Louise Miller-Frost (Boothby, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to congratulate Deirdre Flynn, client services manager of Catherine House, for her Backbone Award at the SA Woman Awards over the weekend. Deirdre is a social worker by trade, and she has worked at Catherine House since 1999—23 years of making a difference to the lives of women experiencing homelessness in South Australia. Deirdre's one of those quiet achievers that our society depends upon, with her understanding of the issues affecting women experiencing homelessness and her knowledge of the services and the ways that women can rebuild their lives so that they not only exit homelessness but also exit permanently. Countless women have found housing, addressed health issues and addressed legal issues. Some, having left high school, now find themselves with university scholarships. They've reunited with family and with children, set up businesses and rebuilt their lives. We know that women account for 43 per cent of people experiencing homelessness and that women 55 and over are the fastest growing demographic experiencing homelessness in Australia.

Deirdre and the team at Catherine House are part of the solution, one woman at a time, that is changing lives and rebuilding lives. SA Woman Awards are community based awards, with community nominations and votes. It's fantastic to see someone who truly makes a difference in the lives of others being recognised in this way.

See this speech in context