Today we are catching up with Miné Coetser of Queensland, one of the 27 talented and inspiring women from all walks of life who are hoping to be crowned Miss Universe Australia 2022.

So Miné, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

Where to begin! My name is Miné Coetser (pronounced Min-ay); I am 21 years old, and I was born in South Africa, but I have called Australia my home for 13 years now! I am currently working solely as a model, and I absolutely adore the creative side of the industry. While I am currently on a break from my degree, I look forward to picking it back up in the new year. In my spare time, I love going to the beach and spending time with my family and loved ones. I am always up for an adventure!

We all have motivations, mine usually around good coffee, but what was your key motivation for entering Miss Universe Australia?

I don’t blame you! Coffee is always a great motivator. I competed in Miss Universe Australia in 2020, and I was lucky enough to be 1st runner-up.
While that’s an accomplishment I am proud of, in the last couple of years, I have grown so much as a person. In doing so, it made me realise how many women live trying to fulfil the expectations others set upon them, and I want to be a person that encourages young women to step into their authenticity.
Of course, I can do that without the program, but I would love to use the platform to implement an initiative in high schools which gives young women the tools to step into the world as their most confident, true and raw selves.

As part of the program, you recently spent time in our hometown of the Gold Coast with the Village Roadshow team; what was the experience like?

How blessed are we to live in such an amazing part of the world! Although I am down the coast at least a few times a week before the Miss Universe Australia program, I actually haven’t spent much time at the theme parks!
The Village Roadshow team were incredible, and I feel so blessed to have experienced all that Sea World, Outback Spectacular and Movie World have to offer. It was such a fun and exciting element of the trip, and I loved every bit. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t eager to get back on some of the thrilling rides at Movie World.

What would you say was the highlight of your trip?

There are simply too many to pick! I would definitely say that meeting the girls was a highlight for me. Growing up, I have always had trouble finding a really close group of girlfriends and to have the chance to meet 27 like-minded and amazing girls has been both rewarding and a standout.

With everyone bringing their own unique and individual flair to the program, what is something that sets you apart from the other contestants?

I honestly believe that when you are yourself, you will always have an opportunity to impact people and take up space. My personality, my confidence, my life experience and my passions are all unique to me, and I think that’s what sets me apart. Once you believe that, you are unstoppable, and that applies to everyone, not just me.

Your next question comes from our current Miss Universe Australia, Daria Varlamova; in your opinion, what are the most essential qualities that a Miss Universe Australia embodies?

Being crowned Miss Universe Australia is a privilege, but it’s also a title that comes with responsibility. The most important qualities I believe are authenticity, confidence and passion. Being unapologetically true to yourself, fearless enough to take up space and driven to pursue what she is passionate about are the core qualities of a Miss Universe Australia. When these qualities align and combine, what you have is a woman that is geared to not only be a role model but a person that inspires change in whichever area she chooses.

Now travel is back on the cards; where is your favourite place to travel to?

I am only 21, so I still have much exploring and travelling to do. I would love to go somewhere tropical like Hawaii! That’s definitely a bucket list destination for me. In saying that, we are so lucky to live in such a beautiful country, and nothing will ever beat Rainbow Bay on the Gold Coast for me.

What is something people may find interesting about you?

Fun fact, English is actually my second language. A lot of people assume because I have no accent that, I have always spoken English, but when we immigrated to Australia, I only knew English from Hannah Montana. I picked up English fairly quickly, and I ended up skipping grade two and moving straight to grade three. So technically, I’ve only done 11 years of schooling 🙂

Tell us something you’re passionate about and why?

I am passionate about a lot of things, and I don’t think that’s a negative thing. For me, there are a few issues that I advocate for because they truly resonate with me.
I am passionate and have been since I was 9, to help end child sex trafficking. I first heard of the work charities such as Destiny Rescue did when I was still in primary school. Being the eldest of four siblings, this is something close to my heart, and I imagine those children as if they were my own brother or sister.

Because of the nature of my career, I am also very passionate about helping women overcome battles with their self-image. I had to go through a tough battle where I tied my self-worth to what I look like and a number on the scale. With the pressures of social media, we’re seeing eating disorders become more and more frequent. I want to be able to use my experience to empower women to overcome this, which leads to my third passion. I have talked about this so much throughout this interview, but encouraging people to be themselves is so important to me. Some of my greatest mistakes have been because I correlated my self-worth to anything except myself, and I can use my experience to motivate others to love themselves for who they are!

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