Noosa Mayor Clare Stewart has received a special commendation recognising her prevention and awareness work for domestic and family violence in the Noosa Shire.
Cr Stewart received the recognition for the Local Government Association of Queensland’s (LGAQ) third annual Alison Woolla Memorial Award for Local Leadership in Preventing Domestic and Family Violence.
The award recognises anti-violence leadership in the Queensland community, in honour of Alison Woolla, a pioneering former Mayor of Aurukun Shire Council and dynamic reform leader, who provided remarkable leadership and support for members of her community when they were experiencing abuse.
The winner of this year’s Alison Woola Memorial Award was presented to long-term Townsville resident Kellie Bowie who opened her home to members of the LGBTIQ community experiencing domestic and family violence for emergency housing.
Cr Stewart’s nomination for which she received a special commendation came from the Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council at the Premier’s Department.
The nomination by the DFV Prevention Council cited Cr Stewart had brought strong public focus to the issue of DFV across the Noosa Shire.
“Clare has brought a strong public focus of the issue of domestic and family violence across the Noosa local government area,” the nomination stated.
“A genuine leader, since being elected as Mayor of Noosa Shire, Clare has worked tirelessly to raise community awareness of DFV and prioritise Council’s response in the workplace and local government area.”
Beneficiary of the 2021 Mingle of the Mayor Ball and referee of the DFV Prevention Council’s nomination, SunnyKids CEO Kathleen Hope said Cr Stewart has been instrumental in raising awareness in the DFV space.
“Proceeds from the Mingle with the Mayor fundraiser allowed us to more than double our services to Noosa Shire residents experiencing DFV,” Kathleen said.
“Mayor Clare Stewart has not only driven the conversation of DFV with compassion and determination but has rallied the community to take responsibility for a safer future for families.”
Cr Stewart said she was incredibly humbled by the recognition.
“Domestic violence. We all hate it and we all want to eradicate it. It’s a disease destroying so many lives,” she said.
“In Noosa, we are told incidents of domestic violence have increased by nearly 50 per cent since Covid. Our women and children are sleeping in their cars, sleeping on friend’s couches and even worse returning back to the perpetrators because it’s safer.
“Our local police are spending around 40 per cent of their working lives on incidents relating to DV. These stats are frightening but they are real.
“Supporting Noosa’s domestic and family violence response is a Noosa Council priority.
“This award is a grateful recognition of the work we, as a community, are doing but there is still so much more to do.”
