Month: March 2026

Women reshaping industries named NSW/ACT finalists for AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award

Three inspirational women from New South Wales have been selected as finalists in the 2026 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, recognising their leadership in education, technology and workforce sustainability.

The finalists reflect the growing diversity of industries shaping regional economies, from language and cultural education to artificial intelligence and veterinary practice reform. Each finalist has taken an innovative approach to respond to emerging challenges in their field, while creating practical, long-term benefits for communities and industries beyond metropolitan centres.

The 2026 finalists are:

  • Kristie Ivone, from Albury, founder of Boas Language Academy, is building inclusive regional communities by partnering with migrants to turn language learning into a powerful bridge for connection, belonging and opportunity across regional New South Wales.
  • Emma Spartalis, hailing from Clarence Town, is founder of Spartalis Consulting, an artificial intelligence and digital capability consultancy helping organisations understand, adopt and apply emerging technologies in ethical and practical ways.
  • Sarah Golding, an Inverell veterinarian and founder of The Vet Mind Mentor, is strengthening rural veterinary services by mentoring graduate vets to build resilience, confidence and sustainable career balance.

The NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award celebrates women who are driving change through entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership, while addressing complex social, economic and workforce challenges facing regional Australia.

The 2026 NSW/ACT winner will be announced on Wednesday 22 April and will receive a $15,000 Westpac grant to support the development of a project, business or program, along with access to professional development and national alumni networks.

The NSW/ACT winner will also go on to represent the state at the national AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award later in the year.

More information about the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is available at:
Rural Women’s Award | AgriFutures Australia

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“I congratulate Kristie, Emma and Sarah on being named finalists for the 2026 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

“These women demonstrate the depth of talent, innovation and leadership that exists across regional NSW, and the important role women play in strengthening industries and communities.

“This Government is committed to supporting women who are driving positive change and creating opportunities in regional and rural NSW.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Women in regional New South Wales continue to show extraordinary leadership, resilience and creativity in the face of complex challenges.

“Congratulations to Kristie, Emma and Sarah, who are outstanding examples of women using their skills and expertise to build sustainable businesses and improve outcomes in their fields.

“As finalists in the AgriFutures NSW/ACT Awards, they are shining the light on regional women’s innovativeness and resourcefulness. It’s a great recognition of their achievements to date, and the potential they have to inspire and lead change into the future.”

AgriFutures Australia General Manager Jennifer Galloway said:

“The three New South Wales finalists of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award are leading with innovation, vision and determination to create meaningful change across rural Australia.

“They show how leadership can turn ideas into outcomes that strengthen rural industries, grow businesses and build resilient communities.

“The Award goes beyond recognition, providing women with funding, professional development and national networks to scale their ideas and deliver lasting economic, social and environmental impacts.

“By supporting these women, AgriFutures is investing in the future of rural Australia, a future shaped by bold leaders driving positive change for generations to come.”

Finalist Kristie Ivone said:

“It is a great honour to be named as a finalist alongside inspiring women championing change across regional Australia. This recognition celebrates strong regional communities, and the power of language to connect all those who choose to make regional Australia home.

Migrants make great contributions to our regional communities. I thank AgriFutures, Westpac, Women NSW and the supporters of this award for this platform to showcase the talent, diversity and vibrancy that migrants bring to the regional communities we love living in.

Each year, the award highlights inspiring women and important work that makes our regions stronger. It is an honour to be among them.”

Finalist Emma Spartalis said:

“I am deeply honoured to be named a finalist among such remarkable rural women. Every day, women across NSW and the ACT are holding together farms, businesses and communities under significant pressure. My work focuses on reducing operational strain and building practical digital capability, so rural women can lead sustainable, commercially strong businesses without sacrificing their wellbeing.”

Finalist Sarah Golding said:

“What an incredible privilege to have been named a finalist alongside such wonderful, deserving rural women, evoking much needed change within their industries. The veterinary profession is filled with highly dedicated individuals passionate about caring for our pets, wildlife & production animals. The Vet Mind Mentor initiative is committed to strengthening the resilience of our vets so they can enjoy happy, healthy careers servicing our regional communities.

I am beyond excited to see how this opportunity impacts my mission to foster a more sustainable veterinary industry, particularly for those practicing in the bush.”

Statement on Iran

Australia stands with the brave people of Iran in their struggle against oppression.

For decades, the Iranian regime has been a destabilising force, through its ballistic missile and nuclear programs, support for armed proxies, and brutal acts of violence and intimidation.

Iran directed at least two attacks on Australian soil in 2024. These appalling acts targeting Australia’s Jewish community were intended to create fear, divide our society and challenge our sovereignty. In response, Australia took the unprecedented steps of expelling Iran’s Ambassador, suspending operations at our embassy in Tehran, and listing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Our Government has sanctioned more than 200 Iranian-linked individuals, including more than 100 linked to the IRGC.

With international partners, including the United States and the G7, we have called for the Iranian regime to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Iran’s citizens. These calls have gone unheeded. Instead, the regime has instigated a brutal crackdown on its own people leaving thousands of Iranian civilians dead. A regime that relies on the repression and murder of its own people to retain power is without legitimacy.

It has long been recognised that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to global peace and security. The international community has been clear that the Iranian regime can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. The United Nations Security Council has reimposed sanctions on Iran for failing to comply with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action and the International Atomic Energy Agency Board has formally declared Iran in non-compliance with its non-proliferation safeguards obligations.

We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security.

Australian officials are closely monitoring this evolving situation. We continue to advise Australians do not travel to Iran and leave Iran as soon as possible, if it is safe to do so. Our ability to provide consular assistance in Iran is extremely limited.

Given our concerns around security in the region, we have also upgraded Australia’s travel advice for Israel and Lebanon to Do Not Travel. Australians should leave now if it is safe to do so.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has activated its Crisis Centre to provide consular support to Australians in the region.

Australians requiring urgent consular assistance can contact the Consular Emergency Centre 24/7 on 1300 555 135 in Australia or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia.

PSA backs foster care overhaul restoring accountability to child protection system

The Public Service Association of NSW (PSA) says the Minns Government’s announcement of sweeping foster care reforms, designed to rebuild accountability and transparency across a system supporting more than 13,500 vulnerable children, is a long overdue reset after years of outsourcing failures under the Permanency Support Program.

The union, which represents child protection caseworkers in the Department of Communities and Justice, said the changes recognise what frontline staff have been warning for years: when responsibility is fragmented, children fall through the cracks.

For nearly a decade, caseworkers have operated inside a system where legal responsibility remained with government while service delivery was increasingly outsourced to non-government providers.

A three-year evaluation found the model failed its core objectives, even as funding to providers climbed to around $1 billion annually and the services delivered to children declined.

The PSA said the shift to strengthen oversight, wind down existing contracts and return decision-making authority to government agencies is essential to protecting children and restoring public confidence.

The reforms will also elevate the role of foster carers, expand recruitment, strengthen performance monitoring of providers and invest further in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations so Aboriginal children can remain connected to kin, culture and community wherever possible.

The union said frontline workers understand the stakes better than anyone.

For years our union has been campaigning on behalf of our members in regard to the dysfunctional child protection system they were left managing by the former government,” said Troy Wright, PSA Assistant General Secretary.

Crucially last year in the Budget the Government committed funds to increase their salaries to a level that would address the workforce retention crisis, but the reforms announced today are the final missing piece.

The out-of-home care system in New South Wales has been subject to more bad reviews than a Bollywood musical and more report card fails than Bart Simpson.

“It offered poor outcomes and even worse value for the taxpayer.

“Non-Government Organisations were virtually being given open-ended cheques with no responsibilities, and when they couldn’t do the work because it was too difficult, the care of children was thrown back on a resource-starved public sector.

This will ensure the decision-making is placed with the Minister, Government and Department with the legal responsibility for children in care, and that accountability is placed on the service who accept the funding to provide it.”