The Australian Women’s Weekly Qantas Women of the Future Awards celebrate young women who are determined to make a difference in this world. Three winners will be sharing a prize pool of more than $100,000 so if you or someone you know is aged 18 to 34 and has a great idea, business or charity that is transforming the lives of others, we encourage you to enter here.
As you can see, we have a stellar line-up of judges this year including the legendary Ita Buttrose (OBE); Lucy Turnbull, businesswoman, lawyer and wife of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull; Foreign Minister Hon Julie Bishop; Islamic youth community advocate Yassmin Abdel-Magied; Qantas Group Executive Olivia Wirth and Today show co-host Lisa Wilkinson.
Here, as we begin our search for the stars of 2017, our judges give their tips to the next generation.
Ita Buttrose: Journalist, author and TV presenter
Ita Buttrose, AO, OBE, has forged a path for women in the media, yet she admits that all her own mentors were men. “There were no women at my level when I was starting my corporate climb,” she explains. “My first role model and mentor was my father. I used to make his breakfast when he was the Editor of an afternoon newspaper and we’d talk about his work and read the papers together.”
Other mentors followed, including Sir Frank Packer and his sons Clyde and Kerry. The most valuable lessons Ita learnt from them were, “Go for it. Don’t hesitate. Make up your mind. Love what you do. They all loved what they did. It’s really important that your work makes you happy and fulfilled.”
Ita’s advice to our Women of the Future is not too different. “Be prepared to put your hand up,” she says.
“Keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and keep learning. No woman should ever be afraid to go after her dreams. There’s an excitement in finding out how far you can push yourself and in realising that you can make a difference.”
Lucy Turnbull: Lawyer and businesswoman
She is the wife of Australia’s Prime Minister, but Lucy Turnbull has never been one to be relegated to the role of support act. She found success in the male-dominated worlds of law and investment banking, despite a shortage of strong professional women mentors.
Now she is a champion for equality in public and private spheres, so that both men and women can reach their full potential. “Malcolm was fantastic. He really shared parental responsibilities and that was the exception in my day, but it’s now becoming the norm and that’s a big change,” she says. “Obviously, there’s still room to go.”
Lucy hopes to inspire rising female stars to think big.
“I think the more we can encourage those people, especially very young ones, the better our country will be,” she says. “If these people are empowered to fulfil their capacity, then that’s good for them and it’s good for everyone.”
Lisa Wilkinson: TV presenter and journalist
Mentoring young women is one of the greatest joys Lisa Wilkinson has had in her career. “It’s an incredibly rewarding experience helping someone find their wings and then standing back and watching them soar,” she says.
In 2013, Lisa told a room of the nation’s media that from the age of 21, when she was made Editor of Dolly magazine, she felt a huge responsibility towards her readers and the opportunity taught her “the power of someone believing in you”.
Despite some – including, she will admit, herself – being sceptical about her ability to edit the magazine read by one in every two Australian teenage girls at such a young age, Lisa thrived. She never had a mentor, but was inspired by the bold and brave women around her.
In judging the awards, the Today show co-host is looking for young women who are breaking down barriers, seeing opportunities others have missed and making a difference. “Stay true to yourself and your passion,” Lisa says, “and don’t be discouraged when the naysayers tell you otherwise.”
Julie Bishop: Minister for Foreign Affairs
Australia’s dynamic Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop, regularly rubs shoulders with some of the world’s most influential and accomplished women. Think high-flyers such as human rights lawyer Amal Clooney, former US First Lady Michelle Obama or Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Yet when it comes to finding inspiration, our Foreign Minister looks much closer to home.
“I met a group of young university undergraduates in New Guinea recently and they were some of the most inspiring people I have ever met,” says Julie. “They were all from small rural villages and had fought and scraped to give themselves an education. That’s struggle. That’s overcoming adversity. With such determination, I wonder what these women will be able do for their communities in the future.”
She sees similar promise in the faces of our Women of the Future entrants each year. “They show the same innovation and hope,” she says, “and that’s why I enjoy being a judge so much.”
Olivia Wirth: Qantas executive
As the face of Qantas during one of the airline industry’s most turbulent periods, airline executive Olivia Wirth is used to embracing challenges.
When she reflects on her success, Olivia says she is grateful that she was always surrounded by strong women who gave her something to aspire to. Now that she is in a position to guide young women, she urges them not to be shy about their achievements.
“Women shouldn’t ever be ashamed to put themselves forward and to celebrate their success,” Olivia says. “It’s okay to succeed.”Focus on your strong points, work on your weak points and do not get caught up in gender biases because they will exist in the workforce and we’ve got to work through them.”
Yassmin Abdel-Magied: Engineer and human rights advocate
Activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied is used to standing up for what she believes in. The 26-year-old found herself at the heart of a media slanging match when she defended Sharia law and proclaimed Islam to be “a feminist religion”.
It was a bold defence weighing into a hot political topic and it is this courage in the face of controversy that makes Yassmin a valuable and inspiring new judge for this year’s Women of the Future Awards.
Raised in suburban Brisbane, Yassmin found her motivation close to home. “I was hugely inspired by the sacrifice my parents made moving to Brisbane – where we were only the second Sudanese family – when I was two.”
Today, Yassmin is inspired by the Women of the Future. “I look at them and think, these are my peers,” she says, “and I get very excited. These women and I will be part of shaping the world.”
Her advice to young women with big dreams is, “Never let other people’s expectations limit you.”
