Welcome
The Victorian Government recognises and values the fundamental roles women play in strengthening and sustaining family farms, businesses and communities. The Department of Planning and Community Development supports networking between rural women through the Rural Women's Network. Involvement in the Network is informal. You can become involved in many different ways, for example by subscribing or contributing to the network newsletter (see below), reading about regional events and forums and contacting us with your feedback about rural women's issues.
Minister's Message
"I am very pleased to welcome the Rural Women’s Network to the Women’s Affairs portfolio in the Department of Planning and Community Development. In its twenty-one year history the Rural Women’s Network has been engaging, supporting and connecting rural women. This valuable work will continue.
"Women from rural and regional Victoria play a crucial role in their families and communities, and have a long tradition of supporting each other. At a time when women’s ability to continue this support is being challenged by the impacts of drought and rising fuel costs, it is especially important that government offer support to keep women and communities connected.
"I look forward to hearing the voices and needs of women across rural and regional Victoria through initiatives such as the Network Newsletter. I welcome the opportunity for all Victorian women to continue to have an active and influential role in advising government about decisions which affect their lives. I look forward to working with you to improve the lives of women across Victoria."
- Maxine Morand MP, Minister for Women’s Affairs
Read our Network Newsletter
Network is a free newsletter circulated four times a year, and is primarily written by rural and regional women about issues affecting them. A survey of the newsletter’s readers found that most people have received the newsletter for at least five years and that its readership totals around 36,000.
The Winter 2008 edition of the newsletter with its theme ‘Making the net work’ is out now. Read the latest edition of the Network newsletter (PDF 2872 kb) or (Word 253 kb).
Contribute to the next newsletter
Meanwhile, we welcome contributions for the Spring edition. The theme is ‘Women and Money’. Understanding how money can work for you can give you more choice about how you live your life. Dealing with credit, budgeting, saving, investing and managing debt can often be a challenge. For women, life stages such as leaving school, finding a job, retirement, divorce, succession planning on the farm, widowhood and maternity leave can all impact upon financial independence and security.
We want to know - how do you teach your kids to manage money? How do you plan for your retirement? What does financial security mean to you? What does financial freedom mean for you? Do you live for today, or do you save for a rainy day? What did you learn about money as a child? What are your best money saving tips? Has seeking financial advice helped you get your finances on track?
We'd love to hear your stories, so drop us a line and share your experiences. The deadline for articles is 6 October 2008.
Contribute to the Network
The Rural Women’s Network is shaped by its participants, so why not share your stories, information and experiences? The network welcomes the ideas of women from different backgrounds, experiences and cultures. See how you can contribute to the Network.
Feedback
We always welcome ideas and suggestions about the website, the newsletter or the Network in general. Please contact us with your thoughts.