Anna Stewart Memorial Project – 2026
7 August 2026
Just last year, the Anna Stewart Memorial Project (ASMP) celebrated 40 years in South Australia.
ASMP presents a unique opportunity for union women interested in building their skills, union knowledge and networks. It also enables them to play a more active role in the IEU, whether that be their worksite, sector or the broader union level.
This year, two IEU(SA) members participated: Lezelle Williams and Stefanie van Gerven (pictured left to right) with Lead Organiser Meredith Farmer.
Lezelle and Stefanie spent 2 days “work shadowing “ our officers in the IEU office at Currie Street. They spent their time speaking with our our team members and learning about the various staff roles in assisting our membership. Lezelle and Stefani were able to go on the road with our Organisers and Industrial Officers to Sub-Branch and bargaining meetings in various schools.
Visiting schools with Organisers and Industrial Officers enabled Lezelle and Stefani to listen to matters in other workplaces and see how members are dealing with that, but also how the IEU is assisting and guiding members in their actions.
Lezelle and Stephanie reflect on their ASMP experience below:
I recently had the privilege of completing the Anna Stewart Memorial Project, which was an inspiring and rewarding experience. Throughout the program, I built valuable networks, made new friends, and gained a deeper understanding of union structures, member engagement, empowerment, and campaign organising. I particularly enjoyed hearing the diverse stories and experiences of fellow participants, as well as the opportunity to visit Parliament House. A standout highlight was meeting Katrine Hildyard MP, whose engaging and down-to-earth nature left a lasting impression on me. The experience has further inspired me to continue advocating for others and making a positive difference in my workplace and community – Lezelle.
The Anna Stewart Memorial Project connected me with like-minded comrades across my sector and other industries. It placed me in an active role, sitting alongside organisers and industrial officers at branch meetings and enterprise bargaining discussions. Here I was able to see the machinations of negotiations and gain clarity on the wins being achieved in workplaces across the state. Outside of the negotiation table, I was able to meet astonishing women who have contributed to the movement across their careers, like Steph Key and Katrine Hildyard. Overall, the experience challenged my existing knowledge on the movement and gave me valuable tools to build my networks across the state and embolden my colleagues to become more informed about their rights at work – Stephanie.
The IEU also hosted Jo, a Health Services Union (HSU) member for a day, and Jo observed a Sub-Branch Meeting in a school and Fair Work Commission (FWC) hearings via Zoom in our boardroom. Jo really appreciated seeing how members work together in a different industry to her industry – pathology and compare the differences and similarities of unions other than her own operate
Photo, left to right: Juliet Fuller, IEU Organsier; Jo, HSU member and Meredith.
Picture below are IEU members Lezelle and Stephanie in Parliament House with a few of the ASMP members from other unions (incl. Jo from HSU) and Katrine Hildyard MP (front centre).
Photo courtesy Katrine Hildyard MP
Want to find out more about the program?
Visit the ASMP information web page here: https://saunions.org.au/training-centre/asmp
Interested in joining the ASMP in the future?
If you are a Sub-Branch Rep or an active member in your IEU Sub-Branch and believe that this program would benefit your union leadership development, contact Meredith Farmer– meredithf@ieusa.org.au or 8410 0122.
