Women’s Electoral Lobby (NSW) Inc is an association incorporated in NSW. While it is affiliated with Women’s Electoral Lobby (Australia) Inc and all other state WEL organisations, WEL NSW operates under its own Constitution.
WEL (NSW) is governed by an Executive Committee elected by the members annually. The Committee for 2010/11 is:
Melanie Fernandez, Convenor
Melanie graduated with First Class Honours from the University of Sydney in Gender Studies. Her Honours research explored issues of female criminality and violence. Her research interests include the intersection of work and care and the modern family unit. Melanie has been involved in a number of feminist groups and is an active member of an inter-generational feminist collective that organised the largest feminist conference to be held in Sydney in the last 15 years. Melanie is committed to supporting the involvement of young women in the feminist movement and creating pathways for inter-generational dialogue and learning.
Helen L'Orange, NCC Rep
Helen L’Orange has worked on a wide range of feminist issues for close to 40 years both within Government and as a member of WEL and other women’s organisations. Helen’s areas of interest include strong machinery of government for women, law reform and community education on violence against women and children, childcare, work family balance, women in prison, homeless women, women’s health and NESB women. At this stage Helen is keen to see WEL regenerated so that our next 40 years are as influential as our first 40 years.
Anne Barber, Treasurer
Anne has been the treasurer of WEL NSW for 20 years and a member for 31 years. She is passionate about the need for a Human Rights Bill in NSW and/or Australia.
She has been involved with the IWD collective for the last three years and is currently working on an exhibition to celebrate the Centenary of IWD. She was responsible for the NSW website and its updates.
Jozefa Sobski
Jozefa is active in women’s and community organisations. She started her feminist activism in Sydney Women’s Liberation in the early 1970’s. She is currently a member of the Board of Jessie Street National Women’s Library and the NSW Rape Crisis Centre.
She was an inaugural member of the NSW Women in Education group and the Australian Women’s Education Coalition. She qualified as an English and History teacher and has a Master in Adult Education from UTS.
- Josefa Green
Josefa began as a WEL activist in the 1970′s, involved particularly in equal pay and abortion rights campaigns – issues that still need addressing!. She has been on the WEL NSW Executive since 2005. She worked for many years in policy and management areas of the Federal Public Service, including the Special Broadcasting Service, and subsequently as a management consultant working in the areas of planning and organisational change. She has a BA (History Hons), an MBA and a Graduate Diploma in Asian Art.
- Laura McLean
Laura comes to WEL with a wish to put feminist issues back on the agenda and re-engage women in the movement. She is part of the collective that organised the recent F Conference in Sydney and currently works in public relations with a focus on social change.
