In 2020, the Mercy Foundation Board established the McQuoin Award to acknowledge the Foundation’s 30th anniversary. The McQuoin Award recognises an outstanding organisation with a notable record of work that has brought about change in the systems and structures that impoverish and disempower people.
The McQuoin Award is named after Mother Mary Ignatius (Elizabeth) McQuoin, who established the Sisters of Mercy North Sydney in 1865. Read more about Elizabeth’s life here.
2025 McQuoin Award
Congratulations to Naomi Steer AO, recipient of the Mercy Foundation’s McQuoin Award
The McQuoin Award is a distinguished social justice award determined by the Mercy Foundation Board, to commemorate significant milestones or acknowledge exceptional contributions to social justice.
In celebration of the Mercy Foundation’s 35th anniversary and in recognition of our longstanding ties with Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College, the Mercy Foundation Board has elected to present the McQuoin Award to a former Monte student who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to social justice.
We are honoured to announce that Naomi Steer AO is the recipient of the McQuoin Award for 2025.
Naomi’s career reflects an extraordinary dedication to humanitarian work and social justice. As the Founding National Director of Australia for UNHCR, Naomi dedicated over two decades to advancing the rights and protection of refugees worldwide. Under her leadership, Australia for UNHCR grew into one of our nation’s leading humanitarian organisations, inspiring thousands of Australians to take action and raising tens of millions of dollars for people forced to flee their homes.
Naomi has worked and travelled to many refugee situations and conflict zones, sharing the experiences, stories and voices of refugees she has met to help promote greater understanding and support in the Australian community. In a parallel career, Naomi has been a longstanding Trustee of superannuation funds and is currently Chair of the Sydney Financial Forum.
Her earlier career included roles as a lawyer, diplomat at the UN, and work in the union movement, where she championed community outreach programs such as migrant workers’ rights.
Since retiring in 2022 Naomi has continued her mission supporting refugees both overseas and in Australia including through her work as Chair of the Mama Rosemary Foundation supporting refugee and migrant women in western Sydney and as a Director of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia.
Naomi has a BA (Hons) and LLB from UNSW and an MSc in Conflict, Security and Development Studies from Leicester University, UK.
In 2023, Naomi was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to human rights through international humanitarian relief operations, and to the superannuation sector.
2020 McQuoin Award
We are delighted to announce that Asian Women at Work is the recipient of the inaugural McQuoin Award
The McQuoin Award recognises an outstanding organisation with a notable record of work that has brought about change in the systems and structures that impoverish and disempower people. The Mercy Foundation Board is delighted to announce that Asian Women at Work is the recipient of the inaugural McQuoin Award.
The Mercy Foundation Board applauds Asian Women at Work’s significant contribution to bringing about fairer working conditions for migrant women over many years. The award recognises the advocacy, education and leadership of Asian Women at Work, returning dignity and restoring the rights of migrant women working in low paid and precarious employment.
In 1993, the Mercy Foundation provided seed-funding to help establish Asian Women at Work to address the exploitation of Asian migrant women working in low paid employment. Asian Women at Work, through many years of community organisation, representation to policy makers, unions, manufacturers and retailers, brought about significant structural change that resulted in fairer working conditions for outworkers in the textile and clothing industry.
Asian Women at Work continues to empower Asian migrant women to realise their rights and improve their lives, ending exploitation in the workplace and home.
The Mercy Foundation Board established the McQuoin Award to acknowledge the Mercy Foundation’s 30th anniversary. The prize includes $20,000 and engraved platter.
Congratulations to the Asian Women at Work team for your achievement, your continued hard work over many years and your significant contribution to social justice.
Sadly, Lina Cabaero-Ponnambalam, the co-ordinator of Asian Women at Work, passed away in August 2021. Lina was relentless in her pursuit of justice for migrant women in low paid and precarious employment. Lina was an ardent activist and worked closely with the union movement to bring about fairer working conditions and a better life for hundreds of migrant women. Lina is greatly missed.
