Communications Reference Team (CRT)
The Communications arm of the NRWC is a group of volunteer women representing each state and territory to reach, engage and promote the voice of rural women across Australia.
The group strengthens the links with existing rural women’s organisations, networks, individuals, government departments, industry bodies and rural communities in progressing issues affecting women living or working in rural, remote and regional Australia.
The following women represent NRWC in their respective states and bring to you relative information and resources. Their social media activities encourage RRR women to be more confident and speak more loudly in celebrating the achievements of rural women.
Bernice Hookey
Deeragun, QLD
Bernice Hookey, mum to 2, proud Waanyi woman is a strong advocate for Aboriginal (Indigenous) women and girls and their families.
Lives in Wulgurukaba/Bindal (Townsville) Nation where her passion in using her skills, cultural expertise and drive to support more Aboriginal (Indigenous) women in leadership and empowerment.
Serves on management committees as a board member for the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Women’s Legal Service; Women’s Centre ; Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Community Advisory Council (ATSICAC) for the Townsville Hospital Health Services and Tardiss (Disability).
Dr. Sarah Casey
Mountain Creek, QLD
Sarah Casey teaches in the School of Business and Creative Industries at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She holds a PhD about cultural change campaigns and women’s advocacy.
She comes from a fifth generation farming family in Queensland, and she is passionate about sharing stories of people living in RRR communities. Sarah is an executive member of the Australian Women’s and Gender Studies Association, the national peak body for academic research in these fields.
Philippa Rumble
Mullewa, WA
Philippa Rumble is a mother, university student and educator. She lives in Tenindewa in the Midwest of WA on a broadacre cropping farm with her family. Philippa is passionate about raising the voices of rural, regional and remote women and girls and works continuously for equity and access to education for RRR people in all life phases.
She has spoken with the NRWC's CRT at a UN Commission on the Status of Women (65) parallel event discussing how RRR Australian women overcome communication barriers.
Laura Cala
Narembeen, WA
Laura is a highly experienced professional who has a strong business background across a range of sectors in WA; including education, not for profit and financial services. She has completed a Masters of Business Management (MBM) at Swinburne University of Technology and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) (BCom) at Curtin University of Technology. Laura is currently completing a Master of Laws in Enterprise Governance at Bond University.
Laura is the Coordinator, Community Builder at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and a Board Member for Women in Farming WA. Laura farms on a mixed farming enterprise of crop and livestock in Narembeen WA with her partner Clint and puppy Charlie.
Guinevere Dickie
Manildra, NSW
Guin is a mother, a teacher, a carer and a supportive member of her small community. She is a strong advocate in relation to adult education, mental health and domestic and family violence - having recently started a domestic and family violence community action group in her electorate. She supports her community as a Justice of the Peace, on Council, Charles Sturt University and White Ribbon Committees and has received a nomination for an Australia Day award for her volunteering.
Guin specialises in Human Resources and loves working as a teacher, helping build capability and confidence in students in her community. She is currently studying her Masters in IT along with a Certificate IV in Mental Health.