Image: Pathways participant Aditi Mohan with SA Deputy Premier the Hon Dr Susan Close MP
We were proud to welcome our inaugural ACT and South Australian cohorts to the Pathways to Politics Program for Women last week, alongside the third iteration of our New South Wales program in partnership with UNSW Sydney.
We are thrilled that the University of Adelaide and University of Canberra have joined our national partnership this year, giving more women and non-binary people from diverse backgrounds greater opportunities to represent their communities and contribute to changing the face of politics in Australia.
From community leaders to professionals with a passion for public service, our 2023 cohorts have displayed exceptional dedication and commitment by taking the leap and putting themselves forward for a career in politics.
We officially launched our South Australian program at the University of Adelaide last month. The cohort was warmly welcomed by Peter Hoj AC, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Adelaide, Deputy Premier the Hon Dr Susan Close MP, the Hon Michelle Lensink MLC, and Carol Schwartz AO, Pathways to Politics founder and Chair of the Trawalla Foundation.
Participant Aditi Mohan said:
“I’m excited to be part of the Pathways to Politics Program for Women, which will give me the knowledge and confidence to pursue a career in politics and be part of this diverse network of highly motivated women who are dedicated to making a difference.”
The program kicked off last weekend with presentations from Katrina Webb OAM, a paralympic gold medalist and leadership strategist, and Caroline Rhodes, alum of the University of Melbourne program and CEO of Primary Producers SA.
The University of Canberra program set the stage for an invigorating first weekend of the program with an incredible line-up of panellists and presenters: Minister Rebecca Vassarotti MLA, Dr Marisa Paterson MLA, Nicole Lawder MLA, Minister Suzanne Orr MLA, Elizabeth Lee MLA, Prof Linda Botterill, Prof Kerry McCallum, Clare Doube, Kerrie-Anne Walsh, Michael Cooney and Dr Caroline Fisher.
Elizabeth Lee MLA posted:
“It was great to be part of a panel this morning talking about building our base and spend the morning with a fantastic group of aspiring women politicians…Congratulations to [ACT Program Director] Amy Kilpatrick and the team for an inspiring program.”
In NSW, UNSW Sydney launched its third year of the program with workshops focused on campaigning, social media and speechwriting, supported by experts Jenny O’Connor, Joel Deane, Olga Gerloff and Kayla Foster.
On their second day, the cohort was treated to panel discussions with politicians across the political spectrum and from all levels of government: Sally Sitou MP (an alum of the program), Allegra Spender MP, Jenny Leong MP, Senator Perin Davey, Michelle Bishop, Mayor Tanya Taylor, Deputy Mayor Sylvie Ellsmore, Mrs Nadia Saleh, the Hon Leslie Williams, the Hon Helen Dalton MP, Dr Marjorie O’Neill MP and the Hon Courtney Houssos. They also heard from policymaking experts Sam Crosby, Danielle Wood, David Cross and Arminé Nalbandian.
Throughout the next few months, Pathways to Politics will continue to equip our incredible cohorts around the country with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive as political leaders, as well as providing them with invaluable opportunities to foster networks that will be critical to their future success.
Register your interest
If you are interested in applying for one of our 2024 programs, please provide your information via our Expressions of Interest form and we can email to notify you when applications are open in your State or Territory (around late February / early March 2024).
