The joy that is Ita Buttrose AC, OBE.
On walking into the room, the warmth of spirit embraced you. Adding to the morning’s surprises were friendly faces and moments to catch up. Citing the guest of honour, was a quick moment that is embedded in my brain, part clarity, part blur. There are few people that stand out through presence & legitimate bearing, Ita Buttrose is one of them.
Her stories are generous, inclusive & delightful. She is warm, immediately engaging, a fountain of knowledge her stat’s were amazing, from her days with Cleo; with sales from approximately, 860 000 a week, to now, magazines in print combined selling 300 000 on average per month. You become very aware of the scope of knowledge at Ita’s disposal. She is encouraging, motivating & honestly delightful, I was a fan before, but it wasn’t long into her speech when I realised I had fallen in love with Ita. When I saw that her notes were hand written I was smitten. Obviously I’m a fan. It seemed to me, that each person in the room was grateful & appreciative of being in company with Ita. With an ease & grace that was relaxed & highlighting of her comic timing, Ita is relatable, hilarious, discerning, playful & a true representative of & for our country.
An icon for her career & achievements, Ita Buttrose is good company to start the day with. Simplicity with honesty & integrity spot the story lines, displaying the depth of her character. Humbling to say the least.
If you get the opportunity to listen to Ita Buttrose, stop, be present, listen & recognise the joy & greatness you are in the presence of. Bow down to Ita Buttrose.
Ita if you read this, Thank you for the photo.
An abridged list of Ita Buttrose’s accomplishments.
- Women’s Editor the Telegraph at 23.
- Woman’s Own, Great Britain, national magazine.
- Telegraph on returning to Australia.
- 1971, Founding Editor Cleo magazine. Launched in 1972, with a sealed section & the first nude male centrefold, Jack Thompson.
- 1975-76, Australian Women’s Weekly.
- 1976-78, Editor in Chief Cleo & Australian Women’s Weekly.
- 1979, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE.
- 1978-81, Publisher of Australian Consolidated Press Women’s division.
- 1981-84, Editor in Chief Daily Telegraph & Sunday Telegraph.
- 1984, Board of News Limited.
- 1980, Television appearances.
- 1984, Variety Personality of the Year.
- 1984-88, Chairwoman National Advisory Board on Aids [NACAIDS].
- 1988, Officer of the Order of Australia, AO.
- Launched Capricorn Publishing & ‘Ita’ magazine. As well as being Chief Executive Officer.
- Variety Clubs Personality of the Year.
- Australian Academy of Broadcast Arts & Sciences Most Promising Newcomer to Radio.
- 1993, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.
- Australian of the Year.
- Amarant – National Menopause Foundation.
- Sydney Women’s Festival.
- Safety House.
- National Institute Secretaries & Administrators.
- K G Murray Leisure Group.
- Director Australian Advisory Board.
- Director Prudential Corporation Trust Australia.
- Director Television & Telecasters Pty Ltd.
- Awarded the Hartnett Medal.
- President Chief Executive Women.
- President National Opera Festival.
- Buttrose & Dominguez Design.
- Ambassador & patron to Women of Vision, World Vision Australia, University of Third Age.
- Member Federal Government Conference for Older Australians.
- Chairwoman of Australian Services Nurses National Memorial Fund.
- Director Smith Family Australia.
- Member Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code Complaints Adjudication Panel.
- GST Customer Advocate Woolworths Supermarket Chain.
- Director Terraplanet Ltd.
- Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
- Chairwoman Terraplanet Ltd.
- Television appearances between 1990 & 2016 across all major networks in Australia.
- 2001, Inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
- 2003, Centenary Medal.
- 2011-2014, President Alzheimers Australia.
- 2013, Australian of the Year.
- 2014, Honorary Doctor of Letters Macquarie University.
- 2015, Second Honorary Doctor of Letters University of Wollongong.
- 2017, Kennedy Awards, Outstanding Lifetime Achievement for Excellence in Journalism.
- 2018, University New South Wales Honorary Doctor of the University Degree.
- 2019, Appointed Companion [AC] in General Division Order of Australia for eminent service to community through leadership in the media, the arts & the health sector as a role model.
- 2019, Chairwoman Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
As you can see Ita Buttrose exemplifies the mantra of working woman, leading the way, breaking ground & raising others as she goes. I look forward to her embodiment of the ABC Chair & the inevitable advancements that will follow.
