The return of the QTU Women's Conference
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 6, 12 August 2022, page no. 12-13

After a COVID-induced hiatus, the QTU was thrilled to host the 2022 Women’s Conference. With full capacity reached within 24 hours of registration opening, more than 100 women activists traded the first two days of their winter vacation to be inspired for change, celebrate successes, and network. The theme of the conference was Power, Persistence and Patriarchy.
Power
Jane Gilmore (speaker, presenter, journalist, and author): An expert in gender diversity solutions, the gender pay gap and violence against women, Jane works for Body Safety Australia, delivering consent education programs from early childhood to secondary school. Her presentation outlined harrowing statistics regarding sexual harassment and gendered violence and recognised that, while parts of consent education sit within the health area of the curriculum, it should not be something shouldered by PE teachers. Instead, specialist teachers in consent education should be supported through a whole-of-staff approach.
Power Panel
This panel identified current legislative and system policies, with women who have not only been successfully appointed to positions of power but are using their voices to drive change exploring how these are being used to facilitate change.
Dr Linda Colley, Special Commissioner, Equity and Diversity outlined her focus on reducing the significant challenges that women face regarding pay equity, whether within education or across the broader public sector.
Jacqueline King, Assistant General Secretary, Queensland Council of Unions took the conference through legislative reform in Queensland, and changes to workplace health and safety, industrial relations, and anti-discrimination in particular. She explained that although there had been significant gains, there was still much to be done, starting with timely implementation.
Kate Ruttiman, QTU General Secretary and Honorary President of the QCU maintained the rage and, in a creative twist, ended her presentation via song.
Persistence
Persistence Panel
Panel two was an overview of the challenges still to be conquered and challenged us to reflect on our own conscious and largely unconscious biases.
Thalia Edmonds, QTU Industrial Advocate explained the EB process and highlighted the need for women to be engaged in the space, as this is the only way to influence change.
Paige Bousen, Assistant Secretary – Education Leaders outlined what continue to be alarming statistics relating to women in leadership. She explained unconscious bias and the effect this has on women, whether entering the profession, in staffrooms or in leadership.
Rachel Bos, QTU Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Officer challenged us to consider the role racism has in feminism, and asked the conference to reflect on what being a feminist means and whether all women can have their voices heard.
The QTU aims to be an organisation which both celebrates and values diversity. We take opportunities to bring members with similar lived experiences together and to ensure that diverse voices are heard and acted on. The conference included a number of events to facilitate this. There was a First Nations breakfast caucus, an LGBTIQ+ caucus (the first since the QTU’s new Pride Committee was formalised), and the first All Abilities Special Interest Group face-to-face caucus.
QTU Senior Officers and experienced activists took part in the “herstories” panel. QTU President Cresta Richardson and Honorary Vice-President Jenny Swadling shared their Union journeys. WTGEC and Gandu Jarjum committee member Aunty Penny Taylor and QTU TAFE Executive member Jenny Trevino also shared their experiences.
On day two we heard from AEU Women’s Officer Emma Lowe, who discussed AEU women and power. Workplace wellbeing advisor and founder of Menopause@Work Asia Pacific Thea O’Connor looked at leadership, and finally a panel dealt with student and youth issues.
The conference was hosted by the QTU’s Women Teachers and Girls Education Committee (WTGEC), led by Penny Spalding, the QTU’s Women’s and Social Welfare Officer. The conference was MCed by Leah Olsson, QTU Vice-President and chair of the WTGEC.