International Women’s Day: Albany’s Asha Bhat and Annette Grant inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame

A local arts champion and a trailblazing Indigenous corporation chief executive have joined the annals of history this International Women’s Day as some of the few Albany women ever inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame.

Southern Aboriginal Corporation chief executive Asha Bhat and arts advocate Annette Grant were inducted into the Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at the Government House Ballroom in Perth on Tuesday night.

They are part of a cohort of 16 women added to the Hall of Fame this year, as well as four women whose achievements have been posthumously acknowledged with their names added to the Hall of Fame’s Roll of Honour.

The WA Hall of Fame was established in 2011 to mark the 100th anniversary of the first International Women’s Day, and each year inducts West Australian women from a range of sectors to celebrate and recognise their achievements and the mark they make in their local communities.

Ms Bhat, who was recognised in the business category, said she was “honoured and humbled” to be inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame, and said it showed anything is possible for women living in regional areas.

“This is another accolade to the work that I’ve been doing, and this is not just about me,” she said.

“This is about all my staff and the work that we are doing for the community.”

Ms Bhat was awarded the Order of Australia Medal last year for her service to WA’s Indigenous community.

She is passionate about working to prevent domestic violence against women and leads a professional team that implements the Family Violence Prevention Legal Service, as well as volunteering as the WA team leader for Share the Dignity.

Ms Bhat migrated to Australia from India in 2004 with her husband and son and made Albany her home in 2008.

She started working at Southern Aboriginal Corporation as a finance officer, and in 2013 took over as chief executive.

Ms Bhat said her induction into the Hall of Fame was a step for diversity and inclusion, as it recognised her status as a migrant woman leading an Aboriginal organisation.

“Women like me coming from other countries, there’s a lot of challenges,” she said.

“I see discrimination at the higher end of the employment ladder, and I see a lot of tall poppy syndrome, where people are being attacked because of their achievements.

“But all you need to do is to focus on your goals and never get brought down by other people.”

Ms Grant was inducted into the Hall of Fame’s art category and has called Albany home since 1967 when she moved from Melbourne with her family.

She has had an integral role in the development of the city’s arts scene, and in 1985 was appointed as the City of Albany’s first community arts officer.

Ms Grant became administrator of the Vancouver Arts Centre in 1988, and used her role to promote local amateur and professional artists, building up the local arts industry by helping implement tertiary arts courses at the local TAFE.

She also launched the Albany Art Prize and Southern Art and Craft Trail, and although she is now retired, is still involved in the Albany Summer School.

Ms Grant describes herself as a “serial committee person” and remains passionate about promoting the importance of community arts.

“. . . if it had anything to do with the arts, I was involved,” she said.

“I’m committed to community development, and my path to do this is through the arts.”

Ms Grant will be joining the company of her good friend, the late Annette Knight, who was inducted in 2016.

Ms Grant worked together with Ms Knight, the first mayor of the City of Albany, in the council offices when she was the City’s community arts officer.

As the council’s ‘two Annettes’, the women were sometimes mistaken for each other, and they developed a strong friendship.

“She was my role model,” Ms Grant said.

“I think that’s what part of the Hall of Fame is about, just encouraging women to do stuff, and she was definitely a role model, probably my best role model.

“I can’t ever remember her putting a foot wrong — and I probably have.

“To me that’s important, the two Annettes, interchangeable, and again in the Hall of Fame.”

An exhibition of portraits of the 2023 WA Women’s Hall of Fame inductees will tour WA later this year, and will be on display in Albany at the Vancouver Arts Centre from July 11-21.