She’s on Q named as leader in fight for financial equality
21 November 2019
5
min read
It started as a burning desire to empower women to take control of their finances. Now the QSuper team behind the popular She’s on Q initiative have been named among Queensland’s leading lights who are striving to create gender equality.
Kate Bushell and her colleagues have achieved much since launching She’s on Q (formerly Women in Business) in 2017.
Wanting to give Queensland women better access to information, education and general advice to improve their financial wellbeing, they established a program of networking opportunities that delivers financial empowerment for women by boosting their knowledge and confidence.
In the past two years, more than 1,500 women have attended She’s on Q events, with guest speakers including 2015 Australian of the Year Rosie Batty, Olympian Kitty Chiller and leading Australian broadcaster Kay McGrath.
"We wanted to bring women together to learn, be inspired and to realise they are not alone,” Kate says.
With the initiative continuing to grow in popularity, the team has been recognised among the Queensland Voices female leaders for 2019. The Queensland Voices project is delivered by Femeconomy in partnership with the Queensland Government’s Office for Women.
The facts
- On average, women retire with approximately half the level of retirement savings of men1
- 76% of women do not feel in control and confident about the future2
- 38% of women have avoided thinking about their finances as they find it too upsetting2
Financial security and empowerment can mean different things to different people. She’s on Q provides practical information and real stories and experiences to help connect women and initiate conversations that may inspire them to take control of their careers, finances and overall wellbeing.
Kate's story
Motherhood and her own experience with taking time off work proved a strong motivator for Kate Bushell when helping to establish She’s on Q with fellow QSuper colleagues.
“I understand the challenges of coming back into the workforce after taking parental leave and the impact that can have on your career and your finances,” Kate says.
“You need people in your corner to not only support you through that time but also to keep you informed of opportunities.
“Also, having a daughter, I really wanted her to see me as a role model for strong, independent women.
“You can’t be what you can’t see and we all need to see female role models who inspire us to change our own circumstances.”
One of the most important messages She’s on Q aims to deliver is simple: Open the envelopes. The first step is to understand what your financial situation is now, including how much you earn and what you spend your money on.
"The biggest change we would love to see is for women to take the time to invest in themselves,” Kate says.
“We’re all so busy with life but She’s on Q allows us to take time out for ourselves, to learn from others and build a network of like-minded people.
“If one of our events inspires someone to take time out to look at their finances, adjust their budget or change their super contributions, then we have succeeded in our purpose.”
The She’s on Q team at QSuper comprises Kate Bushell, Sally Saw, Ritu Pathak, Kate Camerlengo, Heylee Menzies and Zareena Banu.
Interested in networking with like-minded professional women?
She’s on Q is a series of events that connect and encourage professional women to improve their financial wellbeing.
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1. Source: ‘A husband is not a retirement plan.’ Achieving economic security for women in retirement report, 26 April 2016. Accessed 28/10/19 at www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Economic_security_for_women_in_retirement/Report
2. Online survey of 3554 QSuper members conducted by Ipsos on behalf of QSuper, August 2019.