Working for the Freemasons

In June 2008, Susan Williams (pictured), was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Masonic Youth Welfare Fund (MYWF), a charity run by the famous all-male fraternity, the Freemasons. Susan is the first female to hold this role and the first woman to write an editorial for their magazine.

The Freemasons are a humble bunch. For more than 80 years they have been quietly helping our nation’s most disadvantaged, giving them financial assistance and support from birth into old age. But if Susan Williams has her way, we’ll be hearing a lot more about the fraternity’s charity work in the future and in particular, their work with disadvantaged young people. Read the story »

Melbourne Mum Swaps a Career of Crime for the Beauty Business

After spending six years at university earning her degree in Criminology, Joana Calado (pictured), turned her back on crime when she became a mother. Today, the Melbourne mother of three, runs two successful online businesses, Ella Bleau Jewellery and The Beauty Club.

Joana Calado told Australian Women Online, “It took me six years of university to finish that degree and I worked at the Children’s Hospital for a little while before falling pregnant. I was working with children who were severely abused and it was a great job up until I had my first child, then I saw it from a completely different angle. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to work with the same objectivity.” Read the story »

Women’s Committee of the National Trust of Australia

There was a time in our history when if you wanted something done in your community you could call your local women’s committee to action and it would be done. But with so many women now working longer for economic reasons, the various women’s committees across the country are fighting for their own survival and that’s bad news for all of us.

The Women’s Committee of the National Trust of Australia was formed in 1961 to promote the objectives of the Trust and to raise money to support trust-owned property. Although still going strong in 2009, the Women’s Committee is aging and unless they can inspire more women to take up the cause, the committee could some day find itself on the scrapheap like so many old buildings. Read the story »

Women in Business: Bianca Kristallis from Pamper Hamper Gifts

After growing up as a hoarder of Christmas presents, Barbie Dolls, makeup and shoes, Sydney businesswoman, Bianca Kristallis (pictured), made the decision to turn her passion for detail and luxury into a career.

Tired of outdated, tacky and one-dimensional gifting options, Bianca wanted to breathe new life into the gifting service one immaculately tied ribbon at a time. Read the story »

Dodgy Products and Services Take the Prize at CHOICE Shonky Awards

Sky-high airline credit card surcharges, cereal packets which shrink in size but not price and liquid chicken stocks made from plain old powder have dominated this year’s CHOICE Shonky Awards.

The celebration of dubious, dodgy and doubtful goods and services from CHOICE also handed out gongs to a food processor which couldn’t even shred cheese and to a leading cosmetic company for its dodgy marketing claims. Read the story »