It will take more than 15 minutes in the media spotlight to raise public awareness around issues of concern to older women. You can catch us in action below!
The aged care system has a number of problems. But there's one that has been silenced for too long.
May, 2023
When it comes to older Australians and the topic of sex and consent, Older Women’s Network’s (OWN) CEO Yumi Lee said it’s a topic we can find challenging to navigate.
Cooma locals say tasering of elderly woman 'disgusting', as police review footage
ABC NEWs
May 20, 2023
OWN NSW Chair, Beverley Baker, expresses her outrage that a taser was used against an elderly and frail woman.
Integrated care pathways for bone health in aged care settings: Australia
Economist Impact
Dec, 2022
Yumi Lee, CEO OWN NSW, adds her perspective into Aged Care and osteoporosis to a paper focused on applying insights into care pathways for bone health.
National Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Recovery Alliance Conference
WINNEWS
May 4, 2023
Survivors of domestic violence are often forced to choose between living with abuse, or living in poverty. Experts and advocates from across Australia meet at the first National Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Recovery Alliance Conference in Wollongong.
‘We Are Invisible’: Why Older Women Need to Be Included in Conversations About Consent
Lifehacker
2 May, 2023
Yumi Lee on on why the series Asking For It on SBS is so important and why discourse on consent and sexual assualt should be an older person’s conversation too.
#OlderWomenCount campaign demands we must respect older women more
Hello Care
Mar 08, 2023
This International Women’s Day, artists and older people advocacy groups have banded together to start the #OlderWomenCount social media campaign, aimed to change culture, combat inequalities and promote respect for older women
Labor social housing bill not enough to address older women homelessness spike, advocates say
ABC NEWS
22 Feb, 2023
Yumi Lee is not satisfied with the housing options on offer.
Six Underrepresented, Unheard Voices In Australia’s Gendered Violence Problem
Elle Australia
27 April, 2022
In order to understand Australia’s sexual violence problem, we need to listen to all voices.
NSW govt declines shift on 'cruel' policy
APP
30 Jan, 2023
The NSW government has rejected a recommendation to lower its priority age for helping elderly homeless people, after an inquiry heard current policy settings are “cruel”.
Decades apart, Yumi and Ellie share a story — one that links them to millions of Australian women
ABC News
05 Dec, 2022
According to Australia’s first-ever 10-year scorecard on women’s health and wellbeing, Ellie and Yumi reflect two generations of women — aged 18-24 and 55-64 — who are experiencing some of the highest levels of psychological distress we’ve seen in this country.
Free art program for older women refugees to share tales of struggle
Local News Plus
Sept, 2022
The Older Women’s Network is currently hosting a free art workshop for older migrant or refugee women. The workshops are conducted by artist, activist, author and domestic violence survivor Amani Haydar.
New aged care charter protects elderly against sexual assault. Are you #ReadyToListen?
Aged Care News
30 AUG, 2022
Dr Catherine Barrett, alongside Yumi Lee, CEO of Older Women’s Network NSW, and the executive team of the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), has developed the Charter of Sexual Rights and Responsibilities as part of the ongoing #ReadyToListen campaign.
TACKLING THE HIDDEN PROBLEM IN OUR AGED CARE SYSTEM
Future Women
The Download
JUN, 2022
Speaking on Future Women’s weekly news segment the Download CEO of OWN NSW, Yumi Lee shared the reason she suspects sexual assaults in aged care go unreported.
Engaging Men and Boys: Ending Violence Against Women and Girl
CWF Forum
Jun 21, 2022
NOWN Ambassador, Shirley Randall, on the panel at the CHOGM meeting in Rwanda.
‘Shocking’ rate of sexual abuse of aged care residents barely changed since royal commission.
The Guardian
06 JUN, 2022
Peak rights group for older Australians, including OWN, demands urgent change after 530 incidents of sexual abuse reported in last quarter of 2021.
Elder abuse Forum
City of Parramatta Council
May, 2022
OWN NSW CEO Yumi Lee, seeks to inform on context and responses to elder abuse as a panel member at the forum.
“Not Having Enough Super Keeps Me Awake At Night”
TONIC
April, 2022
OWN NSW CEO Yumi Lee, tells TONIC Magazine what issues in the forthcoming election are important for her.
A race against time as Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill faces long list of amendments in the NSW upper house
ABC NEWS
May 18, 2022
Beverly Baker, Older Women’s Network Chair, states religious-based aged care providers should respect the wishes of residents.
Australian PM’s department drops widely mocked ‘phallic’ women’s network logo
The Guardian
March 15, 2022
National OWN describe the logo as “either thoughtless or an insult”
Elephant in the room: How do we prevent sexual assaults in aged care facilities?
HelloCare
Mar 22, 2022
Women’s rights advocate and CEO of the Older Women’s Network NSW, Yumi Lee, speaks out against sexual assault in aged care.
International Women’s Day 2022
YouTube
March 8, 2022
EveryAGE Counts discussion on Ageism and Women’s Rights featuring OWN NSW CEO, Yumi Lee.
'Insulting, out of touch': Australians lambast government's phallic Women's Network logo
SBS News
March 24, 2022
OWN NSW CEO, Yumi Lee, describes new logo for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Women’s Network as “ludicrous” and “insulting”.
Perrottet’s transport train wreck strands millions
City Hub
Feb 24, 2022
OWN NSW Chair Beverley Baker describes how the action of shutting down the rail system without notice was as an ‘unethical’ action that exposed many older residents.
Group of grannies become controversial MP's latest target
A Current Affair By Tanya Weingarth
Nov 12, 2021
Controversial MP Andrew Laming targets the Older Women’s Network NSW.
Amended NSW consent bill sent to house
7news.com.au by Hannah Ryan, Gina Rushton, Jack Gramenz
Nov 19, 2021
OWN NSW criticising the bill’s exception and warning it is too broad.
New guidance tool could see some aged care sexual assaults unreported for a month, advocates say
ABC NEWS | The World Today by Sally Sara and Scott Mitchell
October 7, 2021
OWN NSW Manager, Yumi Lee, spoke to the issues within the Aged Care Safety and Quality Commission’s Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) tool.
Coffs Harbour Older Women’s Network Group hits a milestone first year of operation.
Coffs Coast News Of The Area
October 29, 2021
by News Of The Area
Coffs Harbour Older Women’s Network (CH OWN) group one year on!
"Ways to tackle homelessness among women over 50 in our regions."
The Examiner
Sept 20, 2021
OWN NSW manager, Yumi Lee, spoke to the Examiner about the launch of a specialist housing service for older people to help tackle homelessness.
The road to resilience - Life lessons in disaster recovery for older Australians
Australian Association of Gerontologists (Recording of the Virtual Event)
July 27, 2021
Professor Paul Arbon in a panel discussion with Aged and Community Services Australia, CEO, Pat Sparrow and Chair of Older Women’s Network NSW, Beverley Baker, to consider learnings for older people and the aged care system. Click here
“Intervention focus needed to stop male violence in the home.”
Central News UTS Journalism Lab
July 26, 2021
Student journalist, Emily Roux, published an article about coercive control and men’s behavioural change quoting segments of a panel hosted by OWN NSW in June, ‘Insidious entrapment: understanding coercive control’.
“WHY WE’RE MARCHING — AND WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN”
MSN News
March 15, 2021
OWN NSW Chair, Beverly Baker and Manager, Yumi Lee interviewed in Canberra on why they attended the March4Justice event.
'It's hard to get work when you're older': Ageism in the workplace
SBS Insight
July 27, 2021
OWN Newtown Wellness Centre member Kate Rowe appeared on SBS Insight to share her story of retirement.
How much money do you need to retire? The answer depends on one big thing.
June 15, 2021
CARING FOR AGEING PARENTS
Insight, SBS, S2021 E11
May 26, 2021
The majority of older Australians want to remain in their own home as they age but many will need assistance to do that successfully. OWN NSW Chair, Beverly Baker, appeared on Insight to discuss caring for ageing parents. She appeared because she’s angry about the state of aged care in Australia because she knows first-hand how it can strip the dignity of older people.
"Australians react to big spending budget"
ABC TV 7:30 Report
May 12, 2021
OWN NSW Project Manager, Christine Hall, was interviewed on the 7:30 report with her father, Brian Kelly and discussed where the system failed with his home care package.
Spotlight on Aged Care
Q+A, ABC
February 25, 2021
Yumi Lee OWN NSW Manager appeared on the programme and asked: Following the revelation of Ms Brittany Higgins, the spotlight is now on Parliament House and the culture which silences women who have experienced abuse and sexual assaults. And rightly so. There are about about 50 cases of sexual abuse in aged care per week. Why is there no outrage about this cold, hard fact? Why isn’t anyone held to account? Have we as a community decided that older women don’t count, and don’t matter?
Ageism in the workforce
Q+A, ABC
March 4, 2021
Beverly Baker OWN NSW Chair asked: I’m 70 & I still work in paid employment. I’m fortunate because the reality is employers don’t want to hire older people, as the Australian Human Rights Commission confirmed in a research study. With so many older women like me still able and wanting to work, how can we encourage businesses to hire older women when they believe women over 50 are “too old” & not worth hiring?
"Older women balancing resilience and trauma"
Canberra Weekly, Cassandra Power
October 17, 2020
About Us
Find Out More About Our History.
Older Women’s Network NSW
The Older Women’s Network in NSW believes in a society rich in social capital, where mutual respect and trust are paramount, where diversity and debate are valued and where people and their networks have a legitimate voice.
CONTACT US
Older Women’s Network NSW
8-10 Victoria Street,
Newtown NSW 2042, Australia.
+61 – 2 – 9519 8044
Newsletter
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.
We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
OWN NSW supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the call for a First Nation's Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to oversee agreement-making and truth-telling.