International Womens Day Women at Post
Thursday, 03 March 2011
Australia Post recognises the achievements of women and advocates diversity and fair treatment of women in our workplace. According to our Equal Employment Report for 2009-10, the number of women in executive positions increased to 21.4% and the promotion rate of women exceeded representation rate.
Name: Lou-anne Eggington, Vic
Lou-anne Eggington joined Australia Post in December 2010 as the Head of Sales for Communication Services in the Commercial Sales team, Postal Services Her previous experience includes sales management positions at PMP, Salmat, Ausdoc and DHL. Lou-anne is dedicated to community service and has a passion for helping other women in need. She is a volunteer committee member for Fitted for Work and manages the community partnership portfolio on their behalf.
Fitted for Work is a not-for-profit organisation that assists women who are experiencing disadvantage to obtain work, maintain employment and achieve financial independence by providing free clothing for interviews, interview training and resume assistance. Australia Post is holding a clothing drive for Fitted for Work across the country during the week of International Women's Day.
"I volunteer for Fitted for Work because I am passionate about helping others," says Lou-anne."The women that we help at Fitted for Work deserve a chance to succeed. I admire them for their motivation and hard work. They really want to change their life and I want to help them. It is a very rewarding and humbling experience to have such a positive impact on another person."
More information
Fitted for Work official website
Name: Mary Helen Cuper (1847-1877), WA
Ellen Pangieran also known as Mary Helen Cuper was appointed postmistress of the mission station at New Norcia, Western Australia in 1874. She became the first Aboriginal person to attain such a position in Australia's public service.
Mary was born to an Aboriginal woman and European father in Bunbury, Western Australia. She was educated at Bishop Salvado's Benedictine mission. The approval of a telegraph line in Geraldton via New Norcia in the early 1870s meant that a full-time telegraphist would be required and Salvado trained Mary for this role.
When the position of postmistress at Victoria Plains became vacant unexpectedly in 1873, the superintendent of telegraphs, James Fleming, reported that Salvado had 'an applicant in a female aboriginal who is perfectly familiar with the telegraph code, and manipulation of the key, and can read and write smartly; but I fear the lady would prove inconstant and it will be necessary to appoint someone to whom the quarters and a small salary will suffice'. But Salvado strongly supported Mary's application and she took over as postmistress with an annual salary of £30.
When Mary contracted tuberculosis and her health started to deteriorate towards the end of 1875, she trained Sarah Ninak, another Aboriginal woman, as a telegraphist. Mary Helen Cuper died on 12 January 1877.
Name: Vicki Eichholzer, Qld
Hervey Bay Delivery Centre manager, Vicki Eichholzer, has been given a diversity champion award for her long-term commitment to providing training and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Vicki has been involved with disability employment services provider CRS Australia (part of the Department of Human Services) for the past three years, and in that time she has created 14 on-the-job training placements and five employment opportunities for people with a disability, injury or health condition.
"We work with CRS to give people the chance to develop new skills through work experience," says Vicki. "And this benefits everyone involved. For Australia Post, CRS and their clients it opens a whole new world of opportunities for us to communicate, grow and learn together, which in turn makes a big difference to someone's future."
As well as actively supporting work training placements, Vicki also promotes CRS Australia's work - both within Australia Post and to other companies.
CRS Australia General Manager Margaret Carmody says, "Because Vicki has 'gone above and beyond' to provide job opportunities for people with a disability, many lives have been changed. I congratulate Vicki and the Australia Post Hervey Bay team for helping our job seekers to achieve their goals."
Name: Heather Drew, Qld
Heather Drew, the licensee of the Finch Hatton Post Office, battled the flooding rain during the Qld floods disaster, to make sure her community got their parcels before Christmas - even though it meant missing Christmas with her own family."It was a busy day, so it was worthwhile, but I didn't want any kids to be disappointed if they didn't get their presents on Christmas Day," she says.
Because the rain was so heavy during the day, Heather could not get home over the bridge she usually uses, so she ended up spending Christmas Day with a friend from work. "I got home on Boxing Day and we celebrated Christmas then, I will definitely remember that Christmas," jokes Heather.
Name: Tracey Gosling, Vic
Tracey Goslling joined Australia Post in January 2011 as the Head of Sales - State Government, Postal Services. Her previous experience includes sales and management positions at EDS, Telstra and a number of accounting firms.
In addition to currently studying towards a Masters of Business Administration, Tracey volunteers for Youngcare; a not-for-profit organisation that works to get young people with high palliative care needs out of aged care facilities. More than 6,500 young Australians (under the age of 65) with 24/7 care needs are living in aged care facilities around the country because there are very limited alternatives.
"It was a prior personal experience that led me to connect with Youngcare and positively do something to give families more alternatives for care other than aged care," says Tracey.
In the next 12 months, Youngcare is focusing on building additional Youngcare accommodation on the Gold Coast and new accommodation in Sydney and Melbourne.
"I'm dedicated to helping establish Victorian services and continuing to make a difference alongside this great organisation," says Tracey.
More information
Youngcare official website