One story, societal change
When Rosie Batty spoke out just hours after her son Luke was murdered in a very public assault by his father, she gave voice to many thousands of victims of domestic violence.
Named Australian of the Year, Rosie used the spotlight to share her story across the country and champion much-needed change.
As part of a Council of Australian Governments taskforce established to drive change across the country, I worked with other women to share their story and recommend to governments what needed to be done to keep them, and their children, safe from harm.
As a result of the collective voice, the national conversation about domestic violence significantly shifted.
One story had started a major cultural transformation in Australia.
Over recent years, governments have held Royal Commissions into Domestic Violence. Policymakers have developed new approaches and millions of dollars have been committed to help address the issues.
What was considered a “dirty and dark secret” to be kept behind closed doors, is now at the forefront of the national conversation.
Finding connection in crisis
As the worst bushfires in a decade ripped through Victoria in the 2020, there were many communities impacted by sudden loss of life, livestock and property.
The newly-established Bushfire Recovery Victoria (now Emergency Recovery Victoria) was tasked with the immediate engagement of impacted communities, as the State was still under immediate threat.
As we stood in people’s lounge rooms, community halls and on their scorched properties, we were let into their lives at their most vulnerable moment.
They shared deeply personal stories of tragedy and loss.
Their stories had a lasting impact on me and became a powerful force for change.
Collectively, the stories told of fear and fragility through to the enormous strength and power that connected communities create.
There were many messages in the collective voice as to how the State could be more responsive, communicate more clearly, engage more effectively and target future investment.
The strongest message we heard was the approach to long-term recovery lies within the communities.
Sharing those voices enabled Bushfire Recovery Victoria to connect much needed supports and state government funding.
The community feedback led to hundreds of individual community members and business owners being connected to the best support for their individual circumstances.
what our clients say
“Kate has the ability to find and share stories to help solve a whole host of issues in complex, intractable and high-risk environments.
She uses story to influence leaders, influence organisations, influence governments and ultimately influence the outcome. At her very core, Kate understands the power of deep connection.“
Ken Lay AO APM
“The way Kate thinks about the world around her is why she is so impactful. She has a deep unbridled drive to make the world better and to tell the stories that need to be told. She thinks both locally, but also very globally.
I’ve seen her be really incredible in supporting leaders to share their stories and getting stories out into the world.”
Meg Berryman, The Regenerative Ways.
