The Edna Ryan Awards, also referred to as simply "The EDNAs", were Australian awards established to recognise women who have "made a feminist difference" in New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory. They are named for activist Edna Ryan, after her death in 1998.
History The inaugural Edna Ryan Awards were held in 1998, the year following the death of their namesake Edna Ryan. Ryan was a life-long feminist, labour movement activist, and mentor and role model for a whole generation of women. The awards were created to honour her life and work by a group of her friends, particularly Eva Cox and other members of the Women's Electoral Lobby (WEL).
Ryan had been closely involved with WEL, particularly the Women in the Workforce group which she convened. WEL hosted and administered the EDNAs from 1998 to 2010, but from 2012 they were administered by The Edna Ryan Awards Committee and hosted by the Australian Services Union (ASU). In 2020 the Older Women's Network (OWN) NSW took over hosting the awards.
Since their inception the awards have recognised many high-profile Australian women for their feminist activity, including Eva Cox, Meredith Burgmann, Susan Ryan, Anne Summers, Wendy McCarthy, Jane Caro, and Sally McManus. Many of the recipients have been tireless advocates for women's rights who worked as community activists over a long period with very little other reward or recognition. Eligibility and description Nominees for the awards must be comfortable identifying as a feminist and must live or work in NSW or the ACT as Ryan did during her lifetime. A panel reviews all nominations and the awards are presented on an annual basis at an evening social event.
The award categories can vary but in later years there were awards in many fields, including workforce, government, arts, community activism, media/communications, leadership, mentoring, sport, and education.
The awards are not intended as simply recognition of women who are successful in their own field, but require evidence that their achievements or actions have made a feminist difference by improving the lives and status of women within the community. The "Grand Stirrer Award" is for inciting others to challenge the status quo.
Grand Stirrer Award Recipients Name YearLiza Buckley2025Vicki Hodges2024Sam Mostyn2023Chanel Contos2022Brittany Higgins2021fEMPOWER2018Mehreen Faruqi2017Amanda Hill 2016Tara Moss2015Sally McManus2015Dorothy McRae-McMahon2014Destroy The Joint2013Teresa Savage2012 Rhonda Wilson2009Karen Lee Willis2008Tegan Wagner2006Gerri Greenfield2005Anne Summers2004Di Graham2003Wendy McCarthy2002Dorothy Symonds2002Robyn Plaister2001Jennie George2000Joan Bielski1999Eva Cox1998
Award Recipients–by year (all categories)
2023 Name CategorySam MostynGrand StirrerDeborah Cheetham FraillonArtsBree van ReykArtsKristine HewettCommunity ActivismAudrey MimsCommunity ActivismClimate Writers: Marlene Baquiran & Eezu TanCommunity ActivismSarah RosenbergCommunity ActivismChrystina StanfordLeadershipGinger GormanMedia CommunicationDaphne Lowe KellyMentoringShirley RandellMentoringPilar LopezMentoringVanessa Donald-SmithMentoringAnne JunorWorkforceMeg SmithWorkforceNeelima KadiyalaWorkforce
2022 Name CategoryChanel ContosGrand StirrerLouise HislopPolitical ActivismAmanda RoseLeadershipAnnie CroweCommunity ActivismBrenda GaddiLeadershipJanice PaulsonMentorshipJenny LeongLeadershipJulia ZemiroMedia CommunicationLicia HeathPolitical ActivismLorraine UsherMentoringMaha AbdoCommunity ActivismMalaika MfulaLeadershipRizina YadavLeadershipMelina GeorgousakisMentoringNatalie LangWorkforceRenae RyanWorkforceRomy ListoLeadershipRosie HerberteArtsSue EdmondsArts
2021 Name CategoryBrittany HigginsGrand StirrerAnn ReynoldsCommunity ActivismAdina JacobsMentoringBobbi MahlabMentoringCatherine GanderLeadershipCharmaine HuismanCommunity ActivismClaire CousonArtsClair JacksonArtsDanielle VillafanaCommunity ActivismDenise ThompsonMedia/CommunicationDiane HagueWorkforceDulce MunozCommunity ActivismElaine EvansLeadershipElizabeth HillWorkforceEmily MayoMedia/CommunicationGeorgie DentWorkforceHayley FosterLeadershipJess HillMedia/CommunicationJo-Anne CahillArtsKim LooCommunity ActivismKittu RandhawaLeadershipRobynne MurpheyWorkforceRosell FlatleyArtsSunita GlosterMedia/CommunicationThe LoveysArtsYvette KinkadeCommunity Activism
2018 Name CategoryMary O'SullivanCommunity ActivismLeonie McGuireCommunity ActivismfEMPOWERGrand StirrerLee LewisArtsPearlie McNeillArtsMargot OliverMedia/CommunicationDeborah BrennanEducationHelen L'OrangeLeadershipMarilyn HattonLeadership
2017 Name CategoryErin Wen Ai ChewCommunity ActivismJude FinchCommunity ActivismLewina JacksonCommunity ActivismSimone WhiteCommunity ActivismMary KonstantopoulosSportMehreen Faruqi Grand StirrerThe Baulkham Hills African Ladies TroupeArtsNina AngeloArtsGabriele JonesArtsErika AddisMedia/CommunicationEnd Rape on Campus Australia (EROC)EducationHannah WandelEducationRachel CooperWorkforceMarion BrownLeadership
2016 Name CategoryBilli McCarthy-Price and Hannah MassinghamSportAmanda Hill Grand StirrerThe Women's LibraryArtsCatherine OrdwaySportLina CabaeroWorkforceJanine WhitemanMentoringCarol Booth and Liz RickmanLeadershipSharon McKinnonLeadershipDarriea TurleyGovernmentJozefa SobskiEducationJan BreckenridgeEducationMonica DavidsonMedia/CommunicationJulie PerkinsCommunity ActivismJane DavidsonCommunity ActivismHeidi ZajacCommunity Activism
2015 Name CategoryAshleigh ThomsonMentoringMargaret HickieMentoringLouise EvansSportChris RonaldsLeadershipMargaret HenryLeadershipSally McManusGrand StirrerBetty FergusonMentoringAmanda ShalalaSportTara MossGrand StirrerFinola MoorheadArtsDarelle DuncanCommunity ActivismJeannie SotheranCommunity ActivismSaba VasefiCommunity ActivismAnjani RegmiCommunity ActivismFrances CrimminsLeadership
2014
Name CategoryRoxanne McMurrayLeadershipMaeve MarsdenArtsVee MalnarArtsLillian Howell ProjectCommunity ActivismMarilyn ForsytheWorkforceBronwyn CullingMentoringLin CooperMentoringBush LemonsLeadershipMarian BairdWorkforceHawzhin AzeezMedia/CommunicationKate RoweSportMcKenzie RaymondCommunity ActivismZoya PatelMedia/CommunicationDorothy McRae-McMahonGrand Stirrer
2013
Name CategorySuzie van OpdorpCommunity ActivismShirley KentCommunity ActivismAnne ButtsworthMedia/CommunicationMaree O'HalloranLeadershipKim RubensteinLeadershipDestroy The JointGrand StirrerUrsula FrederickArtsLee GrantArtsRebecca OrdishMentoringFiona MillerMentoringWendy HerbertEducationDragica SinikoskiEducationDanielle WarbySportHeather ReidSport
2012
Name CategoryNadia SalehWorkforceSonia LavertyWorkforceBronwyn PenrithMentoringNatasa NikolicMentoringSylvia KinderMentoringTeresa SavageGrand StirrerJenna PriceMedia/CommunicationMaree McDermottCommunity ActivismBronwyn BancroftArtsGeorgina AbrahamsArtsCigdem AydemirArtsJan McDonaldCommunity Activism
2010 Name CategoryLudo McFerranCommunity ActivismJennifer DalitzWorkforceKat ArmstrongBattlingDebbie CarstensWorkforceShokufeh KavaniArtsSue SalthouseCommunity ActivismNina FunnellMedia/CommunicationFrances PlummerMentoringMary DimechMentoringJane PollardEducationDawn AtkinstonEducationGabe KavanaghCommunity ActivismRose CampbellCommunity ActivismSusan SmithCommunity ActivismMaggy FargoCommunity Activism
2009
Name CategoryEdith WeisbergEducationCharmaigne WeldonBattlingRuth PollardMedia/CommunicationJane CaroMedia/CommunicationRhonda WilsonGrand StirrerJulie BatesWorkforcePatricia GriffinCommunity Activism
2008 Name CategoryJo KowalczykWorkforceLiz BarlowGovernmentLesley LaingEducationJude IrwinEducationMatina MotteeCommunity ActivismKaren Lee WillisGrand StirrerElaine Odgers NorlingCommunity ActivismJudy James BaileyMedia/CommunicationBeth EldridgeCommunity ActivismChristine SinclairCommunity ActivismTess BrillCommunity Activism
2007
Name CategoryJulie VelthuysMentoringEllie EllisEducationRosemary KariukiCommunity ActivismMuyesser DurerBattlingKellie TranterCommunity ActivismSpiderlily RedgoldMedia/CommunicationDenele CrozierCommunity ActivismLibby SilvaCommunity ActivismMarie MuirCommunity ActivismEmily MaguireMedia/CommunicationRosalind HelyardEducation
2006
Name CategoryLiz AshburnArtsBetty GreenCommunity ActivismJane Corpuz-BrockCommunity ActivismDorothy HoddinottEducationJoy GoodsellCommunity ActivismAdele HorinMedia/CommunicationCarmel NolaMedia/CommunicationCatherine FoxMedia/CommunicationClaire Moore (Senator)GovernmentVictoria AbigailMentoringJude StoddartWorkforceRosemary RichardsWorkforceDaphne BaxterWorkforceHelen WestwoodCommunity ActivismMarie ColemanGovernmentAnne FieldGovernmentTegan WagnerGrand StirrerPriscilla LumsdenCommunity ActivismDixie Link-GordonMentoringJudith Troeth (Senator)GovernmentLyn Allison (Senator)Government
2005
Name CategoryMerilyn ChildsWorkforceJosephine ConwayCommunity ActivismAlva GeikieCommunity ActivismNola CooperCommunity ActivismBronwyn MoyeGovernmentGerri GreenfieldGrand StirrerMargaret KirkbyAccess to AbortionJulia FreeburyAccess to AbortionJacqui SmithMentoringMargaret AlstonMentoringHelen CampbellMedia/CommunicationAnne-Mason FurnageBattlingStefania SiedleckyAccess to AbortionTrude KallirCommunity ActivismDorothy CoraCommunity Activism
2004
Name CategoryMuriel HortinCommunity ActivismSusan RyanGovernmentMargo MooreCommunity ActivismAnne SummersGrand StirrerLucy PorterBattlingPhillippa HallWorkforceJoan LemaireMentoringDominique Hogan-DoranWorkforceJulie GriffithsMentoring
2003
Name CategoryJean SlarkeWorkforceDenise FerrisArtsDi GrahamGrand StirrerRoseleen HealyArtsCate TurnerCommunity ActivismRebecca ReillyWorkforceAileen BeaverWorkforceSuzan ViragoWorkforceBetty JohnsonCommunity ActivismElizabeth O'BrienCommunity ActivismVicki PotempaCommunity ActivismClare BurtonGrand StirrerSusan KendallGovernmentFran HayesWorkforce
2002
Name CategoryRachael Oakes-AshHumourJudy HoracekHumourJulia BairdMedia/CommunicationKathleen SwinbourneGovernmentElizabeth DawsonEducationWendy McCarthyGrand StirrerDorothy SymondsGrand StirrerJanne EllenCommunity ActivismJoyce StevensMentoringBetty LittleBattlingLeichhardt Women's Community Health Centre Community ActivismJan RobertsCommunity ActivismJill BruneauArts
2001
Name CategoryKristine CrudenGovernmentRobyn PlaisterGrand StirrerErica LewisGovernmentToni ModafferiMedia/CommunicationMerle HighetCommunity ActivismPam JohnstonCommunity ActivismMaggie SmythMentoringShirley JonesArtsChrissie ShawArtsMartha AnsaraMedia/CommunicationKathryn McConnochieArtsNSW Teachers' Federation (on behalf of 13 women casual teachers)WorkforcePat RichardsonBattlingEmma TomHumour
2000 Name CategorySuzanne BellamyArtsJennie GeorgeGrand StirrerJan WoodCommunity ActivismChristine NixonMentoringMargaret JonesBattlingSarah MaddisonBattlingRae FrancesWorkforce
1999
Name CategoryJoan BielskiGrand StirrerGail HewisonArtsNoreen HewettBattlingJane GardinerMedia/CommunicationHelen McDermottWorkforceCathy BlockMentoringKate LavenderCommunity Activism
1998
Name CategoryJenny TaylorBattlingMeredith BurgmannHumourJuliet RichterLobbyistSheryle BagwellMedia/CommunicationEva CoxGrand StirrerMarlene ArdittoPolitical PotholderJulie ComptonBattlingMisha SchubertYoung WomanAnn SymondsGovernmentSharon TobinWorkforcePeggy HewettArtsLina CabaeroWorkforce
References
External links Edna Ryan Awards website