On the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the Sex Discrimination Act, its architect the late Honourable Susan Ryan AO has been honoured with a new sculpture by artist Lis Johnson in the Old Parliament House Senate Rose Gardens.
Susan Ryan AO (1942-2020) was a Senator from 1975 until 1988. In 1975 she became the first female Senator for the ACT, in 1977 the first woman in Labor’s shadow cabinet, and in 1983 the first woman in a federal Labor Cabinet. One of her many achievements was the introduction and passage of world leading legislation to prevent discrimination based on sex, marital status, or pregnancy, to guard against harassment and to dismantle barriers in the workplace.
The sculpture was funded by the ACT Government as part of the Recognising Significant Women Through Public Art program, initiated to begin to address the imbalance in gender representation in the ACT Public Art Collection. The program also promote female or gender-diverse artists through the commissioning process.
The artist selected to create the sculpture, Lis Johnson, is a fine art figurative sculptor based in rural Victoria, highly regarded for her portraits and figurative memorials.
Minister for the Arts, Culture and Creative Economy and Minister for Human Rights Tara Cheyne said it was fitting that trailblazer, who achieved so much for women’s rights, was able to be commemorated in this way and on this day.
“Susan Ryan AO was a remarkable woman and feminist who persevered in her advocacy for women’s rights and the rights of other minority groups, creating pivotal and enduring change, from which generations of Australians have benefited.
“Her contributions in advancing equality are unmatched—but they weren’t without difficulty nor, sometimes, extraordinary opposition.
“Being commemorated in this way means that more people can learn her story, be inspired by her character and determination, and appreciate how she championed and achieved fairness in her words, actions and policies.”
“Lis Johnson has captured Susan’s energy and presence; her gregarious nature and the respect she garnered.”
The sculpture, ‘Senator Ryan Addresses the Rally’ is inspired by a photo of Susan addressing a women’s work rally in 1977. The sculpture has been positioned in the gardens to allow for people to gather in front of the work, or for people to interact and sit on the garden bed beside it.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the commencement of the Sex Discrimination Act and the occasion of the unveiling, the ACT Heritage Library is displaying some of its Susan Ryan AO archival material this week, including her autobiography, photographs and how-to-vote cards for the 1975 and 1980 Federal Elections.
Quote attributable to artist Lis Johnson:
“It was an honour to be chosen to portray Senator Susan Ryan – a truly worthy subject and a great role model.
“An effective parliamentarian, she campaigned for and introduced important legislation, and from my research I got the impression she stayed true to her values, rising above partisan and factional squabbles.
“Unafraid to be herself, she dressed in the current women’s fashion, with smart stylish hairdos.
“My sculpture depicts her confidently addressing a rally campaigning for women’s work rights, with one hand on her hip, and the other in an open conciliatory gesture. Simultaneously making a strong argument, and appealing to or inviting the listener to consider her points.”
Quote attributable to Susan Ryan’s daughter, Justine Butler:
“Working with the ACT government and Lis Johnson on this project has been a fascinating and at times, emotional experience.
“We visited different parts of Canberra looking at locations for the statue, and I realised the Rose Gardens was perfect. Our mother’s office was on the senate side of Old Parliament House. My brother Ben and I spent a lot of time with our Mum at her workplace – and back then we were the only children in the building.
“We also managed to be part of history here in the Rose Gardens, when Susan was an official host for the then-Prince and Princess of Wales, Charles and Diana. On that day the Rose Gardens were filled with local children, along with Ben and I.
“I know children on excursions to Canberra regularly flock to the Rose Gardens. I hope that when they walk past the statue of our mother, it will evoke many questions about Susan Ryan – they will ask ‘Who was she? What did she achieve? What was her life like as a young woman in parliament?’ I also hope this statue will see people more broadly reflect on the place of women in Australian politics.”
