INTHEBLACK November 2021 - Magazine - Page 25
Left: Toni Moate FCPA at
CSIRO Marine Laboratories
in Hobart, Tasmania.
“FAMILY COMES FIRST. I HAVE LEARNED
TO PLAN A LOT, TO MAKE SURE THAT
WHEN THERE ARE IMPORTANT FAMILY
THINGS, THEY’RE IN MY DIARY VERY
EARLY, SO I CAN AVOID ANY CLASH.”
TONI MOATE FCPA, CSIRO
THE COST OF DEDICATION
Moate admits that her investment in the project affected
her personal relationships and her family members.
The five-year shipbuilding process took her away from
her husband and two daughters a great deal. She flew
to Singapore more than 20 times. At one stage, Moate
admits, she made the mistake of buying her daughters
two Jack Russell Terriers purely out of a sense of guilt.
“I think that was probably one of my worst decisions,”
she laughs. “But actually, we do love those dogs!
“One thing I always tell my team is that family
comes first. I have learned to plan a lot, to make sure
that when there are important family things, they’re
in my diary very early, so I can avoid any clash.”
Moate also consciously prepares for family time,
just as she would for a business meeting. She knows
her goals – being fully present for her children, for
example – and the things that might distract from
those goals – such as her phone – and sets herself up
for success in advance. Over the years, Moate has
learned to strike the right balance between wellbeing
and work, becoming a better leader and public servant
in the process. She has been honoured with awards
including a place on the Queen’s Birthday Honours
List and the title of Telstra Tasmanian Business
Woman of the Year.
However, she is still chasing new challenges.
“A lot of recent career focus has been on the ship,”
she says.
“But in my new role I’m now also responsible for six
national research collections and 15 million specimens.
“We’re currently constructing a new building in
Canberra, a A$70 million project, where we’ll store
various specimens, including dead birds. When I first
found out about the birds I just laughed and thought,
goodness, how am I here? How have I gone from
shipbuilding to storing dead birds? I’m not sure, but
it all comes from great decisions, and I just love it.”
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intheblack.com November 2021 25