Women pay tribute to each other at this year's 2015 Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards

ERIN Molan has also unfairly endured her fair share of criticism over the years, but she says it was Delta Goodrem who helped her when she needed it most.

Cosmo Awards

ERIN Molan, for all her achievements, has also unfairly endured her fair share of criticism over the years, but she says it was Delta Goodrem who helped her when she was struggling.

Speaking at the Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless, Female Awards, the Channel 9 sports presenter and Footy Show host said it was an unexpected call from her idol that saved her one day.

“About six months ago, I know its hard to believe but sometimes people can be mean on social media and I copped a little bit of a spray and my boss had told Delta (about it) when he had a meeting with her,” she told the room of 120 women.

“I was driving to work and my phone started ringing and it was Delta and I’m very fangirl when it comes to Delta,” she added, “and she honestly, having met me once on the Footy Show, spent 40 minutes on the phone to me, reassuring me, encouraging me, telling me ‘people on the streets say lovely things, people online say horrible things’ and I tell you what, I think I’m quite strong, but I was struggling and honestly made my life so much more pleasurable. Not only does she talk the talk but she walks the walk.”

Delta Goodrem.

Erin Molan.

The sentiment almost summed up the day, with each and every award recipient echoing how it was other women that they owed their greatest achievements to.

Sylvia Jeffreys, who won the TV Personality of The Year, thanked her co-host Lisa Wilkinson and Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne, for inspiring her.

“Lisa, my master, me the grasshopper, she holds my hand every day,” Jeffreys said, before adding: “Michelle Payne, I accosted you on the way in because what you did in the Melbourne Cup is proof to young girls that victory is so much sweeter when you’ve worked hard for it, so well done to you.”

Love Child star and indigenous actress Miranda Tapsell also delivered one of the most heartfelt and honest speeches of the day.

“It’s interesting when younger women say to me ‘you’re so brave, I wish I could be brave like you’, I’ve never felt brave in the moments where I’ve had to be fearless, I’ve always just focused on saying and doing things to the best of my ability, and trying not to let my head get in the way.

Miranda Tapsall.

Sylvia Jeffreys.

“I’ve always needed to be honest about what I think is right and fair and it brings me a lot of joy to see so many women to agree with me, if I can use my platform to give courage to other women to do the same then I will continue to keep speaking up. Being brave isn’t what makes us special because we are all brave, it's the path we lay out for others that makes us special.”

Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who was this year’s Hall of Fame honoree, said she hoped people were more interested in the next female Prime Minister’s achievements, rather than what she wore.

“Let me assure you, my aim is not to be Australia’s only female prime minister, I want to be the first of many to come,” she said.

“I am very confident we are going to get to that place.”

Of being inducted into the Hall of Fame she said: “I’m delighted but in an Aussie girl kind of way maybe I should say I’m truly stoked, I’m truly chuffed.”

Julia Gillard and Lisa Wilkinson.

Today host Lisa Wilkinson paid tribute to Ms Gillard, saying she has relentlessly fought for equality and fought for women’s education.

“She has a fearless and unflinching commitment to women’s rights to someone who always puts women's needs at the top of the agenda and is an inspiration to the next generation of Australian women.”

Emma Freedman, recipient of the Radio Presenter of The Year award, also waxed lyrical about our first ever female Prime Ministrer.

“I’ve had a very interesting year,” Freedman began, before adding, “I’m excited to hear Julia chat as well because sometimes bad things happen, which happened to me and I know that you will shed a lot of light on that because it’s not what happens, it’s what you do next, I look up to you.”

Lisa Wilkinson.

Julia Gillard.

Other 2015 Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Females included: Social Media Star and Woman of The Year — Kayla Itsines, Singer — Delta Goodrem, Fashion Designer — Samantha Wills, Girl Boss — Showpo owner, Jane Lu, Game Changer — Katrina Keshishian, Sportswoman — Paralympian Ellie Cole.

Winners were joined by guests including: actress Jodi Gordon, celebrity make up artist Max May, designer Alice McCall, actresses Anna Bamford and Bonnie Sveen, model Robyn Lawley, magazine publisher Marina Go, Bachelorette and radio host Samantha Frost, world champion surfer Layne Beachley and singer Samantha Jade.

Tessa James.

Samantha Frost and Emma Freedman.

Originally published as Women pay tribute to each other at this year's 2015 Cosmopolitan Fun Fearless Female Awards