10th ANNIVERSARY VICTORIAN HONOUR ROLL OF WOMEN Inspirational women from all walks of life 01 Minister’s Foreword 02 Inductee profiles 02 Doreen Akkerman AM 03 Dr Anne Astin 04 Professor Elizabeth Blackburn AC 05 Eleanor Bourke 06 Dame Marie Breen 07 Eileen Capocchi 08 Dr Sally Cockburn MBBS 09 Bev Cook OAM 10 Sister Ann Halpin PBVM 11 Lesley Hewitt 12 Keran Howe 13 May Hu 14 Dr Fay Marles AM 15 Colonel Janice McCarthy 16 Mary Anne Noone 17 Dr Fanny Reading 18 Helen Smith 19 Maria Starcevic 20 Selina Sutherland 21 Professor Rachel Webster 24 Victorian Honour Roll of Women 2001-2010 Published by the Office of Women’s Policy, Department for Victorian Communities 1 Spring Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Telephone (03) 9208 333 March 2010 Also published on www.women.vic.gov.au © Copyright State of Victoria 2010 This publication is copyright. No part may be reproduced by any process except in accordance with the provision of Copyright Act 1968. Authorised by the Department for Victorian Communities Designed by Celsius. Printed by xxxxxx ISBN 978-1-921607-38-7 March 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the Victorian Honour Roll of Women – a time to celebrate and publicly recognise the achievements of remarkable women across Victoria. I am proud to present 20 new inductees to our Honour Roll, as women of outstanding achievement in areas as diverse as community services, communication, Indigenous affairs, multicultural affairs, health, law, education, science, medicine and social justice. We celebrate a remarkable group of women who have used their qualities of tenacity, vision, outstanding leadership, commitment and just plain hard work to succeed in their chosen field and have a lasting impact on their community. Whether they have worked behind the scenes in support of local communities or on the international stage, each of these women has created better opportunities for women in Victoria, in Australia and beyond. On this 10th anniversary, it is fitting to acknowledge all 458 women we have honoured over the past 10 years. All have excelled in their chosen fields and are testament to the wealth of talent we have in Victoria. Every one is a role model and their achievements stand as an inspiration to us all. Their generosity of spirit, their ingenuity and their dedication have marked these women for special mention. I hope you enjoy learning about the lives and achievements of the Victorian Honour Roll inductees. They continue a great tradition of Victorian women who have inspired and motivated others to make a difference in their own special way. Maxine Morand MP, Minister for Women’s Affairs PAGE 1 Giving a voice and support to life is just as impacted, doesn’t – so cancer patients and their carers I set up programs, both here and in During her time as a director Singapore and Canada to ensure at Cancer Council Victoria, carers receive information and Doreen Akkerman has developed support to help relieve their burden and implemented the Cancer too,’ she says. Information Support Service, a Doreen is adamant that advancing Victoria-wide and internationally women’s lives advances the whole acclaimed service supporting cancer community. ‘If you want a country sufferers and their carers. to succeed, you educate and give DOREEN AKKERMAN AM The program’s national Cancer advantages to women because Helpline, which just celebrated 20 then the family and the children, years, operates Cancer Connect, a no matter what their gender, will ‘When someone says, “you peer support service that boasts 150 succeed,’ she says. have cancer”, your life is trained volunteers. Cancer support Doreen will soon retire and her changed forever. It’s so groups regularly meet face to face, succession plan for her deputy will important that people know on the web for young adults and by ensure a seamless transition. ‘Men phone for advanced cancer sufferers. do that very easily, you know, the old they’re not walking alone ...’ Doreen also played a key role in boys’ network – they all help each establishing the consumer advocacy other and we women have still got group, Cancer Voices Victoria. to learn that,’ she says. As the founding president of the Naming her mother as an important International Cancer Information role model, Doreen also emphasises Services Group of the International the importance of parenting: ‘If you Union Against Cancer, Doreen has have parents who absolutely love steered the worldwide development of you and think you’re the best thing international guidelines and standards since sliced bread, you can achieve for cancer information services. your dreams’. Her development of care for carers also sets her apart. ‘The patient gets information, but the carer, whose PAGE 2 Pioneer for women in biochemistry reforms. She has represented her and advocate for rural women industry at international forums such Dr Anne Astin’s diverse career as the 2002 Third World Congress spans local, state, national and of Rural Women and sits on the Rural international industries. Industries Research and Development Corporation Rural Women’s Award Anne’s ‘firsts’ in the traditionally selection panel. As chair of the male arena of biochemistry and Ministerial Women in Primary forensic science include being one of Industry Panel for the past 10 years, the first scientists trained to analyse Anne has also significantly raised the gunshot residues on suspects and the profile and issues of rural women. DR ANNE ASTIN first woman to take maternity leave in a forensic science environment. Anne is passionate about creating and opening up more opportunities Anne also established Victoria’s ‘We need to continue to open for women. ‘Women must have access first laboratory analysing cannabis up the channels for rural to sound information to be able to in blood and was the first female make informed decisions to help them women to have an authentic representative on its recruitment realise their full potential,’ she says. dialogue with government.’ and selection panels. Anne also chairs the board of These days, Anne’s passion lies Wellsprings for Women, an with her work in the dairy sector. organisation that aims to empower, ‘I love working with farmers as they integrate and educate isolated women are very good at holding people to in the cities of Greater Dandenong account. You know exactly where and Casey. you stand with them,’ says Anne. Anne has mentored many women One of Anne’s proudest including Rural Women’s Award achievements was becoming the winners; Women in Primary CEO of Dairy Food Safety Victoria, Industry panel members; and women especially as she says, ‘I started participating in the Dairy Industry at the bottom of the Victorian Rural Women’s program and the Public Service’. Australian Rural Leadership program. As a senior executive Anne has led significant changes and regulatory PAGE 3 Australia’s first female Francisco (UCSF) in 1990 as a Nobel Prize Winner professor in the Departments of Professor Elizabeth Blackburn, a Biochemistry and Biophysics, and world leader in molecular biology, Microbiology and Immunology. In was awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize 1993, she was the first woman to for Physiology or Medicine along head the UCSF, School of Medicine, with colleagues from the United Department of Microbiology and States, Professors Jack Szostak and Immunology, a position she held Carol Greider. They discovered until 1999. how the ends of chromosomes are Professor Blackburn is currently PROFESSOR ELIZABETH protected by telomeres and that they the Morris Herzstein Professor BLACKBURN AC are built by telomerase. Through this of Biology and Physiology at the groundbreaking discovery, Professor University of California, and over ‘Don’t be afraid to do Blackburn has shed new light on the years she has received a multitude what you think is the most disease mechanisms and stimulated of prestigious awards in recognition the development of potential new of her achievements. important thing in your life.’ cancer and ageing treatments. A mother as well as a world After completing her schooling renowned scientist, Professor at University High School in Blackburn understands the Melbourne, Professor Blackburn challenges faced by women obtained a B Sc and MSc at the in managing work and family University of Melbourne. She commitments and believes that every completed a PhD at the University woman has the right to choose a of Cambridge and postdoctoral career without fear of discrimination research at Yale University, where for embracing motherhood. she studied chromosomes and the She is clearly an inspiration for all molecular nature of telomeres; the scientists in Australia, and especially tiny structures that cap the ends of young women entering the fields of chromosomes and contribute to the science and medicine. stability of all the genes in cells. Professor Blackburn joined the University of California, San PAGE 4 Respected elder and warrior Council (Horsham) and the Barengi for Aboriginal education Gadjin Land Council Aboriginal Eleanor Bourke is committed to Corporation, and board member fully and authentically respecting with Native Title Services Victoria different cultures. For the since 2001. past 40 years she has devoted After retiring from full-time herself to increasing awareness, employment in 2001, Eleanor was appreciation and advancement of co-chair of Reconciliation Victoria Aboriginal people and improving for five years, and is presently understanding between Aboriginals chair of the Victorian Aboriginal ELEANOR BOURKE and non-Aboriginals. Eleanor Heritage Council. The Council was was pioneering female Aboriginal established in 2006 and is unique activist in the 1960s. in Australia as a statutory body ‘We started off at a time Eleanor has always believed that comprised of Victoria’s traditional when we didn’t have a voice education is the key to a better life for owners managing traditional lands. in universities, and now all Aboriginal people.