Outcomes in energy policy, mental health, telecommunications, the volunteering economy and financial literacy were the focus when a delegation of rural, regional and remote Queensland women travelled to Brisbane last week for the 2025 Queensland Rural, Regional, Remote Women’s Network (RRR Women) State Parliament Delegation.
Women from Gladstone, Biloela, Kingaroy, Barcaldine, Bundaberg, Maryborough and Rockhampton met with MPs, Ministers and senior decision-makers to progress policy changes that will deliver tangible improvements for communities outside metropolitan centres.
Across two days, including a State Parliament Luncheon attended by more than 100 members, guests and MPs, and a Queensland Women’s Economic Security Strategy Thought Leaders Roundtable hosted by Hon Fiona Simpson MP, the delegation worked to secure commitments, shape upcoming reform, and strengthen long-term investment in regional Queensland.
The delegation’s goal is to ensure the priorities of rural, regional and remote women directly inform government decision-making and translate into practical outcomes on the ground, stronger services, fairer access and more sustainable community and economic development.
RRR Women President Emma Clarke said the delegation was designed to convert lived experience into policy outcomes.
“Our delegates bring diverse perspectives and deep local knowledge, and they are focused on outcomes that strengthen the social and economic fabric of regional Queensland,” Emma said.
“By presenting unified, evidence-based priorities, we aim to advance equity and inclusion and ensure the issues affecting rural women are not only heard but acted upon.
“These women lead policy conversations in their communities every day, bringing those insights to Parliament accelerates real change.”
The delegation’s discussions centred on RRR Women’s priority areas:
- Stronger telecommunications and digital infrastructure, ensuring communities gain reliable connectivity that supports safety, education. disaster recovery and business growth.
- Greater energy policy certainty and responsible renewable rollout, delivering long-term security and community benefit.
- Improved financial literacy and increased economic participation, enabling women to build economic resilience and access emerging opportunities.
- Recognition and support for the volunteering economy, the “triple shift”, ensuring volunteers’ contributions are valued and sustainably supported.
- Enhanced mental health access and outcomes for rural and remote communities.
These priorities reflect decades of engagement with rural, regional and remote women, backed by insights from the Rural, Regional, Remote Women Report.
Grazier and small business owner Casey Alsop, from Biloela, said building working relationships with local MPs would have long term and positive outcomes for women in the bush.
“We met face to face with so many MPs and policy makers and we felt that our voices were heard, understood and respected,” Casey said.
“My personal passion is seeing the bush thriving for years to come and it is fabulous to be able to see our local opportunities and concerns being raised at a state level.”
RRR Women Vice President Melissa Brooke, from Bundaberg, said the delegation was focused on reminding and influencing city counterparts to ensure the city and country stand shoulder to shoulder for a stronger Queensland.
She said energy policy certainty and responsibly rolling out renewables alongside improved mental health services access were timely priorities for local communities.
“I know how energy decisions ripple through households, farms and small to medium business, which is why certainty in policy is vital for communities to plan, invest, and lead in renewables,” Melissa said.
“Living rurally and regionally for five decades, I’ve felt the isolation firsthand and I know mental health support isn’t optional, it’s survival, and rural women’s wellbeing must be at the centre of policy.”
