Hannah Brimstone, who completed her studies with Flinders University this year, participated in a national event alongside some of Australia’s prominent women to explore why we need more female leaders.

Ms Brimstone presented with five other New Colombo Plan scholarship winners alongside the Hon Julie Bishop, Dr April Armstrong, Lyndall Stoyles and Professor Elizabeth Croft.

Ms Brimstone was a New Colombo Plan scholar last year, spending a semester at the Divine Word University in Madang, Papua New Guinea, before undertaking a five-week internship in the Government Relations and Social Investment team at Newcrest Mining in Port Moresby.

She has completed a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice, Bachelor of Psychological Science, Diploma in Language (Indonesian), and this year completed a three-week Indonesian language course at Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana in Salatiga and a semester of study at Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta (half undertaken online due to COVID-19).

Ms Brimstone is now working as a Governance Officer at Charles Sturt University while interning remotely as a Sustainable Tourism Analyst at the Pacific Tourism Organisation in Fiji.

Her many achievements include former President of the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association (SA Chapter) and Adelaide Projects Officer for Young Australians in International Affairs. She has represented young people on various panels including at the Human Rights Film Festival in Papua New Guinea and IndoFest panel on the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) in Adelaide.

The webinar, presented by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on 28 July (12:30pm), explored the challenges and opportunities women face in the workplace and across society, leaning on the insight of community and business leaders who have gone ‘beyond the glass ceiling’ and are creating a positive legacy for the next generation.