Australian Women’s Weekly celebrates Women of the Future

The Australian Women’s Weekly and AGL Energy hosted the 7th annual Women of the Future (WoTF) awards ceremony at Bennelong, Sydney Opera House yesterday.

The event celebrates some of the country’s most extraordinary young women who are making a difference. Nominees are entered across three unique categories: Innovation and Technology, Entrepreneur and Business, and Community, Health and Charity.

AWW editor Nicole Byers with Women of the Future award winners

The luncheon featured a panel discussion between Australian Banking Association chief executive officer, Anna Bligh, TV personality Amanda Keller, journalist Annabel Crabb, the City of Sydney Councillor and former MP for Wentworth Dr Kerryn Phelps, and was hosted by emcee and ABC Melbourne host Virginia Trioli. 

The panel discussed the importance of women’s reproductive rights in Australia, the power of failure and how to overcome imposter syndrome.

Women of the Future Award Winners

• 18-year-old Macinley Butson took home the Innovation and Technology award, thanks to her revolutionary invention SMART Armour that protects breast cancer patients from radiation. 
• Little Dreamers founder, Melbourne’s Madeleine Buchner, took centre stage to pick up the Community Health and Charity award.  Little Dreamers is the only not-for-profit supporting young carers.
• Geelong’s Courtney Holm won the Entrepreneur and Business category for her fashion label, A.BCH that is tackling waste in fashion.