Mave Richardson AM PSM has yet another accolade to add to her many achievements: that of a winner in The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2016.
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The list of the nation’s 100 women of influence was published on September 29, and Mave has been recognised in the Local/Regional category for her long and tireless devotion to community.
She is surprised, and very humbled, to find herself in a list that includes household names, CEOs and high achievers in the corporate world.
“I thought the the emphasis would be on corporate/business or on women who were still active in the work force,” Mave said.
“I found it a bit overwhelming but I am proud to be representing the many amazing women in regional Australia, because there are so many women out there doing great things. It doesn’t all happen in the big cities.”
Mave believes she received the award in recognition of a combination of her work as community development officer for the former Greater Taree City Council from 1977 to 2004, two terms as a GTCC councillor, and her continuing dedication to volunteering for the community now she is a retiree.
“I think it’s the track record - the journey I’ve taken through community development over so many years, and also that I have maintained that commitment once I retired from local government,” Mave explained.
That track record saw Mave awarded the PSM (Public Service Medal) in 1999 for outstanding contributions to the development of community services through local government and the AM in 2012 for outstanding contributions to the arts, to aboriginal community development, aged and child care and “various other things”.
“Those two were huge milestones that I am proud of but you do it with other people, and work to achieve your goal and be patient and persistent and press on,” she said.
Mave is still pressing on – she is currently proactively involved in 16 different community groups.
However, she believes as an award recipient in the AFR 100 Women of Influence she is merely a representative, not an individual award winner.
“I have worked with some amazing volunteers over many, many years – outstanding people who have worked so hard. One thing I do believe strongly is that none of us achieve these things on our own, we have to take people with us, we have to support others and be supported to achieve our goals.
I just represent them. I’m one of those people who try to make a difference, but there are many more out there who are equally, if not more, deserving than I am.
- Mave Richardson
“And over the years I have seen a lot of very positive changes. I am particularly proud, in relation to this award, of representing so many fantastic women across the country, as such a lot of great things happen in the rural sector and sometimes they can be overlooked.
“I just represent them. I’m one of those people who try to make a difference, but there are many more out there who are equally, if not more, deserving than I am.
“One of the things I learned a long time ago was to be persistent and not to give up when challenges arise; you look for ways and means to press on. If we work together we can achieve all sorts of things.
“We’ve all seen a lot of progress where women are making their mark in a whole range of fields and that’s to be encouraged.
“I also believe that we need to respect and reach out to all marginalised sectors of the community, not just women.”
“We’re all in this together and it’s not about gender, it’s about getting the job done. Doing the best you can and working as a team with other people who want to see results and achieve their goals.”
“It’s about a balance, it’s about equity, it’s about social justice, it’s about a fair go for everyone. But it’s also about rights and responsibilities and we have to be responsible as citizens and work together,” Mave said.
When asked what she considered her greatest achievement, Mave replied, “Raising two beautiful daughters that I’m proud of, and I think it’s hard these days to raise a family and give them good values and goals and aspirations. There are so many distractions in the modern world. I think it is a real achievement for anybody to raise good citizens.”
In its fifth year, the 100 Women of Influence Awards celebrate outstanding women from a wide variety of sectors across Australia. There are 10 categories: Board/Management, Public Policy, Diversity, Business Enterprise, Young Leader, Global, Local/Regional, Innovation, Arts, Culture and Sport, and Social Enterprise/Not-for-profit.
Mave has been invited to attend a gala dinner and award ceremony later this month where the winner of each of the 10 categories will be announced, and an overall winner will be awarded.
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
