From “Tradie Wife” to Award Winner: Lara Denes Leads the Charge for Women in Trades
On Friday 28th August, I stood in the Members Dining Room at the iconic MCG, accepting the Business Administration Award at the Master Plumbers Excellence Awards. It was a night of celebration for our industry; the plumbers, apprentices, and business owners gathered to recognise excellence. But as I looked around the room, one thing was impossible to miss: the overwhelming sea of men.
Plumbing and the broader building sector remain male-dominated spaces. Yet quietly, and sometimes loudly, women are changing the game. Among the rumpled shirts and the peek of a blue singlet, a few stand-out stories sparkled. There were a handful of female apprentices nominated, and even better, one walked away a winner. Their success isn’t just symbolic; it’s a sign of the shift that’s happening when women pick up tools or step into leadership in trades.
Winning the Excellence in Business Administration Award wasn’t just about my own work. It felt like a moment to pause and reflect on all the women carving out space in our industry, even when barriers, whether unconscious bias or old-school attitudes are still firmly in place. And there is no shortage of role models to prove that this shift is both real and powerful.
Across Victoria, powerhouse women are steering the trade and construction industry with skill, strategy, and grit. Anna Cronin, CEO of the Building & Plumbing Commission, is at the regulatory coalface ensuring the standards that keep our homes and workplaces safe. Ashley Dalmau, CEO of Master Plumbers, guides the very organisation that hosted these awards, championing professionalism and innovation and proving that plumbing’s future is as much about sharp governance as strong pipes. Harriet Shing, Minister for Housing and Building, brings a sharp political voice to housing and construction policy, advocating for sustainable growth and inclusion. Natalie Suleyman, Minister for Small Business, is a critical ally for every trade business owner, keeping entrepreneurial opportunities—especially for women—on the political agenda. And Michaela Lihou, CEO of Master Builders Victoria, leads major reforms and supports builders to embrace diversity and higher standards.
I was proud to stand alongside Lisa Paris from McCarthy Plumbing Group (left) and Katherine Green from Tonkin Group (right) as finalists in the Excellence is Administration Support Award
Each of these women is smashing ceilings in rooms where the air is still thick with tradition, reminding us that leadership and technical excellence aren’t defined by gender. Their work underscores why women’s presence in trade businesses is more than a symbolic victory. When women step into trades, whether on the tools, in design, or running the office- the entire industry benefits. Different perspectives strengthen teams, diversity challenges old assumptions and creates safer, more supportive job sites, and from project management to compliance, women often drive the systems that turn good trades into great companies.
As someone who started by “helping” her tradie husband and ended up co-building an award-winning business, I know first-hand that the skills women bring- organisation, resilience, big-picture thinking, are all essential, not optional. The female apprentices nominated at the awards are the proof point. They are the spark for change that will turn into a flame. But they shouldn’t have to fight so hard to get a fair go, and that means businesses, training organisations and governments need to actively back women in trades with mentoring, fair hiring, and workplaces free from bias.
The night at the MCG reminded me of two truths: women are already here, reshaping plumbing and building—and we need more of them. To every woman eyeing a career in the trades, there’s a place for you, even if the room doesn’t look ready yet. To every business owner, creating that space isn’t charity—it’s smart business. The glass ceiling might be tough, but in construction and plumbing, we know a thing or two about demolition.
Let’s keep smashing.
-Lara Denes