The Australian Women's Register

Summary

Matina Mottee is the Australian born child of Greek migrants who arrived in Australia in the early twentieth century. Her father emigrated from Greece in 1905 as a 12 year old and eventually settled in Tasmania where Matina was born.

Mottee was instrumental in establishing the Association of Non-English Speaking Background Women and in 1987 became that organisation’s first convener. In 1988 her extensive work on behalf of women in migrant communities was recognised when she was awarded the QANTAS Ethnic Communities Award. In keeping with her egalitarian ethics, however, she chose to interpret the award as honouring all immigrant women, not just Matina Mottee.

Upon accepting her award in 1988, Mottee said, ‘I have struggled from [a young age] for equality of opportunity for both my gender and my race.’ Her continued work on the behalf women of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, at an age when others might have considered retirement, indicates that her attitude and motivation has not changed.