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I start by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people, the traditional custodians of the land we gather on today, and thank you to Aunty Violet Sheridan for your Welcome to Country.

I’d also like to thank the CEO of COSBOA, Luke Achterstraat and the rest of the COSBOA team in attendance.

As Assistant Minister for Women it is a great pleasure to be with you today to open The Accelerator for Enterprising Women – Kickstarter Challenge Grand Final for 2024.

Our government recognises we cannot achieve gender equality alone. That’s why we need all of you in this room, and leaders like COSBOA, to continue your efforts too.

And that’s why it’s so impressive to have five brilliant women-created and led businesses before us today, all of whom are ready to take their ideas to the next stage, and together will be sharing in $60,000 to help them in taking that step up.

Our Government wants to support Australians to succeed, including in business. Australians are innovators, and we want to ensure this and future generations have the opportunities to turn their ideas into realities.

That’s why the Government, through the Office for Women, has continued funding for the Future Female Entrepreneurs Program, and supported it to be a free resource to women and girls right around the country.

Ensuring they have the tools, support and industry resources to make them successful entrepreneurs – whether they are younger or older or anywhere in between.

Earlier this year our Government released Working for Women, our whole-of-government strategy towards achieving gender equality in Australia.

Creating a whole of government strategy was a necessity – because we want to ensure every single department is considering its work through a gendered lens.

We know that Australian businesses and startups led by women attract less investment.

And that this restricts their ability to grow and innovate – a survey only a couple of years ago indicated that at least 4 in 10 women owned and led businesses found that their access to capital was a critical barrier to their growth.

This is in a time when we want to see more entrepreneurial activity flourish. We want to see the proportion of businesses owned and run by women grow.

I often talk about how having more women in the Parliament results in better policy, and a better understanding of women’s lives.

Think we can say the same for what these finalists are bringing forward – reflecting diversity and realities of women’s experiences.

With the finalists you have before you today, there is a great representation of the breadth of ideas that women are turning into businesses that respond to the needs of our communities.

Kylie Wallace – Upcycle

Helping to tackle the challenges our country and world faces with waste by upcycling unwanted household goods, diverting waste from landfill and helping put money back into the pockets of those selling the goods

Catherine McDougall – Support Plus

Supporting people living with disability by providing an easy to use online personal dashboard to assist with day-to-day routines and supports, and future planning as well.

Morgan Becker and Ebony Kriedemann – InPsync

Making mental health support more accessible to Australians, helping them find therapy that works for them and their circumstances – and help mental health providers match up with clients.

Rosie Dumbrell – Everform Therapywear

Providing an effective, easily accessible and easy to wear product that helps in treating incontinence, prolapse, pelvic pain and common symptoms associated with pregnancy and early postpartum.

Catherine Mary Said – Gooday Corporation

A booking service and app that streamlines bookings to prevent cancellations and conflicts, ensuring consumers can better manage their ‘life admin’ and businesses don’t have to stress about bookings.

I also want to recognise the many other pitches – 300 of them – that were entered as part of this year’s Kickstarter Challenge.

To the five finalists: I wish you all the best of luck with your pitches today.

Unfortunately I won’t be able to stick around to hear them: uniquely for a parliamentary sitting day, Question Time has been moved forward to 10am today. I look forward to hearing the results later on.

But I really do want to thank everyone here today who has made this event happen – it’s no small thing.

Thank you for supporting women right around the country to take their businesses to the next stage, and giving them the jumpstart to contribute their ideas and work to our country.