Name: Lara Stimpson
Community, State: Nhulunbuy (Gove), NT
School: Nhulunbuy High School
Age, Grade: Year 11, 15 years old
Bio: Click here
From primary school to Prime Minister, how can we create strong pathways to power for women?
My name is Lara Stimpson, I am a 15-year-old year 11 student from Nhulunbuy, in the remote parts of East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. 700km from the nearest town, the current population is between 2,000 to 3,000 people. I’m applying for this competition because I am passionate about young women stepping up and leading their community; collecting their tribe, and placing them on the map not only because of location, but also to show the powerful women who reside all over Australia. Providing this opportunity to a young girl from this area has potential to create a desire for ‘something more’ for our women within communities of Arnhem Land. As I engage in Indigenous culture every day, I offer a valuable perspective and experience to the C2C group. The gender gap is an issue that is prevalent in areas of politics and power, but also in everyday life; the pay gap, the vulnerability, and the personal, everyday experiences that are unremarkable in nature, but powerful in significance.
Primary School to Prime Minister
Primary school to Prime Minister,
Pushing the limits, gaining the knowledge.
Practicing skills and sharing our passions,
Participating, accepting the privilege.
Pursuing dreams and seeing visions,
Partaking in events, involving ourselves.
Powerful women are the future,
Painting the future for history’s shelves.
Pending equality that we deserve,
Patience seems to be running thin.
Permanent leaders excel in their roles,
Persistent women hold talents within.
Permit opportunities and seek a challenge,
Persuade the offensive and desire the strange.
Plan the future, allow for big things,
Petition for chances, petition for change.
Plant the seed of equality,
Polish the edges of diversity.
Possess a love for all Australians,
Praise the range of ability.
Punish prejudice, preserve principle,
Empowered women, empower people.
From Primary School to Prime Minister, the best way we can create strong pathways is to empower women. Provide opportunities, or give young women the passion to seek them. Engage women, educate women, and equalize the rights of women. Teach women to embrace diversity, and to embrace themselves. These are the key ways that we can create pathways to power for Australian women. We need to promote women in power, and celebrate their successes. If Australia wants to see young women become the empowered female leaders it needs, it first needs to empower those women. We are the future leaders, and we deserve to have our voice be heard!