Katrine Hildyard receives "Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award" for 2012

The ASU SA and NT Branch Executive and Council congratulates Branch Secretary Katrine Hildyard on receiving the Australia Day "Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award". The award is in recognition of Katrine's leadership of the ASU's "Strong Community, Healthy State Campaign" - a campaign in support of pay equity for community sector workers.

The award was announced on 23 January 2012 by South Australian Minister for the Status of Women, the Hon Gail Gago. ASU SA and NT Branch President Pam Andritsakis said "Congratulations to Katrine Hildyard on receiving the award for her extraordinary leadership and tireless work with the Community Services sector campaign. Katrine is a most worthy recipient of the "Women Hold Up Half The Sky" award. On behalf of all ASU members, I thank Katrine for her ongoing commitment to the union movement and especially to the ASU."

Katrine Hildyard, ASU SA and NT Branch Secretary responded "I am deeply humbled to win this Award. It has and continues to be a privilege to work collectively on our Union's campaign to achieve equal pay and recognition for the deep commitment of community sector workers to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members of our Australian community. I feel honoured to be recognised for my part in it. I commend everyone who has contributed to the equal pay case and campaign and look forward to working side by side into the future. I truly believe that when Australians and our friends around the globe work together that we can achieve great things."

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You can also read the media release on the Minister's website.

Outstanding union leader wins Australia Day award

The Branch Secretary of the Australian Services Union, Katrine Hildyard, has been named winner of the Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award for 2012.

The award was introduced last year by the Australia Day Council of South Australia to recognise outstanding women, with the inaugural recipient being Aboriginal women's advocate, Patricia WariaRead.

Ms Hildyard was announced as the 2012 recipient today by Minister for the Status of Women, Gail Gago, and chairman of the Australia Day Council of South Australia, Dr Tony Cocchiaro.

Ms Hildyard successfully led the "Strong Community, Healthy State Campaign" which resulted in historic pay increases for community sector workers. Women make up 85 percent of the workforce in this sector. On June 16, 2011 the Full Bench of Fair Work Australia (FWA) handed down an interim decision confirming that community sector workers were under-valued and underpaid. The Federal Government subsequently announced in November 2011 it will fund its share of the outcomes of the FWA Pay Equity Case, costed at $2 billion.

In 2005, Ms Hildyard became the first union participant in the Leaders Institute of South Australia's Governor's Leadership Foundation (GLF). Two years later, she worked with SA Unions, Volunteering SA and the Adelaide City Council Volunteer Co-ordinator to develop shared principles between the SA volunteering and union movements, principles that have now been adopted. In 2009, Ms Hildyard was selected as a "summiteer" at the Federal Government's 2020 Summit, where she participated in the social inclusion stream. Ms Hildyard is a director of Local Super and a member of the Premier's Council for Women. She also chairs the SA Health and Community Services Skills Board.

Minister Gago will present Ms Hildyard with the award on Thursday evening (January 26), as part of the 2012 Australia Day Awards ceremony to be hosted by His Excellency the Governor, Rear Admiral Kevin Scarce, at Government House.

The Women Hold Up Half the Sky Award takes its name from a well-known artwork by internationally recognised South Australian artist, Ann Newmarch.

A commendation is also being presented to Stephanie O'Connor, 18, who has acted as the primary carer in her household of six (four brothers and sisters and her mother) since she was 13 years old.

"I am very pleased to be able to support this important award, recognising the contribution that women make to our community," Ms Gago said."Katrine is an extraordinary woman who has led a campaign to ensure that workers in the community sector, who are predominantly women, are paid appropriately for the demanding work they undertake.

"Employees in the domestic violence services, community care and the disability care sector work with some of the most marginalised members of the community and deserve recognition for their services."

Dr Cocchiaro said the award has been established to acknowledge women in the community who have not previously been publicly recognised.

"We received more than 50 nominations for this new award, well and truly exceeding our expectations, and the standard of nominations has been very high," Dr Cocchiaro said.

"It's clear there that there are many outstanding women making valuable contributions to our community who deserve to be recognised and celebrated"