Margaret Findlater-Smith

Margaret Findlater-Smith OAM received an Order of Australia, for "Services to Women's affairs in a range of organisations" in June 2024.

She is a board member of and was a previous president of the National Foundation for Australian Women. She is one of the 'notable women' at the National Foundation for Australian Women.

Early life and career
Findlater-Smith started her working life employed as a radio operator with the WRANS in the 50s, and then later entered public service. She attributes her dedication to community work and volunteering to her mother's inspiration. She has worked for more than fifty years advocating for improvements in women's lives. Findlater-Smith has been involved in advocating for the economic empowerment of women, through housing and salaries, in particular, she has participated in the Women's Economic Security Consultation, which included a workshop with the Office of Women.

Findlater-Smith said she is inspired to work in advocacy and gender issues, because."'We still haven't got equal pay for work or equal value and we still don't have the top standard for parental leave, but we are getting there.'"She has worked on various boards, serving on the Equality Rights Alliance, National Council of Women Australia, as well as on the board of and Women's Royal Australian Naval Service (WRANS). She is also a member of Soroptomists International.

She was president of the NCWA from 2009 to 2012. She was NCWA board co-ordinator in 2018.

Publications
Margaret Findlater-Smith co-wrote a book on Goodwin Aged Care Services, and curated the material from archives, including Trove "Celebrating 70 Years of Goodwin" and how a grassroots community can lead to improvements.

She spoke at the opening ceremony of the book, and the 70th anniversary, about the contributions the aged care community Goodwin has made.

Awards

 * 2024 - Order of Australia.