the Regional Violence Specialist from Central Sydney, two Domestic Violence liaison officers from NSW Police and OWN Sydney members, Louise and Joy. Their brief was to explore resources available to older women experiencing violence and abuse. Louise Anike and Joy Ross were both active members of the committee with Louise also presenting papers at seminars and forums and Joy becoming a representative on her local South Sydney Domestic Violence Liaison Committee. Some years later Sydney OWN in conjunction with the NSW Violence Against Women Unit organised a very large and successful Age Gives No Immunity to Violence forum focused on the abuse of older women. To open the forum Sonia Laverty read a paper by Louise Anike, written just prior to her death in 2007. Under the leadership of Joy Ross (who resigned from the Coordina- tion role in 2008) and Louise Anike, Sydney members have been innovative and active in a number of key areas. These have included the development of small Supportive Neighbourhood groups, establishing OWN Groups throughout NSW < 163

a media campaign called Expanding Networks for Older Women, and encouraging younger older women in the inner city to join OWN at a forum called Talkin’ ‘Bout Our Generation. Since 2001, members have been involved in research projects such as Measuring Social Capital, Fostering Wellness and Kicking up Autumn Leaves. They have had input into the City of Sydney’s Social Plan and been part of a consultation process with the Lord Major and local MPs on inner city services for older women. With a grant from the City of Sydney, Sydney OWN designed a community project OWN Your Village and employed a project worker to explore local older women’s experience of networking, information sharing and community participation. In 2005, younger Sydney OWN members decided to form a group initially called Younger Older Women. The name soon changed to Jubi- lacion, Spanish for ‘retirement’ but also because it sounded like ‘jubila- tion’, which most women feel on retirement. The group, some of them preparing to retire and others already retired, enjoyed outings together and explored issues such as social housing and the effects of federal industrial laws on older women. Many wanted to re-visit and explore the political issues that had fired and inspired the Baby Boomer generation. At times it was hard to know if they wanted to change direction, change the world, or just wanted a change of pace. Whichever it was, they disbanded after a year or so. OWN Sydney Working Group members have continued to represent older women’s concerns on a range of federal, state, local and not-for- profit committees to ensure that the privatisation of services of interest to older women, especially in the area of health care, do not lead to reduced or inferior services. Each year Sydney OWN celebrates International Women’s Day with a pre-march breakfast and, on one occasion, a donation of $1000 towards the green and purple IWD flags adorning Sydney streets. They also staffed a special IWD Memory Tent Display primarily organised 164 > VISION & VITALITY

by Beth Eldridge, which included photos and other material from the OWN archives.

Future challenges for Sydney OWN Despite its many successes, Sydney OWN is disadvantaged by having its membership scattered so far and wide. This makes for very few opportunities for impromptu meetings and developing friendships such as might happen in smaller metropolitan and regional OWN groups. Since the need for friendship and companionship becomes more and more significant as women age, local venues that can be easily reached have considerable practical appeal, especially where members are bat- tling financial, health or other disadvantage. The great challenge for Sydney OWN is to get its membership – women who don’t yet have a particular feeling of community – involved with its management, activities and projects.

Past and present OWN groups in NSW

Shoalhaven OWN – from 1989 to 1990 St Marys OWN – from 1990 to 1997 Blue Mountains OWN – from 1991 to 2001 Gosford OWN – from 1991 to 2002 Northside OWN – from 1992 to 1995

Nowra OWN – 1992 Nowra is a city on the South Coast of NSW, approximately 160 kilometres from Sydney. Gitta Rind and Anne Warren initially formed a group called Shoal- haven OWN in 1989 when OWN was still located at Combined Pen- OWN Groups throughout NSW < 165

sioners and before it was incorporated. The group closed within the year when both women went overseas and no one was available to take on leadership roles. Three years later Joy Ross from Sydney OWN assisted a small group of women to re-form as Nowra OWN. Attendance has fluctuated with a membership of between ten and twenty-five over the past twenty years, with an average of twelve to fifteen women attending meetings in the Nowra Neighbourhood Centre. As one member remarked, “The advantage of a small group is that relationships can be closer and genuine concern can be shown, particularly as members face serious illness and loss.” In 2002, ten years after forming their group, members used the questionnaire from Getting Started, Growing Stronger to explore who they were and where they were going. The manner in which the group approached this task reflected a commitment to mutual support, friendship and mental stimulation. Women openly aired their views about how meetings could be smoother and more efficient and explored ideas about creating a better balance between attending to relationships and getting things done. The result was clearer communication, an expanded membership and an interesting and challenging program of activities reflecting the interests, skills and talents of members. One decision was to celebrate their tenth year at a birthday party in Gerroa, a small town thirty kilometres up the coast from Nowra. More than fifty members – past and present – and guests from surrounding OWN groups enjoyed a memorable celebration. Another highlight that same year was the Happy Heart Weekend at Booderee National Park, Jervis Bay. Friends from Sydney OWN and members of Nowra OWN – thirty-five in all – relaxed into a weekend of fun, games, exercise and a concert in the peace of Booderee – Aboriginal land. Community involvement is a strong feature of Nowra OWN. Mem- bers help to organise and/or attend annual Seniors Week events – on one occasion a concert at the Aboriginal community’s Aged Care Fa- 166 > VISION & VITALITY

cility – and International Women’s Day celebrations. They support the Biggest Morning Tea for Cancer Research and are actively involved in local environmental issues such as Global Action Day and Bushcare. Members have supported debates on a Fair Go for Refugees hosted by Amnesty International, have been on the committee of the Shoalhaven Women’s Health Centre, and assisted at Meroogal, the local Historic Houses Trust venue, which hosts the annual Women’s Art Prize and the local International Women’s Day Awards. They have also been involved in the Go Red Healthy Heart Challenge, a six-week health program for women. In 2004, following involvement in the OWN NSW Fostering Well- ness Project, two long-standing members of Nowra OWN made contact with community groups in the Shoalhaven to see how much support there was for establishing a wellness centre in the area. Their efforts met with disappointing results. Funding submissions drew blanks and further attempts to tap into already established wellness activities in Neighbourhood and Community Centres, service clubs, and the Shoal- haven District Hospital also had negative results. Guest speakers are regularly invited to address meetings. Topics have included local coal seam gas explorations, falls prevention, Par- kinson’s Disease, face reading, driving skills, community banking, euthanasia, blood donations, fire management, palliative care, ambulance services, police services, a Tai Chi demonstration and occupational therapy. Members of the group are encouraged to be ‘guest’ speakers. They share special interests and hobbies, and tell tales of recent travel. One member shared aspects of her involvement with Shoalcare – a support project for young people in need; another gave a talk on fears and phobias; and another shared her knowledge of Oral History. In-house discussions are also programmed for members to talk about their favourite novels, poetry, movies, and local history – or lead debates on OWN Groups throughout NSW < 167

legal, political or social passions. Discussion amongst members generally provokes spirited participation, allowing everyone to openly air their opinions. Although it’s at least three hours by train, members of Nowra OWN regularly attend special events and workshops in Sydney and beyond. Amongst these have been a one-day Theatre Skills workshop, Dorothy Rowe’s session on depression, the 2003 launch of the Aboriginal Sup- port Circle’s anthology, Steppin’ Out and Speakin’ Up, the Wollondilly OWN weekend at Myuna Bay, birthday celebrations for Newcastle OWN and the Women Centre Stage concert jointly organised by OWN NSW and Macarthur OWN. Some members have contributed to the coordination and management of OWN NSW and also been active members of the Advocacy Coordination Group, the Theatre Group and the Wellness Coordinat- ing Committee. Members attend OWN (Australia) Conferences and NSW State Conferences and have hosted two regional quarterly meetings of OWN groups. In 2012, Nowra OWN was asked to participate in a local Wellness Festival, which they thought was a great opportunity to let more women in the Shoalhaven know about their group. To this end, they published a booklet in which each member wrote a little about their background and their reason for joining OWN. Whether the recent increase in membership is a result they don’t know, but in the past year six new members have joined, and all of them have brought talents, friendship and laughter to the group.

Bankstown Greek OWN – 1994 Bankstown is a suburb of Sydney located twenty kilometres to the southwest. In 1993 a local Greek GP, the late Chrissie Gotis-Graham, contacted Sydney OWN to discuss whether a group of socially isolated Greek 168 > VISION & VITALITY

women might benefit by forming themselves into an OWN group. The answer, of course, was yes. With Chrissie’s ongoing support the group grew steadily from around fifteen in 1994 to more than eighty today. Regular weekly attendance is between thirty-five and forty. The aim of Bankstown Greek OWN is to provide enrichment, support and friendship to older Greek women in the South Western area of Sydney; to encourage discussion about topics that interest them; and to assist members to gain information, knowledge and skills. Every Monday morning at 9.30 the group meets at the Arts Centre in Olympic Parade, Bankstown. There are no membership fees, but women pay a suggested donation of $3. They enjoy a gentle exercise class, sometimes followed by discussions or workshops on different topics. There is always lots of time to socialise. After a light lunch of home-cooked Greek food, the Greek Dance Group rehearses, sometimes with non-members joining in for the fun and exercise. Greek Dancing became an established feature of the group from the very early days. Dancing is extremely important to them, and their talents are appreciated and enjoyed at a diverse range of venues each year. They perform at nursing homes in Enmore, Lakemba, Bankstown, and Padstow, and at activities during Pink Ribbon Week, Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, Seniors Week, Chinese New Year, International Women’s Day and Heart Week. They also perform at various OWN NSW events and at the Bankstown shopping centre where international cultural and food festivals such as Bankstown Bites and Art-Fest are celebrated. In 2008 they were invited to perform on a ‘community’ stage at the Royal Easter Show! The dance group is the sole source of income for Greek OWN. It pays for occasional excursions such as Christmas or Mothers’ Day lunches at Lakemba Greek Club. Members also enjoy each other’s company at movies, the theatre, a swim or a picnic. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 169

Seniors Week grants are used to pay for cultural events or excursions – on one occasion the group went to the Greek Theatre and on another they made a pilgrimage to a Greek monastery in Gosford. For many years Bankstown Greek OWN members have taken part in Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea, which raises funds for cancer research, education, and support programs for patients and their families. Members traditionally provide huge quantities of traditional Greek goodies for the event. They have raised many thousands of dollars for the Cancer Council, once again proving that older women can contribute not only to their close families, but also to the community in general. In 2006 a member of the Cancer Council of NSW presented Bankstown Greek OWN with a wall plaque for their contribution to Pink Ribbon Day fundraising over the years. Guest speakers have presented information on the prevention and management of chronic diseases such as osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Many members have signed up for the Never too Old project run by the Federal Department of Health and Ageing. The aim is to reduce their waistlines by using less salt, sugar and fat and being more active. Workshops topics have included Healthy Lifestyle, Mind and Memo- ry and Australian Hearing Free Tests as well as workshops run by bilingual educators from the Ethnic Community Council and local council. Members have learned how to save energy, water, reduce waste, and make their homes healthier and more environmentally friendly. The group is also involved in designing an environmentally friendly shopping bag, which will display environmental messages in Greek. In 2000 the Greek Older Women’s Network established a partnership agreement with the Bankstown OWN Wellness Centre to expand their wellness program to include this unique cultural group. Greek OWN members now enjoy Tai Chi at the Multi-Cultural Centre, as well as joining in other Wellness Centre activities and workshops, in- 170 > VISION & VITALITY

cluding one on self-defence. Wellness Centre programs are now being translated into the Greek language. Bankstown Greek OWN is a very open and friendly group. Members enjoy meeting new and interesting people from all walks of life, and say that belonging to OWN has given them a reason to get up and get out. One sentence in their entry on the OWN NSW website tells an inspiring story of self-empowerment: “Through the Older Women’s Network we have transformed ourselves from shy women with little confidence to women who know where we stand in our society.”

Northern Rivers OWN – from 1994 to 2001

Penrith OWN – 1994 Penrith OWN is located fifty-five kilometres west of Sydney. Thelma Anderson and Rae Paine were the prime movers in forming the group and for the past eighteen years have been key players in its development. Following its inaugural meeting, attended by the Sydney Theatre Group and members of Sydney (OWN Inc.), Penrith OWN grew steadily and within a year had sixty members. Active involvement by members remains very strong. A significant factor in Penrith OWN’s success is the friendly and regular contact women have with each other. For instance, when a member is sick or otherwise unable to attend activities she is sent a card or someone phones to say hello. This personal approach has created a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where friendships and having fun are paramount. In 2000 Thelma and Rae suggested opening a drop-in centre, named Our OWN Place, in the Penrith Community Health Centre. For ten years Our OWN Place thrived with OWN members rostered on four hours a day, five days a week, providing older women with a relaxing cuppa, a quiet place to read the Penrith OWN newsletter, and the opportunity to chat. Severe cost cutting by the Department of Health OWN Groups throughout NSW < 171

eventually resulted in a dramatic drop in the number of people seeking community health care, which meant a corresponding drop in people using Our OWN Place. With heavy hearts they were forced to close. Penrith OWN is a lively and diverse group that continues to grow and thrive in an environment of mutual and community support. The very successful program of wellness activities at Penrith has been developed with a view to encouraging good health, social inclusion and friendship. Three days a week members enjoy a variety of activities in three different rent-free venues: aquarobics, yoga, Tai Chi, gentle exercise, International Dancing and various table games. Penrith OWN’s International Dance Group regularly performs at local events and during Seniors Week celebrations. One Saturday a month meetings, discussions and workshops are held at the local Neighbourhood Centre. Workshops have been held on Irish Dancing, Costume Making, Food Tasting, Dutch Choir and Irish Singers. Health forums are also held on a regular basis on issues such as osteoporosis, incontinence, nutrition for mental health, organ donation and companion dogs, while various guest speakers have talked on subjects such as macular degeneration, Home Care services, finances, housing, retirement and local history. Consumer activism is a strong feature of Penrith OWN. Local Coun- cillors are quite accustomed to members attending Council meetings, especially when community transport, local buses and rezoning issues are on the agenda. A few key members are well known to local members of parliament and to people at the Wentworth Area Health Service. At the Neighbourhood Centre where meetings are held, OWN members are a majority on the Management Committee. They are also represented on the Penrith Senior Citizens Management Committee and the Women’s Health Centre Committee. They play an important role as consultants to women’s health and community service planning committees in the Wentworth Area. 172 > VISION & VITALITY

Intergenerational and community activities are a priority for Pen- rith OWN. For instance, members joined a Harmony Day for the Sa- moan Senior Community and participated in dancing and singing before joining in the ritual of kava drinking! They have also formed strong links with Kingswood Park Primary School. During one Seniors Week Penrith members conducted an International Dance Workshop with the students who expressed surprise that ‘grandmas’ could dance and enjoy themselves so much! During another Seniors Week, they participated in team ball games with students from the school. One year they received a Seniors Week grant to have a tree planting ceremony at the Kingswood Park Community Centre. On another occasion local pre-school children plus their mums and dads were invited to join OWN members in a tree-planting ceremony followed by morning tea. Community fundraising such as the Biggest Morning Tea and Pink Ribbon Day are annual events for members of Penrith OWN. A number of members have received public recognition for their contributions to the community. One International Women’s Day five members had their community work recorded on a wall plaque organised by Penrith Women’s Health Centre commemorating ‘One Hundred Inspirational Women’. At other times the group has received a Premier’s Senior Award; a Positive Ageing Award from Council on the Ageing (COTA); and a Penrith City Council Community Award. Apart from the occasional Seniors Week grant and the recent OWN Technology Revolution grant, fundraising and fees are their only source of income. Both Rae and Thelma continue to coordinate activities at Penrith OWN. They are widely recognised for their leadership and dedication to older women’s health and wellbeing. Over the years they have promoted a strong belief amongst members of Penrith OWN that laughter within the group is a great healer. And who could argue with that? OWN Groups throughout NSW < 173

Newcastle OWN – 1994 Newcastle is located one hundred and sixty kilometres up the coast from Sydney. An Older Women’s Network group was established following a public meeting in Newcastle Town Hall initiated by Di Ford, a Rural Aged Care Worker. Despite twenty-three women attending the first meeting, growth over the next few years was sporadic with attendances wavering between seven and fifteen. Pat Carlton, in her 2010 history of Newcastle OWN (see http://www.ownnsw.org.au/newcastle.php), describes a low point in 1997: “No nominations were received for the two coordinator positions (and) OWN Newcastle was considered to be officially in recess”. Despite its ‘in recess’ status, a year later membership was reasonably stable at between ten and sixteen. In late 1998 a new member, Gwenda Fulford, initiated a discussion in her home about the group’s future, and at a formal meeting later that year all committee positions were filled. Finding women to nominate for leadership positions was an ongoing struggle for Newcastle OWN. Differences in style and vision created tensions, sometimes resulting in resignations. In 2002, with no one volunteering to coordinate the group, Pat Carlton took on the role. Newcastle OWN holds its AGM in July each year (it was incorporated in 2000) and elects two Coordinators, a Treasurer and a Committee of four who plan monthly meetings and other activities, including the morning tea or lunch gatherings that are held on the third Thursday of each month. Throughout Pat’s written history of Newcastle OWN, there are frequent references to the group’s identity struggles, usually expressed as a preference for being a social group as opposed to a politically active one. During particular phases in the group’s development these prefer- ences appear to have been unproblematic. For instance, during 2003- 2004, the group held social outings, general meetings with speakers, a 174 > VISION & VITALITY

craft group and discussion groups. Members also organised a Meet the Candidates forum prior to the State elections and formed an Advocacy Working Group, which made representations to local parliamentarians and bureaucrats on issues of concern. At different times Newcastle OWN has been represented on the Newcastle Community Safety Panel, the Violence Against Women Committee, the Seniors Week Advisory Panel, and the Positive Age- ing Strategy for the Hunter Advisory Group. Two separate Seniors Week events were funded one year – a Well- ness Morning and a Storytelling Afternoon. The Wellness Morning led to three Newcastle members joining members of Sydney OWN and representatives from Wagga Wagga, Nowra and Macarthur on a three-day Fostering Wellness tour of OWN Wellness Centres. Newcastle members returned full of hope that the group could extend its gentle exercise class to include a wider range of Wellness activities. This was not to be and gentle exercise ceased being offered in 2005. For a number of years Newcastle members had a singing group called The Network Singers who entertained at IWD events, Seniors Week events and Christmas celebrations. Newcastle’s 10th birthday celebration was called Well, Well, Well – Over 50 and Feeling Fabulous! Funded with $2000 from the Com- monwealth Department of Health and Ageing under its Positive Age- ing Program, the celebration was attended by other OWN groups and featured a banner created by the Craft Group, sessions on laughter as medicine, drumming, gentle exercise, international dancing, and a forum on Positive Ageing. On another networking occasion members from several OWN groups, including a large group from Sutherland and the wonderfully uninhibited Greek women from Bankstown, joined Newcastle members for a Wicked Women Weekend at Myuna Bay, a holiday camp between Newcastle and Sydney. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 175

After a few rocky years trying to find a venue to meet their needs, the group finally settled in at The Loft in Newcastle City. They meet on the first Thursday of each month for a business meeting, morning tea and a guest speaker or other activity such as a discussion, or members sharing life experiences. A broad range of workshop topics have been enjoyed over the years: social isolation and wellbeing, obesity and malnutrition, Community Justice, making wills, work and retirement, Advance Care Directives, housing options, and community transport. Guests have included the State Member for Newcastle who addressed local issues of concern; author and playwright Zeny Giles who spoke about cultural themes in the Newcastle area; two women from the Newcastle Aboriginal Women’s Refuge; and Kath Olive, a foundation member of Newcastle OWN, who spoke about the many contributions made by Australian women in education, science and research, the arts and women’s rights. Discussions are often led by members and have included sessions on care of the feet, anger, writing and publishing family histories, voluntary euthanasia, and the experience of moving to and settling in Australia. Over recent years members of Newcastle OWN have become more connected to the wider OWN community. They have been represented at Regional Quarterly Meetings in Chatswood and Sutherland; at State Conferences; and at the OWN (Australia) National Conference. A number also attended the OWN NSW Rights, Roadblocks and Resilience forum at Parliament House in 2012. Membership drives and greater visibility have led to an increase in members from within the Hunter region, and for some time now membership has hovered around forty. Members are optimistic about the group’s future growth and enthusiastic about the role they can play in the Newcastle area. 176 > VISION & VITALITY

Woy Woy OWN – from 1996 to 2009

Wyong OWN – 1996 Located ninety-two kilometres north of Sydney and seventy-seven kilometres south of Newcastle on the NSW Central Coast, Wyong is a large and thriving shire located around the coastal lakes of Tuggerah, Budgewoi and Munmorah. Wyong OWN was launched following a public meeting primarily organised by Nancy Brown from Gosford OWN and Enid Harrison from Woy Woy OWN. Seventy women attended the meeting, fifty of them from the local area. The issues that mattered most to them were health, transport and projecting a more positive image of older women in the media. Wyong OWN meets on the first Monday of the month in the Rose- bud Room at Rose Cottage, Northern Women’s Health Centre. Al- though its membership is quite small in comparison to other OWN groups, Wyong OWN has developed a reputation as a lively, welcoming and happy group. In recent years serious discussions have been held about ways to attract younger ‘older’ women to join them “so there will always be an Older Women’s Network in Wyong”. One of the barriers to increasing the membership is poor local transport. As in many similar large shires throughout the state, train and bus services are fragmented and unreliable, making it difficult for older women who don’t drive to attend meetings and activities. In 2003, when former Labor Minister Michael Costa was Minister for Transport and threatened to shut down local train lines, thereby forcing people to use buses, Wyong members let him know how they felt. Wyong OWN has a collective structure with different members chairing monthly meetings, and everyone contributing ideas for guest speakers and interesting social activities. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 177

Over the years guest speakers have included Daphne Roper, who spoke about medicines and their side effects, Dr. Romaine Rutman, who brought them up to date on aged care policies, a volunteer from the NSW Senior Peer Education Centre (a COTA project), who spoke on depression, and a local health worker who provided information about falls prevention. Ibethal, a woman from Afghanistan, gave a moving talk about how the war is affecting the lives of women and children in her country. Meetings have also included lively discussions on a variety of topics such as transport (lack of), the future of the planet, the cost of living, government aged care policy, and what is going on in Australian and local politics. At one stage Wyong OWN considered setting up a wellness centre in the shire but found there were gentle exercise groups and other wellness activities being offered by neighbourhood and senior citizens centres, and some clubs. Because Wyong’s membership is so geographically scattered the idea was not followed up. Social events with a political theme play an important role for members. They have made the journey to Newcastle to see a number of beauty spots before developers make them into huge housing estates; participated in International Women’s Day celebrations; and attended the launch of a book about women in the Shire who play a vital role as volunteers. They have also taken part in a discussion with former Sci- ence Minister, Verity Firth, who also had responsibility for the NSW Office of Women. Regular excursions have ranged far and wide over the Shire – from a trip to Toronto to visit its excellent art gallery, to visiting the Hunter Valley Gardens, and taking the ‘wine track’ out from Wollombi to see the Sculptures in the Vineyards. Excursions to Sydney have included a tour of the Sydney Opera House Costume Centre and attendance at the last organ concert at the Sydney Town Hall before restoration of the building began. On one occasion they visited the ABC radio and 178 > VISION & VITALITY

TV Centre in Harris Street, Ultimo, a visit they strongly recommend to other groups. In reports of their activities for ‘Beyond the Rocks’ and Annual Reports, mention is often made of the pleasure members have in eating together at cafes and pubs in the region, and beyond. Representatives attend regional meetings with Newcastle and, until it closed, with Woy Woy. Until 2011 a member from Wyong OWN was on the Management Team of OWN NSW. Accepting the limitations of expanding their membership in such a large area, Wyong OWN’s approach is “steady as she goes”. With around twenty members at the moment, it’s an approach that seems to be working.

Wagga Wagga OWN – from 1997 to 2011

Macarthur OWN – 1997 Macarthur is a region sixty kilometres south west of Sydney. It encom- passes the City of Campbelltown and its suburbs as well as many small and medium size towns. In 1997 Sheila Bartlett, a women’s health worker at the Campbell- town Benevolent Society (or Ben Soc, as it is known), approached the Older Women’s Network with the idea of establishing an OWN group in the area for mid-to-older women. Following a public meeting attended by Sydney OWN members and representatives from Ben Soc, Macarthur OWN was soon up and running. Ben Soc provided the group with a meeting room and an outdoor area free of charge, plus use of their photocopier and computer. Work- ers also assisted in the preparation of local and state grant applications. Within five years, membership of Macarthur OWN had reached a high of ninety with between forty-five and fifty-five attending activities each week. Numbers fluctuated and by 2011 they were down to seventy. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 179

By 2012, an average of thirty-five members with ages ranging from the early fifties to eighty were attending weekly meetings and activities. Macarthur OWN is one of the few OWN groups to draw in younger women. The group originally had two Coordinators, a Treasurer, a Welfare Officer, a Meet and Greet Officer, and a General Committee. Represent- atives from the group are on the OWN NSW Management Team, and members attend Regional Quarterly Meetings and the Annual General Meeting of OWN NSW. From 1997 to 2009 Macarthur OWN met four times a month on Wednesdays. The first Wednesday was set aside for a business meeting and the celebration of birthdays occurring that month. For more than a decade the second Wednesday was a workshop or activity organised by Ben Soc. Since 2009 Ben Soc’s involvement has been episodic, although the group understands that the workshops will continue. In the meantime, the second Wednesday has become a day for friendship and fun. The third Wednesday of each month was reserved for guest speakers, fundraising or just having fun together. Groups such as the Exodus Foundation, Flying Doctor Service, Arthritis Foundation and Make A Wish Foundation have all provided guest speakers. Others have given talks on organ donation, tinnitus, Enduring Power of Attorney, funerals, gardening, personal safety and the Aboriginal Dreamtime. Until 2011 the last Wednesday of the month was a bus excursion to different destinations throughout Sydney and beyond. The bus was subsidised by council grants and always oversubscribed as members were only asked to pay $12 per trip. Rising costs eventually forced the bus trips to be cancelled. The last Wednesday is now either coffee and a chat or taking a trip together on their $2.50 pensioner excursion tickets. Macarthur OWN has introduced a referral book in which members write details and opinions about goods and services and/or value-added 180 > VISION & VITALITY

products they have received from local providers e.g. plumbers and car mechanics. Through this, others can make more informed consumer choices. Following on from their involvement in the OWN NSW Fostering Wellness project during Seniors Week 2003, Macarthur OWN held a Wellness Day, with over thirty participants enjoying a smorgasbord of activities offered by seven health providers. However, with so many wellness activities available in the area, establishing their own wellness program was seen as impracticable. Community involvement is a strong feature of Macarthur OWN. Each year members select new charities to donate to on a rotating basis. They have a donation tin for Campbelltown Hospital’s Cancer Therapy Unit and match the amount in it with money from a monthly raffle and an occasional buy and sell stall. In 2012 they donated $500 to the Cancer Unit, $500 to the NSW Flood Appeal and $500 to the Tasmania Fire Appeal. In Seniors Week 2003 they were thrilled to receive a Premier’s Com- munity Award “in recognition of outstanding service to the community and to NSW”. In 2004 their community spirit was one of the motivations behind the group’s ambition to stage a large concert during Seniors Week. The theme for Seniors Week that year was The Best Time for Ages! OWN NSW received a $5000 grant to help stage Women Centre Stage, which was held in the Crystal Theatre at Campbelltown RSL Club. The idea for the concert came from a group of aspiring singers and dancers from Macarthur OWN who had been proudly calling themselves The Melody Makers. Since they were completely inexperienced in stagecraft, they approached three members of the Sydney Theatre Group for a workshop to help polish their scripts and develop their skills in preparation for the concert. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 181

Women Centre Stage was a sell-out with a 500-strong audience whistling, clapping, stamping and shouting their approval as act followed talented act. There were a total of eighty performers aged from fifty to ninety, all members of OWN. The line-up included singers, dancers, musicians, actors, drummers, tap dancers, comediennes and many different OWN performance groups, with the Macarthur Melody Makers the undisputed stars! The following year a second concert was held in the same venue, again jointly organised by Macarthur OWN and OWN NSW. It was also a standout success. In early 2009 Macarthur OWN suddenly became homeless following Ben Soc’s unexpected request to vacate their premises. They were told that the group had become too large, but in reality Ben Soc had changed direction and were focusing more on families and younger people. For a short time members felt like ‘the loose Ladies of Macar- thur’, as one of them put it. However, within a month, they had moved to Campbelltown Bowling Club where they now meet in the restaurant every Wednesday from 9.30 to 11.30 a.m. Most members then adjourn elsewhere for a low-cost lunch and more socialising. The only cost at the Bowling Club is an annual $5 club membership fee. Ask them, and members of Macarthur OWN will tell you that while political action is “not their thing”, friendship, caring and sharing is alive and well for older women in Sydney’s south-west.

Albury OWN – from 1998 to 1999

Illawarra OWN – 1998 The Illawarra region begins fifty-six kilometres down the coast from Sydney and continues for a further seventy kilometres, taking in a number of small towns and the City of Wollongong. 182 > VISION & VITALITY

The idea to start an Illawarra OWN group came from Maura O’Sullivan, a worker at the Bulli Community Centre. In March 1998 Joy Ross from Sydney OWN attended a public meeting where she explained OWN’s Aims and Guiding Principles. Members of Nowra OWN entertained with short pieces on attitudes to older women and the Sydney Theatre Group performed a selection of comical and inspiring skits and songs. At the first official meeting of Illawarra OWN seventeen women- at tended (seven sent apologies) with three agreeing to take on the roles of Coordinator, Secretary and Treasurer. Within three years membership had grown to thirty, although during this time there was a disappointing dropout rate of around 50%. A restructure of meeting times and focus changed that. Meetings were scheduled twice (instead of once) a month with one meeting for business and the other for social activities. Meetings, which were held in a large room at the Corrimal Community Centre, were also changed from the afternoon to morning – when older women have more energy! The community profile of Illawarra OWN has developed through a long association with IWD celebrations and Seniors Week initiatives. On one occasion an IWD event in Wollongong Town Hall was attended by then State Member of Parliament Noreen Hays who later published an article about Illawarra OWN, with a photo, in her press release. She also spoke in Parliament praising the work Illawarra OWN was doing in the district. Another time a local newspaper The Northern Leader sent a reporter to one of their meetings. The result was a very positive newspaper article together with photos of some of their members. At an IWD luncheon sponsored by View Clubs, members were able to speak about OWN to the many women’s groups represented. Good publicity resulted from photos of members printed in The Illawarra Mercury. One of the most popular activities initiated by Illawarra OWN was the SilvertOWNs, a performance group that emerged from a choir set OWN Groups throughout NSW < 183

up in early 1999. On International Women’s Day 2001, with twelve members plus a guitarist, the SilvertOWNs performed to 200 women at the local Town Hall as a finale to local IWD festivities. The program of topical songs, poems and jokes was a winner. The following year the SilvertOWNs accepted twenty-two invitations to entertain, one of them at the OWN NSW State Conference. They have performed to older people at day care centres, retirement homes and nursing homes across the region, and on one occasion to forty-five high school girls studying Society and Culture at a Seniors Week event called Re:Generations. In 2003 a prestigious invitation came from Illawarra Healthy Citizens to perform at their annual award ceremony. This led to the SilvertOWNs being featured twice in one week on local television news programs in support of International Women’s Day events in Wollongong and Shellharbour. Despite a number of serious setbacks, the SilvertOWNs continue with a very busy schedule to the present day. When members were surveyed a few years ago to find out what skills and interests they enjoyed outside OWN activities, the results showed an impressive list of painters and drawers, cinema and theatre-goers, readers and writers of books and plays, and craft workers. As a result some members offered to lead activity groups. A Drama Group was formed with members producing short skits for Seniors Week and also some radio plays. Before long five special interest groups – Play Read- ing, Current Affairs, Book Reading, Writing and Sketching – became fixtures with a small but solid core of members involved in each group. Guest speakers have given talks on self-defence, reflexology, strokes, State Emergency Services (SES), the Fire Brigade, Fair Trading and funerals. In 2009, Barbara Malcolm, Thelma Prescott and other members of Illawarra OWN opened a Wellness Centre in Coniston. (See chapter 2 Healthy Ageing). The fee paid by participants at the Wellness Cen- tre creates automatic membership of Illawarra OWN, which boosted 184 > VISION & VITALITY

membership to around 140. Despite this, the number of women coming to Illawarra OWN meetings and social activities, including a number of women from multi-cultural backgrounds, has remained relatively stable at around thirty. Illawarra OWN publishes its own newsletter which they’ve found is a wonderful way to communicate with existing members, and interest potential new ones. The group also gives new members a welcome folder containing information on OWN’s history, a list of names and addresses of members and a calendar of events. Their slogan is: Life is so much better when you ‘OWN’ it!

Bellingen OWN – from 1999 to 2011 Orange OWN – from 1999 to 2000 Kiama OWN – from 2001 to 2006 Shellharbour OWN – from 2001 to 2006 Mid-Mountains OWN – from 2001 to 2005 Ashfield Greek OWN – from 2002 to 2011

Southern Highlands OWN – 2002 The Southern Highlands, one hundred and ten kilometres southwest of Sydney, is in the Wingecarribee Shire, which has a population of almost 50,000 people. In 2002, Margaret Connor, an occupational therapist at the Bowral District Hospital, initiated a public meeting with a view to establishing an OWN group in the area. More than half the fifty women who attended the meeting expressed a strong interest in being involved in a Southern Highlands Older Women’s Network. Within a year, membership had increased to forty, with up to thirty- five women attending monthly meetings. By 2008, there were ninety- seven financial members but by 2012 the number of financial members had decreased to seventy-nine. In spite of this decrease, forty-five to OWN Groups throughout NSW < 185

fifty members regularly attend meetings and other activities. The- ma jority of members are from Mittagong, Bowral and Moss Vale, with a few coming from Shire villages. New members are formally welcomed in a brief ceremony at the first meeting after they join, where they are presented with their SHOWN badge and Booklet. Mittagong RSL provides rooms free of charge for ordinary and committee meetings, held on the first Thursday of each month, and also for weekly Tai Chi classes, monthly Games Afternoons, Seniors Week, workshops, and other activities. A committee of ten to twelve is elected annually. Robyn Smith has been elected coordinator each year since 2003. Her vision has been to maintain and strengthen the group’s emphasis on health and wellbeing, and to encourage older women to overcome isolation and personal problems through their involvement in group activities and community enterprises. In 2002, members put together a medley of creative lyrics with an emphasis on women’s health, set them to familiar music, and launched themselves as a parody performance group, the WENCHes (Women Embracing New Challenges in Health). The group has entertained at Seniors Week events, International Women’s Day celebrations, and at the Women Centre Stage concert organised by OWN NSW and Mac- arthur OWN in 2004. Through their performances in nursing homes and for community groups, including Probus and Red Cross, the WENCHes have been able to raise awareness of health issues, help the local community, and increase SHOWN’s community profile. Sadly, at the end of 2008, the number of WENCHes had dropped dramatically due to death, ill health, and competing commitments. It was thought the group was confined to history. Not so. Robyn Smith and Jacquie Simpson continued to perform – as a duet. They call themselves TWO 186 > VISION & VITALITY

(Two Wise Older) WENCHes, and hope that others will soon be inspired to join them. Interesting guest speakers reflect SHOWN’s focus on health and wellbeing with topics including foot care, falls prevention, Macular Degeneration, dementia, the benefits of massage, avoiding Diabetes, pain management, Meniere’s Disease, vision loss, cooking for one and laughter therapy. On one occasion a guest speaker presented the health benefits of Belly Dancing – with the chance to learn some simple movements. Weekly Tai Chi classes have been running since 2005 when a ten- week course funded by the Shire Council became so popular no one wanted it to end. Social activities such as film and theatre, fortnightly lunches, and friendly afternoons playing games also provide members with opportunities for expanding friendships and wellbeing. Skill development workshops and courses are strongly emphasised within SHOWN. In 2010, a ten-week Telstra Connected Seniors Mobile Phone Course attracted nineteen participants, and in 2005, a First Aid Certificate course funded by Wingecarribee Shire Council was also well attended. With funding through Seniors Week, workshops have been offered on Switched on Brain and Body – involving physical exercise to stimulate the brain; It’s never too late to learn – art lessons and creative writing; Retrain and Regain – exploring good pelvic floor health, and The Good Life, involving a full day of wellness activities. With funding through Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Community As- sistance Scheme SHOWN also ran a successful workshop on depression called Out Of The Blue. SHOWN has worked with Sydney Southwest Community Health to present two seminars on health issues for post- menopausal women. Fundraising and social responsibility are inextricably linked for SHOWN. A Bring and Buy table at monthly meetings, regular raffles OWN Groups throughout NSW < 187

and a small surcharge on theatre tickets enables them to make donations to various charities. In the past, SHOWN had a presence on the International Women’s Day Planning Committee, the Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Seniors Working Group and the Blue Circle Southern Community Liaison Committee (looking at local environmental issues). In recent years, their involvement has been reduced to membership on Wingecarribee Shire Council’s Seniors Working Group. They continue to maintain links with the South West Sydney Local Health Network and the Wing- ecarribee Interagency. SHOWN members are great networkers. They attend OWN NSW Quarterly Meetings, the OWN (Australia) Conference, and in years gone by were actively involved in the Southern Region Get Togethers with Illawarra, Nowra and Wollondilly OWN groups. These get-togethers gave members a chance to have a great day out together and to catch up with members from other groups. In 2003, SHOWN members joined Wollondilly for a women’s holiday week at Myuna Bay. A few years ago, the Committee initiated annual Getting To Know You meetings, which involve a great deal of fun and laughter, a range of topics to discuss, and the opportunity for members to get to know one another better in small groups. As a result of these light-hearted gatherings new members are more quickly integrated into the group, and many new friendships have developed.

Wollondilly OWN 2002 The Shire of Wollondilly is a little over an hour’s drive from Sydney, nestled between the Macarthur region and the Southern Highlands. Like many regions on the fringes of Sydney the area contains many small towns and villages. During International Year of Older Persons in 1999, Barbara Mal- colm, a new arrival in the Wollondilly Shire, stumbled across a newspa- 188 > VISION & VITALITY

per article about the Older Women’s Network. She joined OWN Sydney and although it meant frequent travelling to Sydney, became a regular volunteer. Inspired by OWN’s approach to healthy ageing, Barbara enlisted support from within the local community to establish a program of activities suitable for older women. Women of all ages were soon enjoying gentle exercise classes, drumming, Scottish Country Dancing and Circle Dancing. Barbara also talked the local gym into offering special classes for seniors. Her dream of forming an OWN group in Wollondilly was temporarily put on hold when women expressed a preference for the group to be open to women of all ages. At the same time Barbara’s health required her undivided attention, so it was more than a year before her dream was back on the agenda. During that year most of the younger women in the all-ages group had moved on, leaving the way clear for an Older Women’s Network group. In April 2002, Barbara and Elizabeth Otteson approached community worker Wendy Roberts for support to start Wollondilly OWN. Wendy was enthusiastic about the idea, offering suggestions, a meeting room, and the promise of clerical assistance and coordination support. A public meeting was organised and Wollondilly OWN was formed towards the end of 2002. Initially, around twenty members met once a month in a rent-free room at the Tahmoor Community Centre. By early 2006 membership had doubled and in 2012 the group was enjoying a stable and committed membership of around thirty-five. When Wendy left her position, a team of six OWN members volunteered to coordinate. They met at the Tahmoor Community Centre to plan the next meeting’s agenda. Although opposed in principle to a hierarchical structure for the group, some years later it was decided to hold annual general meetings and elect members to a coordination team. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 189

For many years members attended some form of activity almost every day of the week, nearly all started by the group, but not exclusively for the group. Activities included gentle exercise, two gym sessions a week, dancing, drumming, aqua aerobics, Mahjong, painting, theatre visits and lunches. With the exception of gym sessions, participants ran the self-funded classes with facilitators’ fees paid by those attending. The Wollondilly Heartbeats drumming group was the only activity exclusively for OWN members. 2008/9 brought a number of changes: Barbara Malcolm re-located to the Illawarra region; the gentle exercise group disbanded because there was no suitably qualified leader available; and the Wollondilly Heartbeats also disbanded due to falling numbers. By 2011, however, gentle exercise was once again being offered alongside a craft group, scrabble, book club, and monthly excursions in a free community bus. A number of women also continued to enjoy the senior’s gym classes. In recent years group holidays to far-flung destinations have provided members with opportunities to enjoy each other’s company over longer periods of time. The fun, fitness and feasting has been balanced in Wollondilly by serious community activism. Members have lobbied for a lift at Pic- ton railway station and improvements to the rail link on the Southern Highlands Line. One member joined the Wollondilly Shire Council’s Community Transport Advocacy Committee and another represented the group on the Council’s Aged Wellbeing Committee, helping to shape Council’s plans for future service delivery. The group has also had a presence at nearly all events organised by Council, including forums and public meetings. With funding from Council, Seniors Week and Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) they have organised events such as the ‘Inter- national Festival of Song and Dance’ during the White Waratah Festi- val and celebrated IWD at Picton Bowling Club with 140 women and 190 > VISION & VITALITY

children enjoying a multicourse breakfast and entertainment by the Wollondilly Heartbeats. In 2008, a fully-funded photo exhibition of Wollondilly members doing what they enjoy doing, with accompanying stories, was displayed in the Community Centre and later in Wol- londilly Council foyer. One year International Women’s Day was used to hold a second- hand stall and to raffle one of Barbara Malcolm’s lovely quilts to raise funds to send five members to the OWN NSW State Conference. As a group they have also contributed to the Queensland Flood Appeal and the Victorian RSPCA’s Bushfire Appeal. Members have attended regional get-togethers organised by Nowra, Southern Highlands and Illawarra groups, and in 2008 they hosted their own regional meeting at Bargo. The day was made memorable by the exotic decorations, fabulous food, a drumming workshop, discussion of future plans, and an insightful trip down memory lane by Lily Hepher, a member of Southern Highlands OWN. By 2009 Barbara Malcolm’s dream of a Wellness Centre in the Illa- warra region had become a reality (see chapter 5 Healthy Ageing). In 2012 she announced a Women Centre Stage concert and invited theatrical contributions from OWN groups. Members of Wollondilly OWN hired a bus, and hit the highway to celebrate the showcasing of older women’s skills and talents. Being in a rural area, the needs of older women are different to city- dwelling sisters. Social isolation is common for older women living in scattered townships and public transport is often non-existent. Wol- londilly OWN’s aim is to have activities that are low-cost, bring women together, and stimulate the mind as well as the body.

Sutherland OWN – 2002 The Sutherland Shire is located twenty-six kilometres south of Sydney’s CBD. In terms of population it is the second largest shire in NSW. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 191

In 1998 Noreen Hewett moved to The Shire (as it is known) and with her old friend and political colleague Barbara Burnham founded an older women’s Neighbourhood Group. The group involved regular luncheons with set discussion topics for older women experiencing mo- bility problems. It was a precursor to the establishment of the Suther- land Older Women’s Network Wellness Centre in 2001 (see chapter 5 Healthy Ageing) and to the formation of the Sutherland OWN group in 2002. The decision to form a Sutherland OWN group separate to the Well- ness Centre was to ensure older women had a voice on local issues and could initiate activities to celebrate International Women’s Day and Seniors Week. It was envisaged that the OWN group would com- plement rather than compete with activities offered by the Wellness Centre. Membership of Sutherland OWN grew steadily, helped along by promotional talks in the community and at the Wellness Centre, and the circulation of its newsletter, WELLALONGA. With Noreen in the coordination role, Sutherland OWN expanded from a small group of ten enthusiastic women to around forty. Nearly half its members were also involved in some capacity with The Wellness Centre. Meetings were initially held twice a month for both pleasure and business in a rent-free room at the Sutherland United Services Club, an easily accessible and comfortable venue perfect for their needs. Sutherland OWN members became involved in a wide range of social and community issues. One issue that resonated with them was domestic violence. Research had been released showing that rates of domestic violence against older women in the Sutherland District were the second highest in the State. Members joined domestic violence committees and fundraising groups to support women at a grassroots level. They also promoted Aboriginal Rights, campaigned against rampant fast tracking of major high-rise development, and were involved in 192 > VISION & VITALITY

Harmony Days to foster reconciliation between different racial and religious groups following the Cronulla riots in 2005. Members also involved themselves in social activities, excursions, holidays and parties. Discussion groups – usually held in conjunction with a shared lunch – were also popular. In 2004 one discussion topic was advertised as: ‘Men are often threatened by the word! Women often don’t understand it! Others are proud to call themselves one. The word is FEMINIST’. Members play a role in the management of OWN NSW and actively network with members of other OWN groups at quarterly and regional meetings, at weekends away, and birthday celebrations. Many also enjoy performing. Following a brief existence in 2003 as the Sutherland OWN Singers, they later established themselves as The DAMES, an acronym for Dramatic Active Musos Entertaining Seniors. By 2008 a Sutherland Shire Council grant of $7,500 enabled their expansion into a full-blown performance group with paid musicians, a director, dancers, drummers and scriptwriters. They have performed at Council’s International Women’s Day celebrations, OWN NSW state conferences, the inaugural meeting of Hills OWN, a Home and Com- munity Care AGM, the Sutherland District Trade Union Club, Coun- cil’s Seniors Arts and Craft Festival, local Retirement Villages, and at a special concert for all OWN Wellness supporters and participants which became the background of a special ABC 7.30 Report. Annual events for Seniors Week and International Women’s Day are well planned, sometimes funded, and always well attended. One memorable IWD event was a performance of songs and poems by The DAMES at a Cronulla nightclub, The Brass Monkey! Seniors Week celebrations have included intergenerational events at Engadine High School. At these events The DAMES sing, International Folk Dancers perform and Tai Chi is demonstrated, before students ‘do their thing’ to large audiences of students, parents and grandparents. Another successful OWN Groups throughout NSW < 193

Seniors Week event was Listen Up to Older Women, involving a storytelling skills workshop followed by eight to ten participants telling their own stories to more than a hundred older women and invited guests. By 2006 with so many OWN members also involved with the Well- ness Centre, it was proposed that Sutherland OWN meetings be confined to once a month for a short business meeting followed by a discussion on topics nominated by the membership and lunch together at a local club. Two years later a formal decision was made to merge Sutherland OWN with the Sutherland OWN Wellness Centre. The merger had a twofold benefit: it created opportunities to build awareness of OWN amongst Wellness participants – many of them not yet members of OWN – and reduced fatigue amongst those involved in the management of both groups. Within a year Sutherland OWN Wellness Centre reported that a record number of older women were involved in activities such as Tai Chi, gentle exercise, Feldenkrais, international dancing, meditation, drumming, The DAMES, Supportive Neighbourhood lunches, monthly lunches with guest speakers and a Computer Program for Beginners run in partnership with the local TAFE. Some members also participated in a two-day community leadership course organised by OWN NSW called Older Women Make Wise Leaders. Fund raising includes participation in Sutherland Shire’s Seniors Arts and Crafts Festival. This major annual event requires hard work, but is very helpful for making OWN’s presence known in the community. Fundraising assists delegates to attend OWN Australia Confer- ences and subsidises expenses for non-delegates to attend OWN NSW State Conferences and AGMs. What sets Sutherland OWN apart from other groups in the Suther- land Shire is that physical exercises are offered alongside community activism, friendship and support. It appears to be a very successful mix. 194 > VISION & VITALITY

Parramatta OWN – 2003 Parramatta is located twenty-five kilometres west of Sydney’s CBD. It was founded in 1788, the same year as Sydney, and is the economic capital of Greater Western Sydney. Mollie Smith, a former member of the OWN Theatre Group and an active member of Sydney OWN living in Carlingford, saw the advantages of having an OWN group in the area. In early 2003 with support from Joanna Battersby, a community worker at Parramatta Council, a public meeting was organised in the historic Parramatta Town Hall to discuss the formation of Parramatta OWN. A majority of the seventy women who completed a questionnaire that day identified social isolation as a key issue. In July 2003, Parramatta OWN was offered a meeting room at the Harris Park Community Centre where they have continued to meet, despite its limited capacity. Mollie was appointed coordinator and a Working Party was formed. Agreements were reached on a membership fee, frequency of meetings, tasks of the Working Party, and priorities. The group’s aim was to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women through a program that was community focused, in- formative, and offered a diverse range of social activities and outings. Hoping to interest local women, including women from other cultures, to join the group, a promotional brochure was produced and distributed to libraries, community groups and local centres. In Seniors Week 2004 the brochure was widely distributed during a large community event in Parramatta Park. To further spread the word Mollie Smith spoke about the group at the Baulkham Hills Leisure Learn- ing Centre and the Carlingford Neighbourhood Centre and founding member Maureen Gaudry gave a talk about OWN at an annual ZONTA dinner at Castle Hill. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 195

In late 2003 a seeding grant of $1650 from Parramatta Council assisted the group to produce and distribute a monthly newsletter and pay for incidental program expenses. Finances have remained relatively stable through membership fees, donations for morning tea, twice- yearly raffles, and a regular ‘bring and buy’ table. Guest speakers at Parramatta OWN’s first AGM were three political candidates for the seat of Parramatta: Ross Cameron, Liberal Party; Julie Owens, Labor Party; and Nina Burridge, Australian Democrats. From the outset, members of Parramatta OWN have worked on lifting their community profile. They joined the Immigrant Women’s Speakout, whose aims and goals are similar to theirs, and made solid connections with Cumberland Women’s Health Centre and Holroyd/ Parramatta Migrant Services. The good relations established with these groups, as well with the aged and disability worker at Parramatta Coun- cil, have been mutually beneficial. Activities with women from other cultures have included a lunch given by Tamil women and a bus excursion to Katoomba with Sri Lankan women. In 2011 an OWN Open Day Lunch was held during Seniors Week and attracted eight women of various ethnic backgrounds, although disappointingly none indicated an interest in joining the group. OWN works with the Harris Park Community Centre on the Ro- sella Park Festival, Community Pride Day and Neighbourhood Day – and often caters for these events. Members are also involved in Inter- national Women’s Day events, and attend or organise annual Seniors Week activities. They also support the local Refuge for Older Women with regular donations of clothing, cosmetics and household goods. Workshops, guest speakers and excursions have been well attended. With a view to encouraging members to ‘have a go’ Lorna Parker ran a workshop on Exploring the Potential of Older Women; Mollie Smith ran one on Public Speaking, and another member, Brenda Hodgkinson, 196 > VISION & VITALITY

offered a workshop on How to identify community issues and write appropriate letters. Guest speakers have focused on healthy ageing issues, for example, quality use of medication, hearing, mental health and addiction, glau- coma, respite and home care, cancer and reconciliation. The group has also had speakers from the Daruk Aboriginal Centre, the Huguenot Association and the Female Factory at Parramatta. Alternate meetings draw on the interests and skills of members. One member’s story inspired the group to knit jumpers for African orphans with AIDS, and Wrap with Love – blanket squares for local charities. Members are spoilt for choice in Parramatta with an abundance of historical places to visit. On one occasion they visited St John’s Cem- etery, established in 1791, which they found in such poor condition they began a letter writing media campaign asking for its restoration. Membership has been declining over recent years from a high of sixty in the second year to around twenty-five in 2012, with an average of fifteen currently attending meetings. The decline is a result of frailty, illness or death, and of women moving away. Despite the membership slump, women actively support each other and willingly take on organisational roles. Treasurer, Mavis Wood and secretary, Nola Marrone, have been outstanding in their respective roles since the group began. A few years ago Mollie Smith moved to a retirement unit out of the area to be close to her husband who was admitted to a nursing home. Parramatta OWN has a core of warm, wise, wonderful women, most of them members since the group began, who feel as committed today to the principles of positive ageing as they did in the beginning.

NB In July 2013 Mollie was warmly welcomed back to Parramatta OWN as guest speaker for a 10th birthday celebration lunch. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 197

Blacktown OWN – 2004 Blacktown is a suburb thirty-five kilometres west of Sydney. It is the most densely populated local government area in NSW with 25% of people aged over fifty. In March 2004 a community forum organised by local resident Pen- ny Hilton and Blacktown Council Community Worker, Pam Hawkins, explored the formation of a Blacktown OWN group. More than one hundred and thirty women attended with forty saying they wanted an OWN group and twenty indicating a willingness to play a significant role in it. Four months after its first meeting in a small community meeting room, Blacktown OWN was offered the use of Rooty Hill Seniors Centre – two minutes from the station and rent-free – as a permanent meeting place. Inspired planning during the first year saw a range of wellness activities, support groups and social activities being offered three days a week. By the end of the first year members had made contact with the Aboriginal community, the Multicultural Community Association, the Community Health Centre, Women’s and Girls’ Health Centre, Mi- grant Resource Centre, Mt Druitt Neighbour Aid and Blacktown Coun- cil. For a number of years OWN was represented on the committees of at least five community organisations. One of the most rewarding and enduring community connections has been with students and staff at the under-resourced Eastern Creek Public School, which Blacktown OWN continues to financially and personally support. In September 2004, with a federal election scheduled for October, a Meet the Candidates meeting was organised with Ed Husic, Labor; Louise Markus, Liberal; and Debbie Robertson, Greens, outlining their policies and answering questions, primarily about home care services. In mid-2005 a grant of $31,000 was received through the Western Sydney Area Assistance Scheme for a Wellness project. Since then well- 198 > VISION & VITALITY

ness activities have expanded to include gentle exercise, Tai Chi, Heart Moves, African drumming, creative writing, drawing classes, meditation, flower making and free counselling sessions for women with depression. For the past five years Our Lady of Consolation Nursing Home has made an annual gift of $12,000 to pay Blacktown OWN wellness facilitators. In 2005 a cancer support group was established and has since been running fortnightly with a membership of between three and ten. Volunteer, Coral Littlewood, a former nurse and current president of Blacktown OWN, facilitates this group. In 2006 a Wednes- day drop-in morning was included in the program to meet the need for relaxed social contact outside more structured activities. A Movie Goers group meets on Sundays for lunch, a movie and afternoon tea, while members of the Travel Club pay an affordable amount into a holiday ‘kitty’ as a way of saving for weekends away or holidays with other members – without breaking the bank! Members have also established a free library where books and/or videos and DVDs can be borrowed. Blacktown OWN is renowned for the quality and quantity of its celebrations and parties, both in-house and at external venues. In No- vember 2007, members catered for over 160 people at a sit-down three- course lunch at the Rooty Hill Seniors Centre to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of OWN’s beginnings. The hall was brilliantly decorated; the food was first class and the entertainment created a joyful atmosphere. Other celebrations have included “O” parties for members turning sixty, seventy, eighty or ninety, and in 2006, a Living in Harmony grant was used for a Seniors Week concert involving performers from the Indigenous community, Filipino and Chinese communities, and Eastern Creek Public School. Annual ‘Feel Good Days’ funded by the Cancer Council provide opportunities for members to increase their self-esteem (Brenda Hodgkinson from Parramatta OWN has run two OWN Groups throughout NSW < 199

sessions), share time together, eat well, and generally end the day feeling great. Guest speakers over the past nine years have included Janet Bore- ham, who spoke about the Blacktown Domestic Violence Court Assis- tance Service; Irene Baldinge who spoke about the Western Sydney Sole Women’s Accommodation Service; and Rosalene Jones who provided information about the Aged-Care Rights Service (TARS). Maureen Nash ran a laughter workshop; Lorna Parker, from Brainsense, ran two feel-good workshops; and in 2008, inspirational speaker Petrea King, from the Quest for Life Foundation, gave a presentation to sixty members and guests at an all-day function. Not only does Blacktown OWN have strong connections within the community, its members have also connected to OWN NSW by being on the Management Team (at different times), and attending quarterly meetings and annual conferences. Those attending State conferences pay the first $50 of the cost and the balance is paid from group funds. In May 2011 Blacktown OWN hosted a Regional Quarterly Meeting, attended by a large number of members and guests who were entertained by the African drumming troupe after the meeting and prior to a delicious lunch. Each year the group raises funds for cancer research through The Biggest Morning Tea and Pink Ribbon Day, with a Trading Table at weekly meetings proving a popular way for members to sell unwanted goods to others and also make money for the group. Guardian Funerals provides raffle prizes and a bus and driver four times a year; Blacktown Shire Council’s fifteen-seat bus and driver is available for monthly bus trips; and a free community bus transports women with a disability to the centre on request. In March 1994, the initial membership of Blacktown OWN was twenty-two; at the end of 2012 it was one hundred and ten – and growing. 200 > VISION & VITALITY

Members are a close knit community of older women – all with special interests and individual needs – but what they have in common is an ongoing appreciation of the healthy lifestyle and personal support made possible through their involvement with Blacktown OWN. As one of them said in a report: “… our group is a haven of friendship and sharing.”

Hastings OWN 2004 The Port Macquarie-Hastings local government area is located four hundred and twenty kilometres from Sydney on the mid-north coast. The leading light in the formation of Hastings OWN was Anne Lang, previously a member of Sutherland OWN who had moved to the Port Macquarie area, taking OWN’s ethos with her. Anne met other older women, many of them new to the area or recently widowed. Call- ing themselves the ‘Women’s Network’ they met for coffee and joined walking and other social groups, but felt these activities were not quite enough – they wanted something different. Coffee mornings began to include discussions about women’s issues and, before long, talk turned to forming an OWN group. Anne organised a press release, which attracted the interest of more than twenty-five women, and by late 2004 Hastings OWN was officially formed, with Ann in the coordination role. Within a year membership had climbed to forty and by late 2006 had reached forty-five, with an average of thirty-five attending meetings and activities on a regular basis. The group meets at 10am on the third Friday of the month at the Tenison Woods Centre, Port Macquarie with a committee meeting held bi-monthly. The first committee included women with a wide range of interests and skills who volunteered to lead special interest groups and organise activities such as craft and games, Sunday outings and discussion groups. Discussions such as Getting to know you, What bugs you? and How to meet the challenge of ageing? have proved very popular. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 201

In early 2010 Ann left the group and Pam Kenyon, who had been secretary since 2007, took on the coordination role. Working with a committee of eight, with ages from around seventy to ninety, Pam strengthened the group by accentuating support and social connections between members. As part of caring for each other, members make hospital visits, send cards to sick members, and follow up on new members. Birthdays are also celebrated with lunches in private homes or at restaurants. A broad range of guest speakers have covered many topics, amongst them older driver education, equity loans, personal safety, the environment, mental health, dementia support respite, genealogy, the benefits of laughter, the history of Port Macquarie, Macular Degeneration, breast cancer and the benefits of gentle exercise. On one occasion their guest did a demonstration of International Folk Dancing, encouraging members to participate, which they did with great pleasure. The group enjoys regular bus and boat excursions, coffee mornings and picnics throughout the year, and lunches following monthly meetings. They celebrate International Women’s Day over lunch, sometimes sharing earlier photos of themselves and telling stories about their lives, at other times learning more about the history of IWD. As one member wrote in a report: “We may be growing older but we are still growing”. Hastings OWN supports Hastings Headway, a small local charity for people with Acquired Brain Injury. They chose to support the group because it is small and does not attract the big charity dollars. With two raffles a year and an annual trading table to raise money, they are able to make significant donations to Hasting Headway. They also join clients and staff for Christmas celebrations. Despite the strong social and personal connections established within the group, membership had recently fallen to twenty-six. Hasting/ Port Macquarie, like a lot of well-populated regional areas, has a huge social calendar for older people interested in an active life. To attract 202 > VISION & VITALITY

more members and hopefully to appeal to older women from other cultures, meetings and functions are regularly advertised on three radio stations and stories about the group have been printed in the local newspaper. With a quarterly newsletter produced by Pam Kenyon to keep members informed of planned activities, the group is hopeful that Hastings OWN will continue to thrive.

Hills OWN 2009 Baulkham Hills is a suburb in the Hills Shire thirty kilometres north- west of Sydney. It is seven kilometres from Parramatta and fourteen kilometres from Blacktown. In 2008, Maureen Gaudry, a member of Parramatta OWN living in the Hills Shire, decided to explore the formation of an OWN group closer to home. After an advertising blitz and brochures left at different places around the Shire, eleven women met before Christmas 2008 with OWN Project Worker Roxy Rascon, who provided information about OWN and its activities. In February 2009 a group of eleven women agreed to form Baulkham Hill OWN, later re-named Hills OWN. They decided to meet on Mon- days between from twelve and three during school terms at the local Community Centre, under the umbrella of the Baulkham Hills Senior Citizens. Hills OWN does not have set programs as other OWN groups do, but acts more as a friendship and support group for members. Having joined the Senior Citizens Club, which meets on Mondays in an earlier time slot, group members have access to their activities, for example, Tai Chi, craft and monthly bus tours. From time to time Hills OWN members enjoy outings and guest speakers. On one occasion they visited Bella Vista Farm on Interna- tional Women’s Day where author Judith Dunn entertained with some OWN Groups throughout NSW < 203

delightful tales from her book Colonial Ladies – Lovely, Lively and Lam- entably Loose. On another occasion local historian Watson spoke to members about several books she had written about the settlement and development of the Hills Shire. A guest speaker from the Older Women’s Refuge at Merrylands inspired members to donate money, clothing, household goods, woollen rugs and small gifts to assist women at the Refuge. With an abundance of activities and groups catering to the older population in the area and many members also involved in volunteering with a range of community groups and organisations, Hills OWN has struggled to increase its membership. By 2012, despite extensive advertising, the group was down to seven, with only four or five attending some meetings. Despite networking among themselves and remaining helpful and supportive to each other, at the time of writing members of Hills OWN are wondering if there is sufficient demand and energy to continue as an OWN group. NB In 2013 the group decided to disband.

Brisbane Waters OWN 2010 Brisbane Waters is on the Central Coast forty-seven kilometres north of Sydney and eight kilometres south of Gosford. Following several informal meetings, a number of local women and community workers organised a public meeting in October 2010, which confirmed the advantages of an OWN group in the area. Gail Goodall and Irene O’Malley from Central Coast Red Cross, Keiko Clements from Central Coast Disability Network and Jodi Livesley from Gosford Council, plus OWN members Carole Davidson, Leonie Higgins, Jenny McLean and Margaret Reid all contributed ideas, support and skills to the project. 204 > VISION & VITALITY

The inaugural meeting of Brisbane Waters OWN was held in Janu- ary 2011 in a room provided rent-free at the Niagara Park Community Centre, chosen for its proximity to bus and rail transport as well as its large car parking area. A committee was formed and Carole Davidson agreed to become the convenor. Over a morning tea provided by the Centre, members discussed the group’s future. They decided to meet on the third Friday of each month, with a guest speaker every second month and general discussions on the alternate month. This format was changed the following year to a guest speaker on the first month, an outing on the second month, and on the third, discussion of issues and interests presented by members. One of the most popular guest speakers has been Emeritus Profes- sor Richard Collins, who spoke on Climate Change, Carbon Tax and all that. Six members of Wyong OWN joined Brisbane OWN for this meeting. They were interested in the topic, and also wanted to connect with members of the new group they would be partying with at an end of the year party. According to June Goss, from Wyong, it was a brilliant talk, full of scientific data that was easy to follow, although they learned that Professor Collins does not see much hope for the future even though he sees himself as a dyed-in- the-wool optimist. Other guests have included a practitioner from the Central Coast Tai Chi Club who gave a very interesting talk and guided members through some Tai Chi exercises; Margaret Hardy, NSW Senior Vol- unteer in 2012, who inspired everyone with her volunteer work; Vicki Scott, a Gosford City Councillor, who has been personally involved in promoting the voice of women at community, council and state levels as Chair of the Status of Women Committee; Rhiannon Lovell from Emit Fitness who gave a presentation on Keeping Fit and Healthy; and Anne Shean, a volunteer with Red Cross for nine years who talked about her experiences during the Queensland floods. OWN Groups throughout NSW < 205

From the beginning, members of Brisbane Waters OWN have supported a local charity, International Community Advocates (ICA), which provides services to women and children escaping domestic violence. Members give practical assistance by providing new items of clothing, linen, cleaning and other household products. When Fiona, from ICA was invited to speak to the group, a mountain of new items was presented to her. The following message of appreciation was posted on ICA’s Facebook: “Fiona had a wonderful morning sharing with the ladies from the Older Women’s Network about the Strong Women – Safe Children project. They donated an unbelievable carful of NEW goodies to the project. Items included much-needed laundry baskets, pillows, towels, toiletries, clothing and so many more items!” Fiona presented Brisbane Waters OWN with a certificate of appreciation on behalf of ICA. The group liaises with Northern Settlement Services – a multicultural project offering a range of services to disadvantaged refugees and migrants. A very interesting presentation by Anita from Northern Set- tlement Services encouraged Brisbane Waters members to consider how they could support older women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to become involved in their group. Community involvement has included International Women’s Day and Seniors Week events, support for the Niagara Park Library when it was threatened with closure, and The Biggest Morning Tea to support Cancer research. Members have attended and reported back from local community forums on Nuclear Threat to World Peace and Gambling and its impact on Society. They also fundraise to assist activities at the Mental Health Unit in their local hospital. Social activities have included regular lunches together, the celebration of a member’s 80th birthday, which coincided with the first anniversary of Brisbane Waters OWN, and afternoon tea with OWN NSW 206 > VISION & VITALITY

patron, the Governor General Quentin Bryce at Admiralty House, organised through OWN (Australia). In mid-2013 Brisbane Waters was forced to move to a new location for monthly meetings when the local council suddenly closed the Nia- gara Park Community Centre. A temporary meeting room was found at the Central Coast Youth Centre but has since been found to be un- suitable. Originally the group had seventeen paid up members with between twelve and twenty attending each month. By the second year this number had slipped to around fourteen, but with a strong core of women attending each meeting Brisbane Waters OWN appears to be travelling very well.

NB Brisbane Waters hosted the August 2013 quarterly meeting of OWN groups back at the Community Centre. A new meeting space has now been found at Shop 1, Niagara Park Shopping Centre (next door to the Community Centre).

Bankstown OWN – 2011 Bankstown is a suburb of Sydney, seventeen kilometres southwest of the CBD. In 1992 a Bankstown OWN group was formed, but disbanded in 1994 when OWN Inc. received funding to establish the Bankstown Wellness Centre. (For more information on The Bankstown Wellness Story, see chapter 5 Healthy Ageing.) In February 2011, a new Bankstown OWN group was formed to provide structural consistency in relation to Wellness projects and OWN groups. OWN NSW was concerned that Bankstown and Northside Wellness Centres were not associated with a local OWN group, which meant that women attending activities at those Centres were not struc- turally connected to OWN NSW. (Four other Wellness projects were already associated with OWN groups.) OWN Groups throughout NSW < 207

Until 2011 the Bankstown Wellness Centre had been a stand-alone project, managed by a paid Coordinator and a volunteer Project Man- agement Team. The Bankstown Wellness Centre is now a project of Bankstown OWN with women attending wellness activities automati- cally becoming members of Bankstown OWN. In addition to paying a capitation fee to OWN NSW based on membership numbers, the Bankstown Older Women’s Network Wellness Centre (BOWNWC) holds an AGM where the management team is elected. Members now attend quarterly meetings of OWN groups in NSW. At a practical level, little has changed. BOWNWC continues to receive funding from South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service, has a paid coordinator and offers wellness activities three days a week. Mem- bers of the Management Committee participate in wellness activities, and organise and coordinate various activities – usually the ones in which they participate. Since the OWN group was formed BOWNWC has received financial support through OWN NSW for basic computer training for the management team, and specific training in Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer. OWN NSW has also provided the group with a computer, funded through the federal Department of Families, Housing, Com- munity Services and Indigenous Affairs (FASCHIA). Three members of the Management Committee have their own computers and enjoy browsing the Internet and sending and receiving emails. An introductory computer course was held at Bankstown Community College with funding obtained through Bankstown City Council’s Community Grants Program. Access to free Internet training is available through Bankstown Library. Committee members also attended training in Storage and Preservation of Photographs, and a course in Public Speaking. In 2012 Bankstown OWN published four editions of their newsletter, Our OWN News; three bus trips were organised to Sydney’s Royal 208 > VISION & VITALITY

Botanic Gardens, the Belle Fleur Lavender Farm in Mittagong, and the Blue Mountains Honey Company in Luddenham. Other social outings included the Premier’s Christmas Gala and Seniors Concerts in December and March respectively. After eleven years with the Bankstown Wellness Centre, Jan Malley resigned and in August 2012 a new coordinator, Diana Brooks, was appointed. During her years at Bankstown Jan had developed a number of programs that set the benchmark for Wellness in the other five Wellness centres. At her farewell lunch she acknowledged the “Dream Team” of volunteers she had worked with over the years, and also the dedicated group of facilitators who had made her job so enjoyable. In 2012 membership of BOWNWC declined slightly from 188, partly because of the discontinuation of line dancing due to the retirement of the facilitator. However, like all OWN groups, they see fluctuations in membership – both up and down – as a fact of life.

Northside OWN 2011 Northside OWN is located in the suburb of Chatswood, ten kilometres north of Sydney’s CBD. It was re-established in 2011 following a decision by OWN NSW that for structural consistency each Wellness Centre should be associated with an OWN group. After realising that, as individuals, they were ‘officially’ members of Sydney OWN, members of Northside Wellness agreed to become Northside OWN and to affiliate with OWN NSW. In reality, little has changed. Wellness activities are still offered by Northside Wellness – now a project of Northside OWN – and the Committee of Northside Wellness is now the Committee of Northside OWN. The first Annual General Meeting of Northside OWN was held in August 2011. From 1996 to 2004 wellness activities were offered at various locations around the lower and mid-North Shore and were known collec- OWN Groups throughout NSW < 209

tively as Northside Wellness. By 2004 wellness activities at all locations except Chatswood became independent of OWN, and Chatswood alone became known as Northside Wellness. (For a richer history of North- side Wellness see chapter 5 Healthy Ageing.) Currently, wellness activities are offered every Wednesday during school term at the Dougherty Centre in Chatswood. They include qi- gong and Feldenkrais, plus discussion groups and guest speakers. This is by and large the same program offered since 1996, although the program has expanded over the past couple of years to include a monthly book group and a Chinese Painting class, held at a different venue. Northside OWN originally received funding from Willoughby Council for the Chinese painting class, but since funding ran out the instructor now conducts the class, with participants paying a set fee per session. In September 2012 painters were thrilled to exhibit their work at the Willoughby City Council Spring Festival. While a craft group proved of limited interest, members continue to make Breast Care Cushions (a Zonta project) for women recovering from breast cancer. They have recently become involved with a North Shore GP Network initiative, sponsored by the Heart Foundation, to walk around Chatswood Oval every Friday morning. Funding for wellness activities is often difficult to come by although Willoughby City Council has been very supportive in providing small grants for specific activities since 2007 and the Dougherty Centre gives the group a 50% discount on room rental. The cost to participants to attend all activities on a Wednesday is $15 or $10 if they attend one activity. These fees cover the cost of the instructors and the room, which is $25 per day. With attendances of between ten and fifteen at each session, occasional fundraising also helps to balance the books. A very successful fundraiser was the raffling of a candlewick quilt, handmade by the Northside OWN needlecraft group for Mother’s Day 2011. Candlewicking is a traditional white on white embroidery, done 210 > VISION & VITALITY

on white linen or cotton fabric with heavy cotton threads used for making candlewicks. When such heavy threads and stitches are used over a vast area, the effect can be very elegant. The lucky winner was Joy Ross of Sydney OWN. The women of Northside OWN who manage the wellness program and other activities are a tight-knit group who continue to provide friendship and support to each other and a warm welcome to older women who value what their group has to offer.

Deepwater OWN – 2012 Deepwater OWN is located in Woy Woy, a coastal town on the southern reaches of Brisbane Water, eighty kilometres north of Sydney. Annette Gleeson, whose idea it was to form Deepwater OWN, had previously been a member of Woy Woy OWN, which disbanded in 2009. Annette had left the Woy Woy group in 2002 during a period of personal stress, but ten years later could see the benefits of again having an OWN group in the area. Annette arranged for herself and a friend, Jill Malin, to visit the Brisbane Waters OWN group at Niagara Park where they were warmly welcomed to the group’s first anniversary celebrations. Inspired by the women at Brisbane Waters, Annette and Jill decided to take the plunge. They contacted Beth Eldridge at OWN NSW for advice about how to start a new group and with Beth’s support and a starter package threw themselves into the ‘deep water’. Vicki Scott, a local councilor, was very helpful in negotiating a rent- free meeting room at Woy Woy Library and in May 2012, in the Spike Milligan Room, Deepwater OWN was born. Fourteen women were present. They came because they wanted something more varied and challenging than was then available in the Woy Woy, Ettalong and Umina areas. They decided to meet twice a month: once for coffee and OWN Groups throughout NSW < 211

a chat and once for a meeting, with regular guest speakers. Community campaigns and bus excursions were also on the agenda. A few women expressed interest in learning about the new technolo- gies available in the library, and at their second meeting Ben Hartley from Gosford City Library led them gently through the technological minefield of ebooks, web pages, etc. Members felt he had definitely broadened their horizons. Beth was invited to attend their third meeting, this time to guide them through a few early teething problems. Her support resulted in members being re-energised in their commitment to OWN, and more confident in their ability to successfully ‘grow’ Deepwater OWN. Coor- dinator Nell Solomon is also encouraging members to explore a range of new ideas and potential directions as they move into their second year as an OWN group.

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The needs of older women are far from uniform; they vary from place to place and function according to local factors. The outline of activities offered by OWN groups across NSW reflects the range of purposes and needs of older women in each area. For instance, social isolation is a common issue in rural areas, but also in densely urbanised areas such as Parramatta, Blacktown and Campbelltown. While there are sometimes tensions between being ‘political’ and being a social group, on the whole OWN groups manage to negotiate these tensions and achieve success in both areas. The important thing is that OWN groups are run by older women, for older women. For a majority, the common themes of learning, empowerment, wellness, supporting each other and having fun seem to be working. 10

OWN (Australia)

Strictly speaking Vision & Vitality covers the first twenty-five years of the Older Women’s Network in NSW. However, because OWN (Aus- tralia) had its beginnings in NSW and members of Sydney OWN were instrumental in expanding OWN into a national network, I am including a short account of its beginnings followed by a limited overview of its activities. It is not a history of OWN (Australia) per se, but hopefully will provide the reader with a general idea of its focus and achievements during the past twenty years.

•

The possibility of setting up OWN groups interstate and establishing a national OWN was first discussed in 1988 when OWN was still a project within the Combined Pensioners Association (CPA). Over the next three years, assisted by a modest grant through the Office of the OWN (Australia) < 213

Status of Women Joy Ross, Louise Anike and Peggy Hewett travelled to Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania to gauge interest in the idea. Later, Noreen Hewett and Louise Anike made contact with women in Western Australian and Canberra. In 1990 Louise Anike and an editorial team produced the first issue of Making KNOWN, the newsletter of the National OWN (NOWN) Project, with assistance from the Australian Pensioners and Super- annuants Federation (AP&SF) and the National Agenda for Wom- en’s Grants Program. By the time the second issue was published in July 1991 OWN Sydney had been incorporated and moved into new premises at Lower Fort Street. OWN groups had also been formed in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia, with groups in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Tasmania not far behind. Further interest in developing a national network of older women was stimulated in August 1991 when Gwen George and Louise Anike were interviewed on ABC Radio National’s The Coming Out Show. Their promotion of OWN’s purpose and philosophy produced many positive responses from individual women and networks across the country.

The Think Tank In early 1992, a steering committee comprising Noreen Hewett, Joy Ross, Gwen George, Peggy Hewett, Betty Johnson and Norah McGuire was appointed to investigate how to establish a national OWN. They received funding through the National Agenda for Women’s Grants Program to hold a Think Tank at the Elanora Conference Centre on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. In November 1992 twenty-seven women from all States and the ACT attended the Think Tank. Special guests attending throughout the three days included Jane Bridge (Director of the NSW Women’s Coordina- tion Unit), the Hon. Dr. Marlene Goldsmith (Member of the Legisla- 214 > VISION & VITALITY

tive Council), Kaye Loder (National Women’s Consultative Council), Jennifer Levy (Office of the Status of Women) and Pauline Griffin- (Na tional Women’s Coordination Council). On the first morning Peggy Hewett sang a welcoming song she had written with new words to counteract the macho sentiments in Henry Lawson’s 1888 poem: Our Andy’s Gone with Cattle.

When Women Get Together When women get together, there’s music in the air, and whispers on the wind to say that we are everywhere. When women get together, there’s laughter in the sky, we’re women, helping women, helping women, get by.

Today is ours for the taking and the music that we’re making will burst into the air, and then they’ll know we’re here. Be you singer, be you dancer if you’re a woman OWN’s the answer. And while sisterhood is powerful, there’s little we need fear.

When women get together there’s strength in what we are. We’re women, strong women, accept us as we are. They’d have us think we’re irrelevant “Don’t you worry about that” We’re important, we’re shaking off the images that keep us in our cages.

The agenda for the Think Tank included an exploration of strategies for development and lobbying, policy issues affecting older women across State borders, media and community attitudes, and older women’s creativity. Discussions ranged over the need to observe diversity, maintain State autonomy, ensure grassroots issues got priority, and to function OWN (Australia) < 215

democratically. Draft aims were developed and policy issues of major concern to older women were listed. It was agreed that membership of the new organisation would be open to women’s organisations throughout Australia that agreed to accept its objects and rules. A National Executive consisting of a Con- venor, Secretary, Assistant Secretary and Treasurer, and four Execu- tive Councillors would be elected for a two-year term, which could be extended for a further two years to a maximum of four. Women would be elected to these positions at an annual AGM and conference rotated between the states. Think Tank participants unanimously agreed that preparation for the formation of a national OWN would proceed at a conference the following year. (A Report of the Think Tank in November 1992 is available from OWN NSW.)

Making it happen The 1993 Conference of OWN (Australia) was attended by representatives from all states and the ACT. Small grants from the Office of the Status of Women in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Community Organisations Support Program of the Depart- ment of Human Services and Health provided funding for the conference and other associated expenses. An office in King Street was offered to them by peace activist and OWN Sydney member, Stella Cornelius, and fitted out with donated furniture and basic equipment. The Conference discussed and accepted a vision statement, aims and objectives, and a policy statement. The Vision Statement began with “OWN (Australia) believes in the capacity of women to chart our own course utilising older women’s skills and experience and taking our future into our own hands”. It ended with “Underpinning this vision is the wit and wisdom of older women”. 216 > VISION & VITALITY

Its Aims and Objectives were to:

• assist older women to develop skills in research, lobbying, networking and technology • address issues of discrimination against older women • provide a forum for older women who suffer disadvantage • promote appropriate policies and to lobby for legislation and reforms on issues affecting the quality of life of all older women • work towards equity for all older women • achieve recognition of the work and contribution of older women to our society.

At the 1993 conference Betty Johnson was appointed Convenor, a position she held for four years. At the 1997 Conference she was appointed Secretary, which she also held for a further four years.

Funding In 1994 OWN (Australia) received its first operational grant of $75,000 under the National Agenda for Women’s Grants Program. Grants from this source over the following six years enabled the employment of two part-time workers (office manager Linda Panayi and casual bookkeeper Jane North), the production of a quarterly journal, and skill- development workshops on consumer advocacy. Within two years of OWN (Australia) being incorporated, groups were flourishing in Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria, NSW and the ACT. Each state was represented on the National Council of OWN (Australia). OWN (Australia) < 217

Advocacy and lobbying The continuity of Betty Johnson’s long involvement on the Executive had positive benefits for OWN (Australia) as she developed outstanding communication and lobbying skills related to quality-of-life issues for older women. She was appointed to a multitude of councils, forums and committees, including the Coalition of Participating Organisations of Women (CAPOW), and the Round Table for Women, an annual conference organised by the Minister Advising the Prime Minister for the Status of Women, then Senator Jocelyn Newman. Betty was a knowledgeable and effective consumer representative on the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care and one of ten members of OWN to run workshops at the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. Noreen Hewett also maintained her advocacy activities on behalf of OWN (Australia). Following on from the Women and Super conference that she had organised with Linda Adamson in 1992, Noreen presented a paper on Women and Superannuation to the Law Reform Commis- sion in 1993, spelling out the traps, rorts and denial of equal access for women under existing superannuation packages. Noreen’s key message to the Commission was that ‘older women want to add life to our years, not just years to our lives’. Many other members of the OWN (Australia) Executive were also engaged in advocacy. Amongst them were Edith Morgan who was on the Older Australians’ Advisory Council in Victoria, and Betty Searle from the ACT, who was a member of CAPOW and the ACT Women’s Consultative Committee. On one occasion Betty gave evidence to the Australian Law Reform Commission on the needs of older women and their relationship to the law. Barbara Silverstone, also from the ACT, was involved in representing the views of older women on many forums and committees including Centrelink’s Older Person’s Reference 218 > VISION & VITALITY

Group. Cate Turner represented OWN (Australia) at a meeting with Minister Jenny Macklin on the topic of a fair go for pensioners. Na- tional submissions were also made on disability access; violence against older women; the need for a grandfather clause in Same Sex Legislation; and older women’s homelessness.

Research projects During the six-year period that OWN (Australia) received core funding a number of special projects were undertaken. For instance, in 1996 a research study involving thirteen focus groups across Australia resulted in a report called Difficult Decisions: Older women talk about money, life and retirement. The report provided important information about older women’s incomes before and after retirement. Another project involved Linda Adamson’s 1997 research into the Bankstown Wellness Centre and the publication of A Picture of Wellness: The Story of the Bankstown Older Women’s Wellness Centre. In 1997, the Australian Pensioners & Superannuants Federation and OWN (Australia) collaborated in a report, What the Figures Show: Older Women in Australia. The aim was to bring together statistical information on the issues that affect older women – demographics, income and assets, housing, health, disabilities and aged care.

Funding crisis In 1998 OWN (Australia)’s annual funding of $100,000 was discontin- ued following the election of the Howard Government and the restruc- turing of the National Women’s Grants Program. The restructure involved three large grants going to three large organisations: the YWCA, the National Council of Women and the Federation of Business and Professional Women. All other non-government organisations (NGOs) OWN (Australia) < 219

were de-funded, according to Muriel Hortin because “they presented Ministers with too many thorny problems, demanded too much money and made too many demands on behalf of their members”. The Austral- ian Pensioners & Superannuants Federation, who had a wonderful record of working for low-income people, also lost core funding that year. Making KNOWN was forced to cease publication due to funding cuts. It had been an important forum for the exchange of ideas, policy evaluations, personal profiles and reports of state-based activities for over ten years. Keeping in Touch, an emailed newssheet initially prepared by Gwenda Fulford and later Pat Carlton, both from Newcastle OWN, replaced Making KNOWN in June 2003. In recent years Cate Turner has taken over production and distribution of Keeping in Touch. With no core funding the OWN (Australia) office in King Street was closed and the office manager Linda Panayi made redundant. Archival material was stored at the Windmill Street office and in private homes. Contact between states was maintained through emails and telephone calls.

Project funding 2000 – 2009 From 1999 to 2009 OWN (Australia) received small grants through the Office of the Status of Women (OSW) for research into issues such as retirement, supportive neighbourhoods, and leadership. It is worth noting that OWN (Australia) was unable to nominate a project topic as projects were determined by guidelines set by OSW and were strictly monitored. The guidelines were published only a month before submissions were due, which meant there was very little time to consult with members. Project grants became the only source of income for OWN (Aus- tralia) between 2000 and 2009. The lack of core funding meant that 220 > VISION & VITALITY

contact between state groups was maintained through annual conferences supported by membership fees. Funded projects included:

2000 The Best of Times, The Worst of Times – primarily focused on the disadvantages older women experience in retirement. The final report recommended improving the rate of single pensions, especially for women who live alone or rent privately; introducing an allowance for single older people who live alone, or a means-tested survival bonus for older women once they reach a specified age; establishing an Institute for Women and Retire- ment Incomes; and allowing Centrelink to introduce budgetary services for older single women.

2002 I’d like to help – exploring older women’s unwillingness to be involved in organisations because they believe they lack the skills or knowledge to be useful. Meg Bishop, the project worker offered workshops in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Canberra to support older women in whatever capacity they were involved, for example, in women’s organisations as office bearers, advocates, consumer representatives or networkers. A kit was produced which included ideas and experiences of older women reflecting new and different ways of working in women’s organisations.

2003 Measuring Social Capital: An action research project for older women in Australia – which aimed to have direct input by older women into federal government policy by defining social capital outside purely economic terms e.g. the value to gross national product of the work of volunteers and carers and looking at the social benefits of community participation and involvement. OWN (Australia) < 221

This was achieved through a series of workshops to train older women to undertake the research, collect the information and conduct the on-going maintenance of the project. A database of quantitative information was generated by the project and updated annually. Meg Bishop was employed as the project leader, conducting workshops in a number of states and producing a final report: Should the Hours Count?

2008 Older Women Make Wise Leaders – a twelve-month project providing leadership training for OWN NSW groups and Wellness Centres. Roxanna Rascon, the project worker, ran workshops covering topics such as the role of a management committee, lobbying and making your voice heard, and writing a good submission. The project gave newer members of the Wellness Centres the skills to seek funding, to take on management and administration roles, and to have input into policy and program development, advocacy and consultation. The project operated in Chatswood, Sydney, Sutherland, Baulkham Hills and Southern Highlands.

2009 The Voice Project involved Cate Turner and Roxanna Rascon visiting WA, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT and offering to run workshops similar to those offered in Older Women Make Wise Leaders. Workshops were eventually held in WA and Queens- land.

Support from the Governor-General In 2006 Sally Jones a Queensland member of the Executive Council suggested asking former Queenslander Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia to become Pa- 222 > VISION & VITALITY

tron of OWN (Australia). Cate Turner, who was then Convenor and known to Her Excellency, agreed to approach her. The request was accepted, and in 2009 Quentin Bryce attended the OWN (Australia) Conference at Women’s College, University of Sydney, where she spoke at length about her admiration for OWN and their shared commitment to human rights and equality. In 2012 Cate was delighted to receive an invitation from the Gover- nor-General for OWN members to attend an International Women’s Day reception at Admiralty House, Sydney. Large tables were spread with white linen cloths, adorned with flowers, and overflowed with fruit cocktails, sandwiches, cake, and coffee and tea. A Royal Australian Navy band played music and an official photographer captured many of the one hundred and twenty-plus women on camera. In her speech the Governor-General reflected on her long association with OWN, mentioning by name long-standing OWN colleagues and friends Cate Turner and Mary Owen (from Melbourne). She closed with words of encouragement: “to keep on with your efforts on behalf of women everywhere”.

Postscript By the end of 2012 only three states remained members of OWN (Aus- tralia): NSW (with twenty state OWN groups), WA (three state groups) and Queensland (five state groups). Discussions were held prior to the October 2013 conference in Brisbane about whether or not to disband OWN (Australia). The 2013 Brisbane Conference strongly endorsed the continua- tion of OWN (Australia) and introduced a modified structure to be reviewed at the 2014 Conference. The new structure involves a National Executive – all from NSW – and two Councillors from Queensland and two from Western Australia. The three NSW Councilors elected were Aloma Fennell – Convenor; Barbara Malcolm – Treasurer; and Sharon OWN (Australia) < 223

Tuite – Secretary. It is likely that the new structure will be formally accepted at the next conference and will continue into the future with each participating State taking on the National Executive roles in turn. Conclusion

Vision & Vitality celebrates OWN’s activities and achievements during its first twenty-five years. In writing about members’ individual and collective challenges, and the activities and projects they initiated, I was struck anew by the energy, commitment and sheer guts these women have shown. So much has been accomplished – and by so few! From being invisible and ignored, and with no role models to call on, the Older Women’s Network has given rise to an image of older women as strong and competent, with a social justice mindset, and the capacity to enjoy life in all its richness and diversity. As with any organisation the Older Women’s Network has changed over the years. The combinations of a major re-structure in 2001, plus the ageing and in many cases the deaths, of original members, have much affected the ‘shape’ of OWN today. Consumer advocacy has in large part been replaced by research projects on issues such as violence against older women and older women’s Conclusion < 225

homelessness, undertaken in partnerships with professionals, academics and other organisations. These projects have made significant contributions to debates on these issues. Likewise a number of government funded evaluations of OWN’s Model of Wellness, conducted by OWN NSW in partnership with health professionals, have struck a chord with policy-makers. The life force within OWN NSW comes from its statewide projects – some funded, most not – initiated by members of OWN Inc. more than two decades ago:

• The Theatre Group, originating in 1990 as a grassroots form of feminist activism, again and again finds new ways to creatively challenge the stereotypes of invisibility and passivity attached to images of older women.

• OWN’s Model of Wellness has grown beyond everyone’s wildest dreams with an expansion of Wellness Centres, a flourishing of wellness activities within individual OWN groups, and increasing recognition of the value of Wellness within core government health policy.

• OWN Matters, the statewide newsletter, continues to publish members’ social and political concerns and an array of quality stories and articles illustrating the richness of older women’s personal lives and contributions to community life.

• The Aboriginal Support Circle, whose reconciliation initiatives and support for social justice remain an inspiring example of what older women can achieve with a shared sense of purpose, energy and generosity of spirit. 226 > VISION & VITALITY

• OWN groups across the state provide older women with opportunities to transform their lives through the blossoming of friendships based on shared interests and values and the development of skills and perspectives that add meaning to their individual lives and communities.

Each of these projects represents a lasting legacy of OWN’s founding members: to establish a separate organisation for older women, to increase older women’s visibility, and to portray a positive image of older women working for social and political change. In her 2009/2010 Annual Report Sonia Laverty offered an alternative view of being political:

As older women we understand that ageing is a political experience. This may include experiencing insufficient retirement- in comes, lack of recognition of our vulnerability to homelessness, inadequate access to public transport or unsafe footpaths. Getting together to have fun and be strong and visible as older women is just as much a political statement as one of the submissions we send off to government.

This is true. It is also true that OWN is the only organisation working to ensure that the double jeopardy of age and gender is a permanent feature of current and future political agendas. It is this diversity that makes the Older Women’s Network so unique. Sadly, with the exception of the Theatre Group and Wellness activities, membership of OWN groups and involvement in OWN NSW projects has declined in recent years. In part this is due to the loss of existing members through ill health and death. It has also been influenced by increasingly negative perceptions of ageing (is anyone older these days?), family responsibilities, remaining longer in the paid workforce, Conclusion < 227

and an expansion of personal choice. With increased life expectancy and higher disposable incomes recently retired women are more likely to focus on ‘me-time’, travelling, caring for grandchildren (and often a parent), and the attractions of drop-in/drop-out leisure activities now available in every community. Many baby-boomers who have been active feminists in earlier times can now feel ‘politically engaged’ through their involvement on Internet social justice sites such as GetUp! and through attendance at political rallies. The reality is that older women with activist inclinations, once the source of OWN’s membership and volunteer base, are now spoilt for choice. The challenge for the Older Women’s Network is to become one of those choices – possibly through an extensive and targeted campaign raising awareness of the politically relevant, thought-provoking, invig- orating and empowering projects undertaken by and for older women over the past twenty-five years. With serious issues of discrimination against older women still widespread in many areas of public and private life there is still much for OWN to tackle over the next twenty-five years, and beyond. Appendix A

OWN brochures

Making our voices heard Our goals Older Women’s In 1987 a group of older women, tired of being • To promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing invisible and ignored, established a network of older women. focused solely on the concerns of women • To advance the interests of older women Network nearing or past the age of retirement. through research, advocacy, lobbying and networking on issues affecting our lives. The Older Women’s Network (OWN) is now NSW a peak women’s organisation, recognised and • To vigorously resist all forms of discrimination, particularly that directed towards consulted at all government levels on such issues older women. as violence and abuse, homelessness, transport, health and housing, as well as home, community • To encourage mutual support and friendship between older women. and residential care, the environment and education. • To promote healthy ageing activities which include social, intellectual, physical and emotional factors. • To recognise and use older women’s skills and capacities, and to encourage the development It makes good sense that older women, the of these and other talents (some of them as Promoting the rights, dignity and wellbeing wellspring of our society, should contribute yet undiscovered). their wisdom and life experience to national of older women decision-making. If you are an older woman who believes that your welfare is being overlooked by this OWN’s network of groups across NSW are located at Bankstown, Blacktown, Chatswood, country’s decision-makers ... Hastings, Hills, Illawarra, Macarthur, If you would like your views to Newcastle, Nowra, Parramatta, Penrith, Older Women’s Network NSW be heard ... Southern Highlands, Sutherland, Sydney, 87 Lower Fort Street, Wollondilly and Wyong. If you have a capacity for Millers Point NSW 2000 friendship and enjoy the Each OWN group offers activities to suit their membership, including film and book groups, Telephone: 02 9247 7046 company of spirited women ... visits to exhibitions and other interesting places, Email: [email protected] ... join us in the theatre parties and whatever else that is likely Website: www.ownnsw.org.au to be fun. Older Women’s Network

1990-2000 2000-present Appendix A < 229

1990 OWN brochure 230 > VISION & VITALITY Appendix A < 231 232 > VISION & VITALITY Appendix A < 233 234 > VISION & VITALITY

2000 OWN brochure

The things we do ... Wellness Programs Our voice Older women who regularly engage in our Well- OWN Matters, our monthly journal, is a forum for ness programs are lively and motivated people comment on national and international issues; it who challenge advancing years as they actively is also a sounding board for members. live out the concept of ‘wellness’. Sometimes it bristles with the robust views of OWN has Wellness Centres at Sydney (Millers these feisty women; at other times contributions Point), Bankstown, can bring tears, nostalgia or a burst of laughter. Blacktown, Illawarra Its power lies in its reflection of the warmth, and Chatswood. humour, wisdom – and sometimes the pain – of Wellness activities women writing of their life experiences. Theatre Group enhancing physical, The OWN Theatre Group sprang into life with emotional and intel- a dynamic performance on the lawns of Old lectual wellbeing are Parliament House in 1988. Now much sought also offered by most after, its performances are an entertaining mix OWN groups. They of wisdom, irreverence and relentless honesty. may include Tai Audiences can be helpless with laughter, then the Chi, gentle exercise, honesty has them in tears. Their appearance on drumming, computer TV’s Enough Rope was described by host Andrew education, discussion Denton as “one of those that really made a groups and creative difference”. activities. The Theatre Group welcomes new members. Members enjoy each other’s company, and are also there Aboriginal Support Circle (ASC) to provide support when things go wrong. Be a leader Through our ASC (motto Listen, Learn and Volunteers Many women have acquired decades of Understand) we support Aboriginal initiatives to organisational experience, and OWN would like obtain social justice. We study Aboriginal history, OWN’s wheels are oiled by its volunteers, and to tap into this knowledge. We welcome fresh customs and culture, and invite Aboriginal women joining their ranks is a great way to get to know ideas and team skills, and offer opportunities to be guest speakers at many of our meetings. We these lively women as they share, learn or teach to participate in important advocacy projects, as also raise funds to support Aboriginal children in others their skills in a relaxed and good-humoured well as involvement in the management of the the La Perouse area. atmosphere. Older Women’s Network. 236 > VISION & VITALITY

Picnic at Parliament House project report 1988

22 June 1988 Gillian Bonham Coordinator Special Programs Australia Bicentennial Authority GPO Box Aus. 1988 Sydney 2001

Dear Gillian, Enclosed please find statement of expenditure for our very successful women celebrate 88 project. We would like to thank the Bicentennial Authority and the Australian women’s Weekly for promoting this im- Appendix B < 241

portant part of the 1988 celebrations and granting us $1,000 to hold our “Picnic at Parliament House” to make the invisible visible. This project was completely original and creative. It grew out of the idea of finding a way of gaining a recognition for the work and worth of older women –their talents and abilities, the work and worth of all women for that matter we deserve more recognition and more promotion than we get. The message of our sketch was abundantly clear. Women from the past: “Daisy Bindi Aboriginal woman As a young girl was a fine horsewoman and cattle musterer but as soon as she was old enough, was taken into the homestead to work as a domestic … for food only … no wages! No wonder when she heard Don Mcleod speak she returned to the homestead and organised the women to march to Port Hedland. They were joined by the men and children. Daisy led the march and supported the strikers in Port Hedland demanding better wages and conditions. From this came the Pindan Native Cooperative. A fine tribute to Daisy Bindi Aboriginal woman”. “Think of this country, Australia, think of wool. Who do the history books tell us about? John – John MacArthur! But is that the whole story? The real story! What about Elizabeth MacArthur? It was she who managed their three properties while he was in England for 8 years! It was she who began the experiments in cross breeding Merino Sheep! Surely the two of them should appear on the two dollars bill? But No! Elizabeth remains invisible.” “We are here today in this capital city of Canberra. Man’s monument to man. Walter Burley Griffin’s dream child or so the history books would have us believe. But what about his wife Marian? Architect. Man- 242 > VISION & VITALITY

ager of his Sydney office. His Partner. Marian developed and explained in drawings, Walter’s ideas. Marian raised architectural drawing to the level of art. We all know Walter but what of Marian. Was she visible???” These are just three of many thousands of invisible women. Even here in the national capital home to our Commonwealth Par- liament. How many women help govern us? Over half this nation’s citizens are women, yet you would be hard pressed to see their presence in Parliament. More invisible women. We’ve got some answers. Give us a chance. When you make your decisions, experience counts. You have to include us, and give us a chance. Please don‘t exclude us, give us a chance. What we are saying is, give age a chance. Older women are: COURAGEOUS! TENACIOUS! lNVENTlVE! AND POTENTIALLY POWERFUL! AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE HERE! The Parliamentary women were most impressed and invited the whole group of women to the Senate Garden for afternoon tea. Senator Margaret Reynolds said: “I’d like to take you all to Queensland. There are many women there who would love your message.” Three lecturers in the Social Welfare field from N.S.W. University joined us in the “Picnic at Parliament House”. They want the group to do our sketch at the university, saying that its message was better than half a dozen lectures. We have had various invitations to do similar things, such as a por- trayal of older women in nursing homes, and their cry for a little understanding and help, free from patronising and being ignored. Everyone who went to Canberra, without exception, enjoyed themselves so much that they say “when do we go again”. So we hope to do Appendix B < 243

back to Canberra later this year, perhaps with a new project “Question Time in Rose Garden”. Our sketch was performed again and filmed at our reunion lunch held on 26th May. This filming was part of a documentary being prepared on Older Women’s activities in N.S.W. The response to the enclosed questionnaire was very positive, and we are working hard to put it into practice. We will need a lot of help and a lot of expertise to do this. We know the expertise and talent is there. We have to find the ways to put it together. The “Roving Information” days and the Outreach programs also continue. Apart from these programs, administered and conducted by the Older Women‘s Network, many of our members participate in various committees in the N.S.W. Combined Pensioners’ Association, who are sponsors of the Older Women’s Network. Committees such as housing, health, transport, disabilities council and others. In conclusion, there is a great deal of ability, talent and creativity latent in older women. We hope to continue our activities so that at least a little of it will become very apparent by the end of 1988, and on to the year 2000.

Yours sincerely, Gwen George Peggy Hewett Betty Theo CONVENORS Encls. Appendix C

OWN Inc’s Guiding Principles 1995

OWN’s Guiding Principles provide older women with a blueprint for growing old with dignity and wellbeing, consistent with the concepts of positive and healthy ageing. They were developed through an on-going consultative process involving all NSW groups in 1995. The Guiding Principles are used by members as a guide when representing the Older Women’s Network at public meetings and forums. They recognise the diversity of older women, while expressing the core values and beliefs of OWN members.

Recognition of older women Older women have the right to be valued and recognised for their contribution to the political, social and cultural areas of life. Older women Appendix C < 245

should have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of decision- making that could affect their wellbeing.

Our environment The Older Women’s Network understands that the environment is not just a physical issue. The environment is an all-embracing concept that influences, and is influenced by, economic, social, cultural and psychological factors such as housing, transport, health, social justice, education and the mass media.

Health Health is more than just the absence of disease. Health also includes a personal sense of wellbeing. Socio-economic, emotional, social, cultural and physical factors influence health and wellbeing. The Older Women’s Network believes that priority must be given to the maintenance of health and the prevention of illness.

Violence and Abuse The Older Women’s Network believes that freedom from violence and abuse is a basic human right. Violence and abuse includes: • neglect • physical assault • psychological, emotional, and verbal abuse • sexual assault and abuse • financial and economic exploitation • social abuse. 246 > VISION & VITALITY

Home, Community and Residential care The rights of older women to define their own needs and to choose appropriate care and support services are essential to their dignity and wellbeing.

Discrimination The Older Women’s Network is committed to the elimination of all forms of discrimination but particularly discrimination based on age, gender and race.

Transport Affordable and accessible public and private transport is essential for older women to maintain their independence and to avoid social isolation.

Education Older women learn and develop a wide range of skills throughout their lives. It is vital that older women have access to learning activities that enable them to keep pace with change, to enhance self-fulfilment, and to continue their contribution to community life.

Income security The Older Women’s Network recognises that a majority of women throughout their lives are disadvantaged in making provision for their financial security in later life. In addition, government policies can impact adversely on the incomes of older women. To maintain quality of life, health and wellbeing, it is vital that older women have a base rate of retirement income that is adequate to their needs. Appendix C < 247

Housing Older women have a right to safe, secure, appropriate and affordable accommodation.

Carers The Older Women’s Network recognises the importance of ongoing support services that address a variety of needs an issues relevant to voluntary carers’ lifestyles and particular needs. These include adequate financial assistance, access to quality respite care, information, education and training, emotional support, and community involvement. Appendix D

Consumer representation – 1991 and 2001

The following provides an overview of the diverse range of OWN members’ consumer representation on government and non-government committees, forums and councils during OWN’s first ten years.

• Aged Care Alliance • Association for Mental Health Support Group Project Advisory Committee • Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health Care • Central Sydney Area Health Service Division of GP’s Depression Project • Forum of Seniors’ Organisations • Consumer Health Forum General Practice Steering Committee • Forum of Non-Government Agencies Appendix D < 249

• Health Care Complaints Review • Health Consumers Network • Healthy Ageing On-Line Resource Centre Consultations • Home Care Review Reference Group • Home Care Service of NSW Ministerial Advisory Board • Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health • Mental Health Task Force • NCOSS - Pensioner Fare consultations • Northern Sydney Area Health Planning Committee • NSW Breast Screen Accreditation Committee • NSW Cervical Screening Program • NSW Clearing House for Domestic and Family Violence Advisory Group • NSW Council of Social Service Health Policy Advisory Group • NSW Council on Quality Health Care, NSW Committee on Age- ing, • NSW Department for Women, Peak Women’s Organisations • NSW Council on Violence Against Women • NSW Department of Health Research and Development Advisory Committee NSW Director General of Health Research and De- velopment Committee. • NSW Ministerial Health Care Quality Advisory Committee • Premier’s Forum for International Day of Older Persons Steering Committee Royal Australasian College of Physicians’ Ethics • Seniors Information Service Monitoring Committee • South East Sydney Area Health Service Quality Council • State Chronic and Complex Care Implementation Committee • University of Sydney Health Policy Forum • Western Sydney Community Forum • Women’s Consultative Group: Anti Discrimination Board • Women’s Health (NSW) quarterly meetings Appendix E

Aims and Objectives of OWN NSW – 2001

Aim: To promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women.

Objectives:

• To promote enrichment, mutual support and companionship/ friendship amongst older women.

• To present a positive image of older women. Appendix E < 251

• To recognise and utilise existing skills of older women and assist older women to develop specific skills such as research, advocacy, lobbying, networking and technology.

• To oppose ageism, sexism, and racism and address issues of discrimination against older women.

• To initiate and promote discussion about feminism.

• To provide and disseminate information for and about older women.

• To promote appropriate policies and to lobby for legislative, other reforms and changes on issues affecting the quality of life of all older women including income security, housing, health, home and community care and transport, and to work for equity for all older women.

• To achieve recognition of the work and contribution of older women to society.

• To promote the right of older women to participate in the workforce.

• To celebrate age and ageing.

• To provide resources and programs to assist and empower older women. Appendix F

What am I?

A stirrer? to bring to the surface of sight the muddy intentions of powers that blight the peace of our days in the autumn of life; who think they know best what is right for the old and would still every voice that dares to be bold.

The grit? in the oyster, that legend has it produces the pearls which so lustrously sit on necks of the wealthy; but also, with wit, creates pearls of wisdom in these days of strife to help solve some problems that plague us in life. Appendix F < 253

A diamond? Whose hard edge can cut wide and deep, a swathe through the promises pollies don’t keep, a tool to allow one to shape this earth’s heaps into rocks of security, wellness and fun and to end the disaster of bad laws, and guns.

A grain in the sand? by plunderers mined, against laws of nature, shorelines redefined, used to build monuments which just remind us of egocentricity, men of great power, how we must be brave, to challenge, not cower.

Do I muddy the waters and sting with the grit, cut needlessly deep with the edge of one’s wit does love conquer all and should small grains of sand just go with the flow and ebb from the land Hell, there’s no way I’ll change! Take me as I am! Appendix G

OWN NSW Inc. Strategies for Change

Introduction This document was developed through the process of planning and participation at the 2012 forum on Ageism, Rights, Roadblocks and Resilience. The Strategies for Change were unanimously endorsed at the OWN NSW State Conference and AGM in September 2012. The Strate- gies are consistent with the objectives of the Older Women’s Network which include the following:

• Promotes the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women. Appendix G < 255

• Advances the interests of older women through research, advocacy, lobbying and networking on issues affecting their lives. • Vigorously resists all forms of discrimination, particularly that directed towards older women. • Encourages mutual support and friendship between older women. • Promotes healthy ageing activities, which include social, intellectual, physical and emotional factors. • Recognises and uses older women’s skills and capacities and encourages the development of these and other talents.

OWN NSW endorses the following strategies for change

General It is often overlooked that ageing is experienced differently, according to gender. We call for an end to age discrimination, particularly as it affects older women, to be addressed as a matter of urgency at all levels of government. We also call for social, health and economic research to routinely include older women as subjects and for data to be analysed by gender as well as age and other factors. As we call for these matters to be progressed we wish to ensure that the concerns of all women are represented and their differences acknowledged, that service delivery is person-centred and based on the special needs and considerations of older women. Human rights for everyone, every day, everywhere – anything that erects an age bar is under review. Please join us in calling for change in: 256 > VISION & VITALITY

Health

Invited inclusion in health screening e.g., for breast and cervical cancer Regular public health interventions, such as mammography and Pap smears, to continue by invitation to women 70 years and older (current end age 69) and to be made available free of charge.

Education of GPs and policy makers General practitioners and health policy makers to be made aware that healthy older women are living longer and enjoying an extended period of potential sexual activity, with consequent exposure to risk of sexually transmitted diseases, and possible cervical cancer.

Noticeable inclusion in public health communications and advice Older women to be made visible in images and included in texts of relevant public health publications, including those referring to breast and pelvic examination and sexually transmitted diseases. Women’s Health Centres to be available in all regions in each state. The OWN Wellness centres to be recognised as providers of a unique holistic approach to the wellness and wellbeing of older women and adequately funded.

Housing

Affordable and Secure Housing The needs of single older women for appropriate, gender specific, secure and safe housing at affordable rents to be met, by action at all levels of government, as a matter of urgency. Appendix G < 257

Crisis accommodation programs Crisis accommodation programs responsive to the needs of single older women to be supplied, in response to increasing numbers of older women at risk of homelessness.

Single person low income permanent accommodation options Provision of more low income housing options for single older women e.g., appropriate social housing, secondary dwellings (granny flats, divided houses), shared equity schemes to be taken up with governments at all levels. The trialing of new generation gender specific boarding houses and support for the reform of boarding houses in NSW.

Employment Access to work that is permanent, with fair and predictable pay, hours of work and conditions; quality skills training opportunities; and a safe and healthy work environment to be available to all workers, including older women. The end to discrimination against older women in employment and recruiting practices and retraining opportunities for older women to be explored (69% of age discrimination complaints relate to employment).

Flexible Work Arrangements Flexible work arrangements, available under the Fair Work Act, to be extended to carers and older workers.

Equal Pay The gap between male and female rates of pay to be closed. 258 > VISION & VITALITY

Workers’ Compensation and Superannuation Age discrimination against older workers in terms of workers’ compensation and superannuation to be removed. The superannuation scheme to be amended to include ‘contributory credits’ for time out of the paid workforce caring for others

Legislation strengthened Current anti-discrimination legislation to be strengthened and pen- alties increased to reduce the likelihood of disguised discrimination against older women on the grounds of both age and gender.

Community education Education to be provided to the community, employers and unions on the value of older workers, and of rights and responsibilities under anti- discrimination legislation, in particular employees’ right to complain about age discrimination.

Financial security

A liveable social benefit A means-tested, realistic, liveable social benefit to be available for older women. In particular, single older women require an adequate living.

Extend Work Bonus Scheme The age at which the Age Pension Work Bonus Scheme cuts out, 76 years, to be extended. The amount age pensioners are permitted to earn without any pension loss to be increased Appendix G < 259

Advice and support to guard against financial exploitation Access to independent financial and related legal advice and support to be made available and publicised to older women.

Education of current and future generations Education of current youth and future generations to include financial planning and management as a foundation for later financial security.

Personal Safety

Security from violence The ability of support services to identify violence against older women and to provide appropriate support and assistance to them, to be improved. Collaboration in supporting older women to be promoted across key agencies and staff.

Research into strategies Empirical research to be government funded to improve strategies for the prevention of and response to violence experienced by older women, both from within and outside the family.

Education Awareness raising campaigns to be presented to the community and to professional groups, e.g., GPs and community service workers, on the subject of violence against older women, and of strategies they and older women themselves can employ against it. 260 > VISION & VITALITY

Economics An improved measure of progress inclusive of social wellbeing to be adopted, and production activities external to ‘market forces’ contributed to mostly by women over their life course, to be adopted by the Federal government.

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The World Health Organisation calls for both age and gender to be taken into account to systematically eliminate inequities based on gender and age and their interaction with other factors such as race, ethnicity, culture, religion, disability, socio-economic status and geographical locations. (WHO 2007:7) Vision & Vitality not only documents the history of the Older Women’s Network in NSW but also takes a critical look at its challenges and achievements.

The Older Women’s Network remains the only major civil society organisation in Australia that explicitly focuses on the needs and rights of older women. It continues to do so by providing friendship and humour, wellness support and adventure, and fearless advocacy for the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women everywhere.

It is very important that this story of OWN be told, and no one better to do that than Dorothy Cora! – Jenny Onyx