Since 1980, Rebecca Gibney has crafted a career in front of, and behind the camera, making award-winning shows like Packed to the Rafters, Halifax f.p. and The Flying Doctors.

More recently, the New Zealand-born actor has fronted TV series Wanted, Prosper and Under the Vines and is filming A Remarkable Place to Die.

On Sunday, Gibney was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame in Sydney.

After an introduction by actors Claudia Karvan and Erik Thomson, and son Zac Bell, at the end of her moving acceptance she dropped a very subtle bombshell.

“I am very proud to be one of only four women to ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame,” she said.

Gibney joins Ruth Cracknell (Mother and Son), Noni Hazlehurst (Play School) and Kerri-Anne Kennerley (Ten’s Good Morning Australia).

“You can be anything you want in this world,” she said.

“My mother overcame the most traumatic childhood and raised six children, pretty much single-handedly and often under terrible circumstances, and she taught us the most important thing in life is forgiveness, kindness and respect.

“I have been so fortunate to have been guided and supported by some incredible, visionary women on this journey, from my mother to my first agent to the many female producers, directors, fellow actors and crew who have encouraged me behind the scenes.

“But I know that there are many more to come.”

Lauren Rosewarne, associate professor in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, tells The New Daily women have historically been excluded from Halls of Fame (in many industries).

“[Gibney’s] inclusion to the Hall of Fame obviously was overdue,” Rosewarne said.

“Those who make the decisions are often men, and historically men have awarded peers and those who are most like them – other men.”

Rebecca Gibney stars in Wanted, a show she co-created. Photo: Seven

The Logies Hall of Fame Award was introduced in 1984, the same year Gibney starred in her first feature film, Among the Cinders.

Hall of Fame inclusion is determined by submissions on a star’s behalf from broadcasters and is ultimately determined by a panel of independent industry experts.

“The categories, as well as criteria and the voting process, are reviewed annually to ensure the awards accurately reflect the modern tastes of Australian viewers and the industry as a whole,” it stipulates.

It took 15 years before Cracknell, whose career spanned almost 50 years, was inducted in 2001, a year before she died.

It would be another 15 years before Hazlehurst, who filmed 186 episodes of Play School as well as numerous TV series and features films (Candy, Ladies in Black), was inducted in 2016.

A decade ago, TV Tonight created a campaign for more women in the Hall of Fame.

Only Kennerley went on to make up the famous four with her award in 2017.

Rosewarne puts it down to multiple factors, including the types of roles women have had and, historically, “them not being considered as serious or important as the roles men have occupied”.

“It is also a relatively recent phenomenon that women are taking on so many behind-the-scenes roles in television production and thus it takes time for people to have the kind of careers that would be awarded this way,” she said.

“I think it’s also worth factoring in women’s reluctance to campaign for themselves for these kind of accolades as well as peers championing them similarly.

Gibney starred in Prosper. Photo: Stan

At 19, Gibney moved to Australia from the NZ town of Levin after appearing in local TV productions including Inside Straight, Pioneer Women and Sea Urchins.

Her breakthrough in Australia came when she played Julie Davis in the Nine’s Zoo Family, before joining the network’s hugely successful drama The Flying Doctors.

One of Gibney’s most prominent roles was playing Dr Jane Halifax in Halifax f.p. – a character created especially for her.

She was nominated for six silver Logies and two AFI Awards.

Playing Julie Rafter over six seasons on Packed To The Rafters earned her a gold Logie for most popular personality, two silver Logies for most popular actress and a further seven nominations.

“It’s great that she’s been finally included, but it’s also a reminder that a lot more work is needed to achieve equity in such spaces,” Rosewarne said.

She said it was a reminder to ensure the panel that chose hall-of-famers was diverse, not “just the industry’s old guard”, and that inductees should have a legacy (be careful of stars who have been in the industry less than a year).

“I would argue though, that I’m not sure that culture more broadly necessarily puts enormous value [or] prestige in the Logies Hall of Fame,” she said.

“While the omissions are formally an indictment on enduring problems in the industry, it shouldn’t detract from the amazing careers women in the industry have had, and continue to have.”