$100k grants to encourage statues of Qld women

Grants of up to $100,000 are on offer to convince councils to build more statues honouring women in Queensland. WHO SHOULD THEY PICK?

Windfall grants of up to $100,000 are on offer to convince more councils to build statues honouring women in the state’s public places to combat an overrepresentation of men.

Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman has written to mayors advising them Gambling Community Benefit Fund grants normally worth up to $35,000 have been nearly tripled from February 2022 and could be used to “address representation of women and girls in Queensland’s memorial and monuments”.

WHICH QUEENSLAND WOMEN DESERVE A STATUE? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

Malia Knox, 8, with Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman

In April Ms Fentiman wrote to the state’s mayors asking them to erect more statues of Queensland women, after a campaign by a nine-year-old girl who queried why there were only three statues of women in Brisbane: suffragette Emma Miller in King George Square, and colonial governor’s wife Lady Diamantina Bowen outside Old Parliament House, and former

Australian Diamonds captain Laura Geitz at the State Netball Centre.

Laura Geitz at unveiling of her statue at the State Netball Centre

Year 4 student Malia Knox’s #femalefacesforpublicplaces project has already seen Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk change the selection criteria for the state’s public monuments, and Ms Fentiman has said Malia ha highlighted a problem worth fixing because “you can’t be what you can’t see”.

“I wish to extend my sincere thanks to yourself and all other mayors who have engaged positively with me on this issue, your leadership is to be commended,” Ms Fentiman’s letter said.

“It is my sincere hope that we can work together on projects that will demonstrate that we are making a positive difference to the lives of women and girls and embracing gender equality in Queensland.”

WHICH QUEENSLAND WOMEN DESERVE A STATUE? TELL US IN THE COMMENTS BELOW

The Gambling Community Benefit Fund – which used to be funded by gambling revenue but is now funded from general revenue – is the state’s largest one-off grant program and distributes about $59 million a year to Queensland communities.

“Eligible applicants are assessed by the Gambling Community Benefit Fund, responsible for making recommendations on awarding grant funding in line with government priorities,” the letter continues.

“Our current priorities encourage a focus on supporting local councils and organisation seeking to address gender equality and domestic and family violence in Queensland.”

Councils are encouraged to apply in their own right or to sponsor a community group.

In the past, councils have sponsored or applied for a range of projects, from children’s playgrounds and sporting field upgrades to art installations and public monuments.