Revealed: 31 women of influence driving Sydney forward
In celebration of International Women’s Day, The Daily Telegraph has highlighted NSW’s most influential women. See who made the list.
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It’s been a watershed moment for women.
From Grace Tame’s appointment as the Australian of the Year in 2021, to the thousands of women who campaigned for gender equality at the Women’s March 4 Justice protests across the state.
From the dominance of Australian women at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics to the mighty rise and shock fall of Premier Gladys Berejiklian, NSW women have dominated the news cycle and changed the workings of this state.
From politics, to arts, to hospitality to sport, The Daily Telegraph is celebrating some of the state’s most influential women.
It’s a tribute to all those amazing women who have been tested like never before, and triumphed, not only for themselves but for women everywhere.
LAW AND JUSTICE
KAREN WEBB, NSW POLICE COMMISSIONER
It has only taken 232 years but NSW finally has a female police commissioner in Karen Webb. She has always been far from a “token woman”, working her way up from frontline general duties policing as a career cop.
She has led policing projects, was head of the police traffic and highway patrol and as assistant commissioner, had control of frontline commands including Police Transport Command, Aviation Command, Dog Unit, Major Events & Emergency Management Command, Marine Area Command, Mounted Unit and State Planning Unit.
She has pledged to prioritise victims of crime and community safety. While the state got its first police force back in 1789, it was 1915 when women were allowed to join and 1971 before they became detectives when they were likened to the TV show Charlie’s Angels and given police-issue handbags but not handcuffs.
SALLY DOWLING SC, NSW DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS
She took over as the state’s top prosecutor in week eight of the four-month Covid lockdown and after overseeing cases conducted remotely, Ms Dowling says she is still looking forward to meeting all her staff face-to-face when she visits the regional offices.
A barrister who had a life before the law, she dropped out of high school and worked as a waitress, a singer and a bookies clerk at racecourses before returning to complete her HSC at TAFE after three years.
As counsel assisting the government’s inquiry into the drug ice, she recommended a new policy that drug use be treated as a health and social issue rather than a criminal one and as the first female DPP, she has already introduced a formal sexual harassment policy.
In another first, she was the first prosecutor to work part-time as she helped bring up her children.
“I am supported by a talented and dedicated staff whose hard work has kept the criminal justice system on track across NSW during lockdown and I am very much looking forward to finally meeting my staff face-to-face when they return to the office,” Ms Dowling said.
CARLENE YORK, NSW STATE EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMISSIONER
Since she became the first woman to head the State Emergency Service, ex-NSW Police assistant commissioner Carlene York has become the person the community has looked to for the answers as a slew of record-breaking disasters have hit NSW.
Bushfires that led into the floods early last year, then COVID-19 and then the worst floods in 100 years, more Covid and the storm season coming around again.
“There hasn’t been a day like a normal day,” she said.
She has just been announced as the 10th president of the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services in Australia and New Zealand, both the first woman and the first SES commissioner to hold the position.
She had to hit the ground running “but the beauty of leading an agency like the NSW SES is the 10,000 plus volunteer members who are always up to the challenge whether that be fire, storm, flood, pandemic, or whatever else comes their way”.
“With this storm season looking to be just as intense as the last, I don’t foresee the pace slowing any time soon.”
PATRICIA BERGIN SC, HEAD OF THE CROWN CASINO INQUIRY
Known for being forthright and, some found to their peril, downright scary as a Supreme Court judge, Patricia “Paddy” Bergin brought those fearless traits to her role as commissioner of the Crown Casino inquiry.
In doing so, she changed the face of casinos across Australia along with James Packer’s future as a gambling mogul.
The billionaire businessman has her to thank for clearing out the ranks of “yes men” who told their boss what they thought he wanted to hear while, as he said, kept him in the dark about what was really happening.
Her inquiry confirmed that the casino business is built on money laundering and organised crime and her report sparked inquiries into Crown in Melbourne and Perth.
A former teacher who became a formidable lawyer and Supreme Court judge from 1999 until she retired in 2017, she was this year appointed an Order of Australia.
She describes being a lawyer as “the most exciting and wonderful life and one I would urge young women to pursue”.
“The exhilaration of achieving a just result for a client who has been wronged cannot be explained; nor can the intensity of emotions in awaiting a jury verdict,” she said. “These things have to be experienced to be properly appreciated.”
SOPHIE CALLAN SC, BARRISTER
She is fast becoming the go-to barrister for high-profile complex court proceedings having successfully prosecuted corrupt former MPs Ian Macdonald and Eddie Obeid and Obeid’s son Moses this year.
She moved on to Gladys Berejiklian’s team when the former premier appeared before ICAC.
Based at the prestigious 12 Wentworth Selborne Chambers, Ms Callan was also junior counsel assisting the state coroner in the inquest into the deadly Lindt siege.
Her career has been varied, but with the constant thread of cases involving the State or Commonwealth.
Becoming a barrister in 2007 before the age of 30, she was inspired by former Federal Court Judge Peter Jacobson for whom she worked as an associate.
The only lawyer in her family, she grew up in Canberra, the daughter of senior public servants and says she hopes that in her work she echoes their “intellect, thoughtfulness, pragmatism and diplomacy”.
“I enjoy the forensic challenges of litigation but also the deeply human dimension to my work: thinking carefully about the task confronting a jury, the judge, a witness or my opponent – and I also really like working with my team, drawing on our collective perspectives and hard work,” she said.
JULIANA WARNER, 2021 NSW LAW SOCIETY PRESIDENT
As president of the NSW Law Society, Juliana Warner has engineered significant change for the legal profession last year.
She successfully advocated for new magistrates in the local courts, particularly in the regions, which she acknowledges is the “frontline” of the justice system, and welcomed the appointment of eight new magistrates.
A partner in leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, she has driven initiatives to create a more diverse and inclusive legal profession including a cultural diversity guide.
She has overhauled the Charter for the Advancement of Women in the Legal Profession to focus on the promotion of women from all backgrounds and added a new provision to prompt signatories to establish fair and transparent sexual discrimination and harassment complaints procedures.
Over 300 NSW law firms and legal practices have now signed on, up from 180.
“Yes, we need to work to retain and accelerate women in the legal profession. But it needs to be part of a broader drive to ensure equality of opportunity for all members of the profession, regardless of race, ethnicity, heritage, gender, age, religion, disability, or sexual orientation,” she said.
POLITICS AND PUBLIC SERVICE
DR KERRY CHANT, NSW CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER
It’s not often that a quiet-talking doctor pulls the spotlight off the state’s biggest politicians, but that’s exactly what NSW chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant pulled off in 2021.
The top medic was quick to become the calm voice of reason that locals turned to while navigating lockdowns, cases, and hospitalisations from Covid-19.
Equally, she was valued by Health Minister Brad Hazzard and former Premier Gladys Berejiklian who turned to Dr Chant when faced by public health issues and a barrage of tough questioning from the media.
For her unparalleled efforts to save lives, Dr Chant was named NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year and Women of Excellence in March – two months before she faced the even bigger battle of tackling the second wave of the virus.
Her success in defeating the Delta strain led her constituents to design T-shirts, candles and other memorabilia in her honour. Her influence is perhaps most evident in the outcry from NSW residents when new Premier Dominic Perrottet didn’t invite her to his press conferences.
JODI MCKAY, FORMER LEADER OF NSW LABOR
She may have resigned from her role as leader of the opposition, but Jodi McKay’s influence is palpable on both sides of politics.
Through the first half of 2021, NSW got to witness two leading women face off in state politics, a sight that has been sorely missed since the departure of Ms McKay and her opponent Gladys Berejiklian later in the year.
But despite stepping down from Macquarie Street in October, Ms McKay’s impact hasn’t dulled with Premier Dominic Perrottet openly praising “Jodi’s Labor” in question time against her successor Chris Minns.
In her 15 years in politics, the Strathfield MP championed internal reform in the Labor Party and was a hit with multicultural communities. Ms McKay told The Daily Telegraph that she hopes trust and integrity are her legacy in politics.
“I hope that I have demonstrated that there are good people in politics who stand on principle. I have always been true to myself and tried to do what is right, regardless of the consequences,” she said.
Gladys Berejiklian, 45th Premier of NSW
Gladys Berejiklian held the highest office in state government long before she became a daily fixture on TV screens around NSW.
But her daily 11am Covid briefings and success in keeping NSW’s economy and health system intact through the pandemic saw her rise to new heights of popularity.
Although an investigation by the Independent Commission Against Corruption may have soured the end of her career – there is little doubt over her immense influence in NSW politics.
Ms Berejiklian was the state’s first popularly elected female premier making her a role model for women in politics and young girls around the country.
Under her leadership, NSW soared to reach vaccination milestones with the state’s reopening taking place just weeks after her resignation.
She resigned amid a corruption investigation into whether she breached public trust by not declaring her relationship with former Wagga MP Daryl Maguire and if she allowed or encouraged his allegedly corrupt dealings.
Ms Berejiklian has denied wrongdoing and said she was not aware of any of Mr Maguire’s allegedly corrupt conduct.
But her popularity has continued even after she left Macquarie Street, and she was touted as a popular candidate for federal politics with the support of Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Bronnie Taylor, Minister for Women and Nationals Deputy Leader
Candid, warm, and unrelenting in her pursuit to secure projects for her portfolios – Minister for Women and Deputy Leader of NSW Nationals, Bronnie Taylor has had a stellar 2021.Ms Taylor was voted in unopposed as the first female deputy leader of her party in 100 years.
Party insiders were passionate in their support of the former nurse to take the role of second-in-charge – which has made her the highest-ranking woman in the cabinet.
Since taking the role, Ms Taylor has been unafraid to champion more female participation in politics including backing Nichole Overall for the seat of Monaro despite many wanting her to put herself forward for that job.
Ms Taylor has been among the top performers in the Perrottet regime, securing funding for women fleeing domestic violence and mental health under the Premier.
She has also been influential in promoting out-of-the-box solutions including the introduction of flying suicide squads to help students in the bush and considering supporting public patients in accessing private treatment for eating disorders.
“I’ve done things really differently. I’m not afraid to play outside the usual space. I wanted to get school nurses up and going and no one would support me, and now we have about 100,” she told The Daily Telegraph.
“Mental health is really firmly on the agenda. I feel really proud of that, no one has talked more about mental health.”
MARISE PAYNE, FOREIGN MINISTER AND FEDERAL MINISTER FOR WOMEN
In her role as the highest-ranking woman in the federal government as well as federal Minister for Women, Marise Payne oversees the changes that thousands of women marched for earlier this year.
Ms Payne has also been influential in her role as the second female foreign Minister, navigating challenging international dynamics during the global pandemic.
Her more recent championing of a fast-tracked path for pacific island workers to come to Australia saw the perfect collaboration of her two portfolios. The move not only supported farmers but also empowered women in the Pacific to head to Australia and learn skills they can take back to their own countries.
Despite being a federal MP, Ms Payne’s influence in NSW remains consistent through her partner, NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres.
Mr Ayres has described Ms Payne as his inspiration and a dedicated fighter for their community of Western Sydney. Away from politics, the pair are known as horse racing enthusiasts.
Ms Payne said she was especially proud of her role in evacuating 4000 people on 32 defence flights from Taliban-held Afghanistan.
“(It was) one of the most extraordinary humanitarian airlift operations in our history. A truly wonderful display of Australian spirit and courage,” she said.
“2021 has been a period of extraordinary change and challenge, including strategic competition, economic disruption, and of course, COVID-19.
“It was important that an Australian voice was clearly heard on the world stage to protect and advance our national interests.”
BUSINESS
KATIE PAGE, HARVEY NORMAN CHIEF EXECUTIVE
At the start of the month Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.
The honour from the Queensland University of Technology pointed to her role in the growth of the Harvey Norman network, founded by husband Gerry Harvey, which now spans 300 stores across eight countries.
It also cited her contribution to women’s sport and thoroughbred sales.
Any one of those roles would be enough for a normal person but Ms Page manages them all – turning the Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast into a week-long celebrity studded festival of everything equine that begins with royalty attending and even playing in the polo and culminating with a $10 million plus race day.
In an interview for the Gold Coast Women of the Year awards last year she said growing up in the country and learning to deal with failure had prepared her for corporate life.
“Gerry and I fail at a lot of stuff but we get up and we keep going – it doesn’t knock us around. We accept that we got it wrong and then you keep working on it,” she said.
ELIZABETH ANN MACGREGOR, MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART DIRECTOR
Before Covid hit and closed down the world, the Museum of Contemporary Art at Circular Quay announced it had welcomed more than one million visitors for the fourth year in a row making it the most visited contemporary art museum in the world.
The author of that success is outgoing director Liz Ann Macgregor.
“Having started my career driving a bus around Scotland taking exhibitions on the road, I have a great belief that contemporary art should and could be for everyone,” she explained to The Art Newspaper when the figures were announced.
When she took over in 1999 the MCA was attracting just 100,000 visitors a year and was on the brink of bankruptcy.
She axed the admission fee and set about making the art accessible to everyone. Ms Macgregor is handing over the reins to internationally respected museum director Suzanne Cotter in January and leaving her with big boots to fill.
MCA chairman Lorraine Taraby said: “There has been no greater advocate for contemporary art in Australia than Liz Ann Macgregor over the last two decades. She has changed the cultural fabric of our nation and made the MCA the most visited contemporary art museum in the world with her sheer tenacity, hard work and passionate belief that it is for everyone. We owe her a huge debt.”
MELANIE PERKINS, CANVA FOUNDER
At just 34-years-old Melanie Perkins has been named the second wealthiest woman in Australia and the youngest running a tech company.
Canva, the Sydney based online design company she co-founded in 2013, is worth $40 billion and has 55 million monthly users ranging from individuals to giant companies. She did it through a never-say-die style of determination.
She took up kitesurfing because it would help her hang out with Silicon Valley venture capitalist Bill Tai on Richard Branson’s private Caribbean island.
She eventually needed rescuing from the water but told Forbes magazine: “It was like, risk: serious damage; reward: start company.” And after rejection by around 100 investors she was relentless in sealing the deal.
“If you get your foot in the door just a tiny bit, you have to kind of wedge it all the way in,” she said.
Perkins is also a modern entrepreneur with a conscience. A 30 per cent stake of the company has been donated to a charity that aims to eliminate poverty – so far that donation is worth $12 billion.
KIM JACKSON, SKIP CAPITAL FOUNDER
Skip Capital’s Kim Jackson is an outspoken champion of women in business. Picking up the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman Award two years ago she railed against the lack of women on boards and in CEO positions.
She runs private investment firm Skip Capital with her husband, billionaire Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar who filmed her receiving the award from Hollywood celebrity Kate Bosworth on his mobile phone.
Since then the pandemic has hit and Ms Jackson has broadened Skip’s focus beyond start-ups to infrastructure with a focus on solar and wind projects, recycling infrastructure and aged care. Again, with women in the forefront.
“I’m no stranger to being the only woman in the room, so I’m proud that around half of Skip Capital’s start-up investments are led by female leaders today. We can be the change,” she said.
JEN RUSSELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF W.SHORT GROUP
The Glenmore Hotel and The Australian Heritage Hotel at The Rocks. The Royal Leichhardt. The Tudor Hotel in Redfern.
They are just some of the iconic Sydney pubs owned by The W. Short Group and at the helm of the hospitality empire is Managing Director Jen Russell.
Russell, who describes herself as someone with a passion for food, booze and travel, has not only navigated her company through the toughest two years the hospitality industry has ever seen, but she’s done it with the goal of championing women in leadership and celebrating the enormous value they bring to the hospitality industry.
“2020-21 has been the most challenging period of my professional career. It was truly the most unprecedented of times and there was an enormous responsibility on business leaders to guide their staff through the uncertainty, providing as much support and stability as possible. That was certainly difficult in a devastated industry like hospitality, however great communication was key as was a good dose of grit and resilience,” Russell said.
“I’m really excited for the summer ahead and for what the next 12 months will bring … It’s been so reassuring for us to see people flock back to their local pub as they seek out that social interaction that was so greatly missed during lockdown. Despite all the challenges thrown our way, I could think of no industry I’d rather be in.”
BREE TILL, VETERANS COUNSELLING SERVICE OPEN ARMS
It has been a long and difficult road since Bree Till’s husband Brett “JT” Till died while defusing an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2009 while she was pregnant with their son Ziggy, now 11.
She has overcome grief and financial problems to become a peer worker at veterans counselling service Open Arms where she helps others while also working to establish and support the program nationally.
“My challenge over the last year has been balancing the capacity to influence my community individually through direct support, with the investment of influencing policies, practices and programs systemically.
“Somewhere in there is my role as a homeschool teacher, therapist, nurse, student, advocate, handyman, mother and a human in my own right,” she said, before quipping: “Don’t be disillusioned though, the bar was set low on most accounts.”
She believes the pandemic has been a “leveller” that has also given many a greater understanding of mental health issues.
“The pandemic has granted us an opportunity for compassion and empathy for mental health, through shared experiences of stress, loss and uncertainty,” she said.
“Let’s use this opportunity to reduce the stigma and barriers to accessing mental health and wellbeing services. Let’s remember our role individually and collectively to ask the difficult questions, be kind and be vulnerable, and invest in what it is to be human.”
MARGY OSMOND, TOURISM AND TRANSPORT FORUM CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Throughout the pandemic Margy Osmond has been a tireless advocate for a traditionally resilient tourism industry that was taken to its knees by the pandemic.
But she did not stop with advocating purely for her tourism base, instead bringing together other bodies within the sector – hoteliers, retailers, event organisers – to maximise that voice at a time when so many were clamouring to be heard.
“I think the pandemic has seen a lot of people find and use their voice,” Ms Osmond said. She said the tourism, hospitality, aviation and transport sectors were normally so resilient but had now endured massive upheaval.
And for Ms Osmond the fight is only just beginning.
“It is a real privilege to be in the ‘hope and recovery’ business now on their behalf …. it puts a real spring in your step when you get up each day knowing your job is to make a difference for them and the people they employ,” she said.
“Advocacy is always a tough gig but made so much more important during times like these. It is a great feeling knowing you can help.”
ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA
ZOE FOSTER BLAKE, AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF GO-TO
The former journalist turned author and skin queen certainly has influence, and it’s not just because she’s got close to 800,000 followers on Instagram. Foster Blake founded company Go-To.
She describes the products as being beloved because it’s “uncomplicated, easy to use, fun, useful, genuinely effective and 100 per cent free from bullsh*t,” which also sounds like how she’d describe herself.
Foster Blake and the products she makes has becomes synonymous with sell out products (when she launched her invisible-zinc, the website crashed!) so much so that earlier this year she sold a majority stake in the company in August for $89 million.
It’s not just the company that is so beloved - Foster Blake, who has just released a new children’s book Scaredy Bath, herself is so popular that Tourism Australia signed her and husband Hamish Blake as ambassadors.
ALLISON LANGDON, TODAY HOST
The 60 Minutes journalist and presenter took the helm of Channel 9’s breakfast show in 2020 - a time when the flagship program had been struggling in the ratings thanks to a revolving door of hosts.
Since then, alongside Karl Stefanovic, the two have clawed their way back through the ratings so much so that on some days in 2021 they beat rival Sunrise.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve managed to do in the past two years,” Langdon tells Stellar In Summer.
“What we’ve done well is hit the hard stories, but we can also shift gears really well. Karl has been wonderful as a co-host, holding my hand through this because a lot of this was new to me. And I think he’s the best in the business.”
ERIN MOLAN, RADIO HOST
Molan might be better known for her work as a sports presenter and breakfast radio host on Sydney’s 2DAYFM, but this year the 38-year-old used her influence to change legislation in this country.
After suffering mercilessly at the hands of online trolls for years, Molan, the daughter of Liberal Senator Jim Molan, advocated to have a world first law introduced which saw tough punishments and hefty fines introduced for those who abuse or threaten harm online.
“I’ll always remember the first ever NRL Footy Show I did and coming off air and just being swamped with tweets and commentary online. Most were lovely and supportive, some were just mean and that’s part and parcel. But then there were the others. The threats to rape me, kill me and sometimes even worse,” Molan said.
“I understood and accepted that being in the public eye comes with a level of public scrutiny and commentary but I could never accept that someone, anonymously, was able to send me something horrific that resulted in me fearing for my safety. When I decided to lobby the government for change I could never have imagined that down the track I’d be at Parliament House for the official announcement that new laws were being introduced.”
In July the Australian parliament passed the Online Safety Bill.
The mother of one said, “I’ve always tried to make a difference and to use the platform I have to help others.”
“The driving factor for me in this whole fight was my daughter. Those young Australians, vulnerable people who are subjected to abuse and don’t have support networks in place. Families who have lost loved ones – whether that be to suicide or horrific attacks that began with an interaction online between an anonymous predator and a child.
“We are all impacted by what happens online – this isn’t just about social media – every single Australian can have their life ruined by things that occur online.”
ELSA PATAKY, ACTOR
Known for her roles in the juggernaut Fast and Furious franchises, the Australian based actor famously pressed pause on her career to raise her three children to husband Chris Hemsworth. But now those children are getting older, (India is nine, while twin boys Sasha and Tristan are six) Pataky is having a career resurgence.
The 45-year-old filmed three movies this year; Benjamin Millepied’s Carmen (a modern retelling of the opera), Russell Crowe’s Poker Face alongside brother-in-law Liam Hemsworth and author Matthew Reilly’s big screen directorial debut Interceptor.
In the later, Pataky will play the lead role and it’s being tipped as one of Netflix’s biggest releases for 2022.
But it’s her role as mother that Pataky still feels is the most important, telling Body and Soul, “I really liked being with the kids. I wanted to take them to school and pick them up every day. I just love that moment.
“I didn’t grow up with my parents [around] and I missed that so much so I want to give that to my kids,” she said. “I love acting but having balance is important to me.”
NAT BARR, SUNRISE HOST
Journalist Natalie Barr has come a long way since doing her cadetship at community newspaper The Wanneroo Times in her home state of WA.
She took over from Sam Armytage as co-host of top rating breakfast TV show, Sunrise, earlier this year, sitting beside David Koch on the panel show that discusses everything from natural disasters to politics and the best coffee in town.
Having been a part of the show for 16 years, Barr is one of the most recognised faces on Australian television.
She has also worked extensively in the United States, while some of her big stories for Sunrise have included covering the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Manchester bombings, the inauguration of US President Barack Obama and the US elections of Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
Keeping it low key outside of work, Barr loves nothing more than spending time with her hubby Andrew and their two sons, Lachlan and Hunter.
“It is funny because I still don’t feel old enough to be influential,” Barr said. “But I’ll take it and say thank you and know that we’re all just getting up in the morning and doing our best aren’t we? The more we all support the younger women and men who come after us, the stronger we will all be.”
DEBORAH KNIGHT, RADIO HOST
She’s one of very few females at the conservative 2GB radio station, however that hasn’t stopped Deborah Knight being one of the network’s most popular hosts.
The former Today host has had her most successful ratings year behind the microphone, with her afternoon show the number one across the state.
Knight has also recorded her highest ratings ever since she started close to two years ago.
Being female, a mother and at 48-years-old one of the younger presenters on the network, she’s changing the face of traditional conservative radio.
Not to mention doing this alongside her role as hosting A Current Affair on Friday and Saturday nights.
“What an honour to be included in this list! I have the best job in the world. and I’m so thrilled audiences are enjoying both shows as much as they are,” Knight said.
NAKKIAH LUI, WRITER AND ACTOR
When fashion magazine Harpers Bazaar relaunched in Australia in September, they chose the Gomeroi and Torres Strait Islander actor and writer Lui to be their cover star.
It was the culmination of years of hard work and fight for recognition for Lui, who has become the ultimate slashie.
While in the past she’s written plays (STC’s Black is the new White and Blackie Blackie Brown: The traditional owner of Death), this year saw Lui’s TV work come to fruition. Her latest is six-part AACTA Award nominee comedy, Preppers, which she writes and stars in, focusing on the crazy world of those who prep for the end of days.
She was also a contributing writer to season two of global television hit The Great, starring Elle Fanning.
She uses her platform to champion anyone who has felt small and unseen. On her cover Lui wrote, “If this fat little Aboriginal girl from Mt Druitt is getting to live her dreams, you can as well. You deserve it. You deserve the world.”
CELESTE BARBER, ACTOR AND SOCIAL MEDIA STAR
Over 8 million people follow Tweed Heads based actor and comedian Celeste Barber online and in the last couple of years Barber has used that platform to do more than make people laugh.
In 2020 she raised $51m in her bushfire fundraiser, and this year Barber turned her attention to debunking myths from anti-vaxxers about the Covid vaccine and calling out the Prime Minister Scott Morrison for the slow vaccine rollout.
This is alongside her usual humorous posts which highlight the absurdity of celebrities use of social media which often making women feel bad about their bodies.
Which is part of the reason Barber signed on to be an MCo Beauty ambassador this year saying, “A lot of the time brands and the people who endorse those brands take themselves so bloody seriously, when really makeup is just supposed to be fun and accessible.”
Her take is clearly one women subscribe too: just hours after being announced as the face of the makeup brand in February, products sold out in Woolworths across the country.
MCo Beauty founder Shelley Sullivan said Barber is real and honest. “We only work with people who are relatable, who are 100% authentic and real and don’t take themselves too seriously and Celeste is exactly that.”
SAM ARMYTAGE, CHANNEL 7 TELEVISION PRESENTER
Sam Armytage has moved on from her early morning starts on breakfast television. After winning over fans with her frank and sometimes controversial views on Sunrise, the TV journalist is now focusing on the next phase of her work life.
In 2022, she will hit prime time TV on Farmer Wants A Wife, and will be the main anchor on Seven’s coverage of the major horse racing events like The Everest. She is also host of hit podcast, Something to Talk About, in partnership with The Sunday Telegraph’s Stellar magazine.
With a career spanning more than two decades, Armytage is as comfortable interviewing world leaders as mucking out a stable at her country property.
“I’m very flattered to be included in this list,” Armytage said. “I try to just be myself and enjoy my life. I don’t need to live a big life, as I’ve shown by stepping away from TV this year. My health and happiness are the most important things. I like to be proud of what I’m producing, make it interesting and be inquisitive.”
ABBIE CHATFIELD, TELEVISION PERSONALITY
Once labelled the ‘villain’ of reality dating show The Bachelor, Abbie Chatfield has emerged as a real player in the modern Australian media landscape.
With a hugely successful podcast – It’s A Lot – and not afraid to prolifically share her sometimes controversial opinions on social media, Chatfield has cemented herself as a social commentator.
She is a force to be reckoned with, bravely taking on the anti-vax movement and also tackling issues like online bullying and body shaming.
“Having influence within Australia has allowed me to have important conversations,” Chatfield said.
“I hope to continue making a positive influence and bringing awareness to important issues. I aim to keep learning and further understanding the importance that comes with a platform such as mine.”
ROXY JACENKO, PUBLICIST AND ENTREPRENEUR
Polarising publicist Roxy Jacenko doesn’t mince her words. It means she’s equally respected but also a slightly intimidating force in the media world.
Jacenko has not only built up her communications agency, Sweaty Betty, but is a regular commentator on television and has appeared on a number of reality shows.
She is respected for her honest, yet sometimes brutal assessment on popular culture.
Her daughter, Pixie, is just 10 but also oversees an empire of children’s toys – Pixie’s Fidgets, an e-commerce store.
“I’ve never thought of myself as a woman of influence as such, my main aim is always to be honest, straightforward and at the end of the day, to be myself,” Jacenko said. “I think people appreciate and respond to that more than anything else.”
JACKIE O, KIIS FM BREAKFAST RADIO HOST
When it comes to star power and influence in radio, there is no bigger name than Jackie ‘O’ Henderson. A survivor in a ruthless industry, Jackie O has thrived alongside KIIS breakfast co-host Kyle Sandilands.
While ‘King Kyle’ is the outspoken one, Jackie O is often the voice of reason and is respected and much loved in doing so. She’s a TV star in her own right too, appearing as a judge on hit Channel 10 reality series, The Masked Singer.
Jackie O started in radio at the age of 19, scoring her first job in radio doing her famous ‘O News’ segment on Triple M in Adelaide. Now, she’s a superstar with top billing in the industry.
“I think the most important thing for me is that I am honest and that people can relate to things that I am going through because whenever I hear someone going through something that I think I am the only one experiencing, it makes me feel better when I hear somebody else’s flaws,” Jackie O said.
“It has always been important to me to just be a warts and all kind of presenter and not worry what people think. Success came so slowly for me, it was a real drip feed so I think that is why I try not to think about it to much, as well because I am generally not that kind of person. But I am proud of how far I have come and I do pinch myself sometimes with that.
“It is a real honour to be able to speak to so many people who listen daily and love the show, it is a very loyal audience and if I can relate to them in some way, or make someone’s shitty situation feel better because they know that they are not alone, then that is the stuff I love.”
EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW, CHANNEL 7’S SUNRISE
Sunrise favourite Edwina Bartholomew has worked her way up the ranks of television, starting out as a guest greeter to producer and then on-air talent.
Much loved for her friendly and candid approach on both television and social media, Bartholomew has travelled the world and interviewed everyone from political leaders to Hollywood celebrities.
She has been a regular on the red carpet at all of the big entertainment awards, from the Oscars to the Golden Globes and covered big news events, including the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
“What a list!” Bartholomew said. “How wonderful to be included in such celebrated company. I work with and know so many wonderful women. There could be 100+ incredible names on this list. I struggle to influence a two-year-old at home but it is nice to know I supposedly wield influence elsewhere.”
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