40 years of the Anna Stewart Memorial Project
On Friday 27 June, over 100 people gathered at the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (SA) headquarters, Ridleyton, to celebrate the 40th year of the Anna Stewart Memorial Project (ASMP),
The night was a fitting celebration, attendees were Welcomed to Country by our friend and sister, Jakirah Telfer.
Images courtesy of SA Unions
Current ASMP Trainer, Cath Story, was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and Narelle Walker (DJ) provided the entertainment.
Hon Steph Key—past MP, Minister for Status of Women, Director of the Working Women’s Centre and an Industrial Officer for the United Trades and Labor Council UTLC of SA, the TWU and the ACTU, and long-time supporter of the program— spoke of the important work and character who was Anna Stewart.
Anna Stewart was a major influence on Steph’s work agenda and goals.
Other speakers included the Hon Katrine Hildyard MP and Sharon Holmes (past ASMP educator).
Guests were also treated to a snippet of a video produced to capture the first 10 years of the program, including flashbacks of long-gone fashion and hair trends!
The celebration coincided with the launch of the Domestic Workers Union in Timor Leste, their elected inaugural president, Abelita Sousa Li Sores, being a graduate for the 2025 ASMP. Dale Beasley, Secretary SA Unions shared a short film of this.
This project is truly unique in that it has, and continues, to empower women to be leaders in their unions.
In South Australia, many of the women who lead and are leaders within our unions are graduates of the program. Our own IEU(SA) President and Vice Presidents are examples of this.
Since 1999 the IEU has had 27 members graduate from the ASMP.
Work has begun on a publication which will document the last decades of the ASMP in South Australia.
