There is a sense of community and closeness in rural Australia that you just don't get anywhere else. It is that tight-knit sense of community that is providing a source of comfort for all those rural Aussies battling with the nation's drought.

Although some media coverage will have you believe it is all doom and gloom for our nation's rural areas, there are many positives in rural Australia, and one is its women.

People in rural areas are down-to-earth and practical; they just get on with it. It is this type of mentality that makes me take my hat off to Australia's rural women.

One-third of Australia's population lives outside the cities. Rural and regional Australia is responsible for around 67pc of our exports and 45pc of domestic tourism.

Many women in rural areas were once seen as wives or the partners of farmers, but today's rural women wear many hats. They are mothers, farmers and entrepreneurs, politicians and councillors. They are business, industry and community leaders.

When it comes to business and economic and regional development, we need to pay attention to women.

Having both male and female heads around the room is smart business because you get a better set of ideas, opinions, solutions and skills. Having more women at the table during the decision-making process means better decisions and better results.

As a nation, more should be done to create greater opportunities to include rural women in decision-making. There are plenty of opportunities in rural and regional Australia for women, but there are challenges - from driving four hours so their child can play in a sporting competition to juggling a livelihood and business.

Strengthening the opportunities for people in rural and regional Australia is one of the reasons I work at Charles Sturt University.

On average, 80pc of our graduates go on to practise their profession in a regional area. If you couple that regional training with rural origin, they are even more likely to work in a rural and regional area.

This means rural women have more opportunities to get qualified and work as professional in rural and regional Australia.

Many of the courses at Charles Sturt are tailored to cover regional needs. The new Joint Program in Medicine between Charles Sturt and Western Sydney University is an example of how we are leading the way to ensure future doctors are trained to meet the health needs in rural and regional Australia.

Charles Sturt makes a significant economic contribution to the regional communities where we have our campuses. We have around 2000 full-time employees and generate around $619 million in gross regional product across our campus areas.

The opportunities for education and further education are key for success and sustainability into the future.

I want all of Australia's rural women to know there are plenty of options out there for them; that they are so important to making our nation successful.

Thank you to Australia's rural women; you are all key to creating a bright and successful future for Australia.