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Border protection and legal services leaders among Awards finalists

A navy woman who is the youngest and only female Commanding Officer in the Royal Australian Navy’s patrol boat fleet is among seven finalists for the 2011 Telstra Northern Territory Business Women’s Awards.

Kylie Beumer of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), is a finalist for both the White Pages Community & Government Award and marie claire Young Business Women’s Award.

Ms Beumer is responsible for up to 48 officers and sailors on the $28 million warship. Her postings to Major Fleet Units include nine warships and five operational deployments to date.

Joining the RAN in 1997, her achievements include awards for outstanding performance in HMAS Melbourne during preparations for an Arabian Gulf deployment and for her contribution in HMAS Kanimbla during the Iraq War.

On her 31st birthday in 2009, Ms Beumer assumed command of HMAS Broome, an Armidale Class Patrol Boat that contributes to surveillance and border protection operations. In her first year as Commanding Officer, HMAS Broome intercepted and apprehended ten suspected illegal entry vessels (SIEVs), rescued more than 500 potential irregular immigrants and detained a foreign vessel illegally fishing in Australian waters.

In 2010 Ms Beumer also co-ordinated the challenging rescue of all 86 passengers from a sinking vessel 90 nautical miles off Christmas Island.

Another finalist named today was Priscilla Collins, CEO of North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA). As CEO, Ms Collins provides operational management for the Top End legal service that manages more than 10,000 legal matters a year. Leading a team of 77, she is responsible for the supervision of finances, policy development and lobbying for funding.

Ms Collins business goals are to ensure Aboriginal people have access to justice and to reduce their contact with the criminal justice system and prison. Her achievements include securing funding for a program to reduce recidivism that provides support to prisoners while they are in jail and when they are released.

A former CEO of CAAMA Group, Australia’s largest Indigenous-owned multimedia group, Ms Collins was involved in establishing the National Indigenous Television Service.

Other Darwin-based Awards finalists include Allora Gardens Nursery owner Estelle Cornell, Henriette Grose, Group Operations Manager for the Larrakia Development Corporation, and Jodie Milne, co-owner and operator of Quest Palmerston Serviced Apartments.

Brian O’Keefe, Telstra Country Wide Area General Manager for the Northern Territory, said the achievements of women such as the NT finalists were an inspiration to the local community.

He said: “Telstra has run the Business Women’s Awards program for 17 years to celebrate the leadership, innovation and hard work of extraordinary women like all the finalists.”

Michelle Sherwood, Executive General Manager of Strategic Marketing at Sensis, said: “It’s terrific to be involved in a program that recognises and celebrates the passion and achievements of women in the workplace, especially in the Community and Government sector.

“As sponsor of the Community and Government category we are thrilled to be able to showcase the leadership, business acumen, passion and enthusiasm of women in the workplace,” she said.

Winners of the 2011 Telstra Northern Territory Business Women’s Awards will be announced at a gala luncheon on 14 October in Darwin.

The winners share in $200,000 in cash and prizes and become part of an exclusive national business alumni.

The Northern Territory winners proceed to the national finals of the Telstra Business Women’s Awards which will be announced in Melbourne on 18 November.

Finalists for the 2011 Telstra Northern Territory Business Women’s Awards are:

Commonwealth Bank Business Owner Award

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Telstra Business Women's Awards Network

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