Announcement of the new NSW Premier’s Expert Advisory Council on Women
Minister for Women, the Hon Jodi McKay MP, announced the seven members that will form the new Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women.
“I am pleased to announce that following a recent expression of interest process, the Premier, the Hon Kristina Keneally MP, and I have endorsed the following applicants for appointment to the Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women:
- Dr Rae Cooper (as Deputy Chair);
- Mrs Ruta Asimus;
- Ms Susan Price;
- Dr Lyn Craig;
- Ms Denele Crozier;
- Ms Traci Williams; and
- Ms Janet Loughman.”
“The Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women will provide specialist advice to the NSW Government about issues affecting the status of women in NSW and report directly to the Premier and to myself in my role as the Council’s Chair,” Ms McKay said.
“The new Council will be closely aligned with the day-to-day policy development work of the Office for Women’s Policy - its members have expertise across a range of areas relevant to gender equality, including leadership, health, education, employment, and work and family issues,” Ms McKay said.
The Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women replaces the former Premier’s Council for Women following the end of its two year term on 31 May 2010.
Ms McKay said that one of the first tasks of the new Council will be to assist in the development of best practice principles to promote flexible work practices, as suggested by the Premier’s Council for Women in its report on the NSW Women and Work Survey.
“The Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women will also be involved in the development of the new Women’s Plan for NSW,” said Ms McKay.
Biographies for members of the Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women are attached.
Media Contact: Karl Schubert (02) 9228 5668 or 0429 904 937
Biographies for Members of the Premier’s Expert Advisory Council for Women
Rachel (Rae) Cooper (Deputy Chair) has a PhD in Economics (Industrial Relations) and is an expert on women’s employment issues and education. She is currently lecturing in the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney. Rae has been a member of numerous women’s organisations such as NSW Working Women’s Centre, Asian Women at Work, and Women and Work Research Group, University of Sydney. She is well linked to community women’s groups, unions and the business sector. Rae is a Board Director of the NSW TAFE Commission and the NSW Rural Assistance Authority, and was also a member of the former Premier’s Council for Women.
Ruta Asimus has significant experience related to employment, leadership, and work and family issues. She has over 30 years’ experience in the private sector, during which time she implemented a range of initiatives to support work and family balance and encourage women’s access to leadership roles. Ruta has recently established AsAmI Coaching, an executive coaching business to improve women’s participation in leadership positions.
Lyn Craig has a PhD and over ten years’ experience researching and writing on work and family issues. Lyn’s particular expertise is in time use analysis of time spent by men and women in unpaid and paid work. Lyn is currently the ARC Queen Elizabeth II Fellow at the University of New South Wales’ Social Policy Research Centre where she has undertaken a range of research projects and reports for government. She is also a member of various research and advisory committees, including the Executive Council of the International Association of Time Use Researchers.
Denele Crozier is the Executive Officer of Women’s Health NSW, the peak body for 24 non‑government Women’s Health Centres in NSW, and has extensive experience in women’s issues and promoting a women’s social view of health. Denele is also a member of the Premier’s Council on Preventing Violence against Women and the Australian Women’s Health Network. She is also a Board Member of the New South Wales Council of Social Services (NCOSS).
Janet Loughman has over 30 years experience practising law in a variety of areas relevant to women, including domestic violence, family law, sexual assault, discrimination and employment law. She is currently the Principal Solicitor at Women’s Legal Services NSW, and she has worked extensively in the community sector. Janet is also the Convenor of the NSW Legal Assistance Forum Domestic Violence Working Group and a member of Legal Aid NSW Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Program Advisory Committee.
Susan Price is an employment lawyer with particular expertise in issues of discrimination and sexual harassment. Susan is currently an Executive Lawyer in Bartier Perry’s Workplace Relations Group, and is also Co-Chair of the NSW Women Lawyers’ Workplace Practices Sub-Committee. Susan has also undertaken volunteer work with the community sector, including as a volunteer solicitor at the Inner City Legal Centre and as a member of the Redfern Legal Centre’s Management Committee.
Traci Williams, a former journalist and diplomat, is an Indigenous woman who is currently the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at law firm Gilbert and Tobin. Prior to this, Ms Williams was the Manager of Reconciliation Programs at Qantas Airways Ltd, where she was responsible for the implementation of the Qantas Reconciliation Plan. Ms Williams has a Masters degree in International Relations and is completing the Executive Master of Business Administration Program at the Melbourne Business School.
