Harvey Norman and The Weekly Times’ 8th annual Shine Awards are celebrating the outstanding but unsung achievements and contributions of rural and regional women today.
For the next three months, audiences are encouraged to nominate deserving women for the awards, ranging from innovators and change makers, quiet achievers and leaders, among countless others Australia-wide.
News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador and Herald & Weekly Times Chairman Penny Fowler said the joint initiative and partnership with Harvey Norman had shone a light on more than a thousand women and their stories since the awards began in 2017. “The Shine Awards celebrate women who make a real difference to their communities and reflect our company’s belief in creating positive change through news, advocacy and storytelling,” Fowler said.
“I want to thank Katie Page and Harvey Norman for our ongoing partnership and we encourage everyone to please nominate a deserving individual for a Shine Award”.
“In partnership with the Weekly Times, Harvey Norman has sought to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary contribution of rural and regional Australian women since 2017,” said Harvey Norman chief executive officer Katie Page.
“In the eight years’ of the Shine Awards, common qualities emerge regardless of the year, the location or the profession – tireless work ethic, innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and humility. Their stories are vastly different but each play a vital role in our Australian economic success”.
“The Shine Awards is our way of showing our gratitude. If there is a woman in your community whose contribution deserves to be recognised, whose character could motivate and inspire others, please nominate them”.
The campaign will be supported with digital and print advertisements across The Weekly Times, The Australian, The Mercury, NT News, The Townsville Bulletin and The Toowoomba Chronicle.
The Shine Awards honour women in six categories: Belief, Courage, Dedication, Grace, Passion and Spirit. A special Youth award is also given to a nominee under the age of 30 who shows great potential to become a leader in her rural community or industry.
The coverage culminates in a special 32-page Shine magazine in The Weekly Times and The Australian on Wednesday, November 27. The magazine shares stories of all the category finalists and announces the six category winners, the Youth award winner, and the overall winner.
Last year’s overall winner, Sharon Winsor, a Ngemba Weilwan woman from Mudgee, NSW, said she was “truly humbled and grateful” for winning the Shine award category and the overall national award. “Winning was an absolutely amazing achievement for me personally, my business, for the hard work of women and for my people and culture,” she said.
“I never set out to win awards in the 28 years of business. My passion and drive has come from a place of survival, desperation to break cycles and for personal healing. To win an award of this nature has ignited the fire in my belly even more, it has given me more belief in myself and a bigger recognition of my brand and purpose. I am truly humbled and grateful”.
Sharon was recognised for her ability to rise from adversity and thrive against the odds. In the early days of starting her bush food brand Indigiearth, Sharon lost her first child to stillbirth, a subject she says still is not discussed enough.
A domestic violence survivor, Sharon eventually found her way back to her work, connecting to her culture and Country as part of the healing process. Indigiearth is now a leading bush food brand that connects Australians with Indigenous culture and creates economic opportunities for Aboriginal-owned nurseries and harvesters.
The winners of each category and the Youth award will receive a $2500 voucher from Harvey Norman, and the overall Shine winner will receive $5000.
