Victor P Taffa

When Katie Marie Richardson was crowned Miss World Australia in 2008 style, elegance and femininity made a long awaited return.

Born in January 1988 Katie Richardson who hails from the Illawarra region of New South Wales contested the Miss Illawarra competition and won it in 2006 From there on Katie became Miss New South Wales in 2007before claiming the Miss World Australia crown in 2008.

During the judgement process the nominees are tested in Etiquette, Fitness, Swimsuit style, Keynote speaking and Beauty with purpose. “The different sections of judging are quite rigourous and testing” Katie noted. The Judgement Panel consists of a number of people including a Health Expert, the General Manager of a Broadcasting Network and June Daly Watkins.

“With the Etiquette section some of the criteria are on how we eat and socialise” Katie remarked. The fitness section involves a boot camp and is physically demanding according to Katie.

The 1990’s saw the rise of the feminist movement and this lead to the end of the involvement of the Spastic Centre and now it is the Miss World Australia competition.

I asked Katie what the difference is between the ways the competition used to be run as opposed to now and basically “each girl gets to now pick a charity”. Katie picked Randwick’s Ronald Macdonald House and has participated in the fun runs over the last two years.

Katie thinks “that the charity purpose has created a swing back to the qualities of style and femininity”. There are twenty finalists in the Miss World Australia competition. The age bracket of the Miss World competition is 17-24 years and in Australia it is 18-24 years.

Now that the rigours of the competition are out of the way Katie can now resume enjoying some quality time with friends and family. Katie enjoys dancing in particular Physical Culture which is a combination of aerobics and gymnastics in contrast to the waltz that she performed when she made her debut. The work schedule of Katie is 24/7 and revolves around working with a radio station in sales and account managing and in the boutique of a Hotel. Katie would like to complete her degree in Dietetics’ and Nutrition and then possibly become a G.P. after finishing a medical degree.

Katie feels that politics lacks good ideas and should be instilled at school. Katie does not necessarily support Corporal punishment in the classroom however discipline is needed at school and that “it is lacking at home and I do not like the physical harm of corporal punishment but teachers are not baby sitters.” Katie remarked.

“At my school St. Joseph’s Albion Park the younger students are not as disciplined as they were when I was in year seven.” Katie reflected.

Katie admires Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Fred Hollows for his humility, Mahatma Gandhi’s principles and the keynote speaking ability of U.S. President Barrack Obama.

Katie believes that Australia under the system of a Constitutional Monarchy is well run.

Do you think that people have faced tough times? Katie thinks “that people expect the good times to go on forever and have not experienced hardship over the last ten years.” Politics as a career alternative is something that Katie has contemplated and whatever path Katie Richardson chooses success will continue for this young lady of style, elegance and femininity.