A sold-out crowd gathered on Wednesday July 20 for the Queensland Trucking Association’s 11th annual International Women’s Day (IWD) Breakfast, hearing inspirational stories from a four time Olympian and the QTA Trucking Woman of the Year.
Held at Hillstone, St Lucia Golf Links, the QTA says the event is Australia’s longest running IWD breakfast acknowledging women in transport and logistics.
Four time Olympian and medallist, Tanya Harding, who is now leading the emergency response team at Transurban, shared her raw and authentic experiences as an elite athlete and being a mum. She spoke of the tough realisation that being a success in one part of your career can mean you have to work twice as hard to achieve success in the next.
Harding is one of only three softballers to have played in every Australian Olympic Team from 1996 to 2008. She pitched countless winning games for Australia, leading to medals in every Olympic appearance.
Her experience as an elite athlete provided the foundational skills required to exceed in a male dominated industry. While she has had great success in her post-retirement career, the journey wasn’t always been easy but Harding overcame significant challenges to get where she is today.
Also taking to the stage was Annastasia Denigan, HSEQ manager at Qube Bulk and 2021 QTA Trucking Woman of the Year.
Denigan has received numerous industry awards and acknowledgements during her career. As a health, safety and compliance specialist, she has faced her fair share of challenges and bias throughout her time in the industry and shared personal anecdotes and learnings about how she has come to where she is today.
“Our speakers Annastasia Denigan and Tanya Harding impressed on so many levels with their raw, honest and authentic accounts of their lives and career journeys. So fortunate to have such depth of rich talent in our transport and logistics industry,” said the QTA.
The sold out event raised over $5500 for Serving Our People, a charity established during the Covid pandemic in March 2020 to serve and support those in need – by delivering anything to anyone in need.
Representatives from the charity were on hand during the breakfast to receive the much-needed funds. This also provided an opportunity for Serving Our People to connect with transport operators who can support the cause.
Also in attendance was Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey and Shadow Minister for Transport Main Roads Steve Minnikin.
“We are extremely proud to hold this event and attract tremendous support from our sponsors and industry at another sold out event this year,” said QTA CEO Gary Mahon.
“The 2022 theme ‘Break the Bias’ can be related to many industry issues from gender diversity, through to the biased views that the public have on who and what job role make up this great industry.”