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SPEAKERS
Below is a list of our conference speakers, each a leading figure in their respective domains, actively shaping the future through their expertise and groundbreaking innovations.
From industry pioneers to forward-thinking influencers, this diverse assembly represents a fusion of knowledge, insight, and inspiration.
The Hon Quentin Bryce AD CVO
Quentin has enjoyed a career of more than 50 years in service to our community as an academic, human rights lawyer, senior public officer, university college principal and Vice-regal representative in Queensland and Australia.
In 2008 she was sworn in as 25th Governor General, the first women to occupy the office. She remains a pioneer in contemporary Australian society.
In 2014 Bryce chaired a special Task Force on domestic and family violence in Queensland. In 2015 the Task Force delivered its report to the Premier. It’s report ‘Not Now Not Ever’ provided 140 recommendations to set the vision and direction for a Queensland strategy to end the horrific scourge on our community which appears to be increasing in incidence and severity.
The Task Force issued a challenge to families, friends, neighbours, community leaders and community groups. We all have a responsibility to stop the behaviour and attitudes that perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence.
In 2008 she was sworn in as 25th Governor General, the first women to occupy the office. She remains a pioneer in contemporary Australian society.
In 2014 Bryce chaired a special Task Force on domestic and family violence in Queensland. In 2015 the Task Force delivered its report to the Premier. It’s report ‘Not Now Not Ever’ provided 140 recommendations to set the vision and direction for a Queensland strategy to end the horrific scourge on our community which appears to be increasing in incidence and severity.
The Task Force issued a challenge to families, friends, neighbours, community leaders and community groups. We all have a responsibility to stop the behaviour and attitudes that perpetuate the cycle of domestic violence.
The Hon Virginia Bell AC, SC
Virginia served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia for 12 years from February 2009. At the date of her appointment, she was a judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. After graduating in law, she practiced as a solicitor for seven years with the Redfern Legal Centre, which was then newly established. She acted for many survivors of domestic violence, several of whom were referred to the Centre by Elsie. Virginia was admitted to the Bar in 1984. She was appointed to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 1999. In 2012, she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service to the judiciary and the law through judicial administration, and as an advocate for the economically and socially disadvantaged. In 2022, she conducted an Inquiry for the Commonwealth Government into the appointment of the former Prime Minister to administer multiple Departments of State.
Christine Robinson
Christine is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre.
Christine is a Bundjalung woman and has worked in the area of domestic, family, and sexual violence for over 30 years.
Wirringa Baiya is a gender and culturally-specific community legal centre. The Centre provides access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children, and young people. Wirringa Baiya pays special attention to working with victims and survivors of violence.
Christine is currently a member of the NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team, the NSW Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Council, and the First Nations Coercive Control Reference Group.
Christine is a Bundjalung woman and has worked in the area of domestic, family, and sexual violence for over 30 years.
Wirringa Baiya is a gender and culturally-specific community legal centre. The Centre provides access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, children, and young people. Wirringa Baiya pays special attention to working with victims and survivors of violence.
Christine is currently a member of the NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team, the NSW Domestic, Family, and Sexual Violence Council, and the First Nations Coercive Control Reference Group.
Dr Hannah Tonkin
Hannah commenced as the inaugural NSW Women's Safety Commissioner in February 2023. In this role, she provides leadership on whole-of-government policies and programs on domestic, family and sexual violence. Previously Hannah worked as an international lawyer and policy adviser at the UN, as Director of Disability Rights at the Australian Human Rights Commission, and as a barrister in London and Adelaide. While at the UN, Hannah worked in a range of conflict and post-conflict contexts including Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Gaza, Ukraine and the former Yugoslavia, with a focus on protecting civilians, prosecuting war crimes and addressing sexual abuse.
Dr Anne Summers AO
Anne is currently Professor of Domestic and Family Violence at the University of Technology of Sydney Business School. She has been awarded substantial funding by the Paul Ramsay Foundation and UTS to continue her innovative data-based research into domestic violence in Australia. Her recent report The Choice: violence or poverty (2022) used previously unpublished ABS data to reveal the far greater prevalence of domestic violence than was previously known, and especially the shockingly high incidence among women who have become single mothers as a result. The report influenced the federal government to make changes in the recent federal budget to the payment system for single mothers, enabling these mothers to remain on the Parenting Payment until their youngest child reaches the age of 14.
Previously, Anne has advised Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, run the Office of the Status of Women, been Canberra Bureau Chief for the Australian Financial Review newspaper, been editor-in-chief of America’s leading feminist magazine Ms., editor of Good Weekend, chair of the Board of Greenpeace International and a Trustee of the Powerhouse Museum.
She has been an activist in the women’s movement since its inception and in 1974 was involved in establishing Elsie Women’s Refuge the first modern shelter for women and children escaping domestic violence.
She was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia for her services to journalism and to women in 1989; had her image on a postage stamp as an Australian Legend in 2011 and in 2017 was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame
Previously, Anne has advised Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, run the Office of the Status of Women, been Canberra Bureau Chief for the Australian Financial Review newspaper, been editor-in-chief of America’s leading feminist magazine Ms., editor of Good Weekend, chair of the Board of Greenpeace International and a Trustee of the Powerhouse Museum.
She has been an activist in the women’s movement since its inception and in 1974 was involved in establishing Elsie Women’s Refuge the first modern shelter for women and children escaping domestic violence.
She was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia for her services to journalism and to women in 1989; had her image on a postage stamp as an Australian Legend in 2011 and in 2017 was inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame
Micaela Cronin
Micaela commenced as Australia’s first Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner on 1 November 2022. Micaela began her career as a social worker in family violence and sexual assault services, and has held leadership roles across the social service sector in Australia and internationally, including President of ACOSS. Micaela was the CEO of an international non-government organisation based in Asia, working to build global service delivery and strategic partnerships to tackle human trafficking and human rights abuses. In 2014, Micaela was awarded the Robin Clark Leadership award, Victoria’s most prestigious Children’s Protection award, recognising a leader who inspires others in achieving the best outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Delia Donovan
Delia is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Domestic Violence NSW. She brings with her extensive experience in non-government and social services settings across Australia and the United Kingdom. She has 24 years’ experience in social work and social care settings spending the last 14 years in the domestic and family violence sector. Delia has led three domestic violence charities covering a range of work including crisis response, prevention, and, policy and advocacy. Delia has been recognized and awarded for her work in both the UK and Australia receiving several awards for her work to innovate and effect change. More recently, winning the 2022 Impact 25 Award.
Maha Krayem Abdo OAM
Maha is a passionate advocate for social justice and serves as the CEO of Muslim Women Australia (MWA), formerly the Muslim Women Association, which, under Maha’s leadership, provides advocacy, policy advice, community development and domestic violence support for women and children.
Maha’s work has helped provide new arrivals and other women with safety and assurance. She also works at a local, national and international level to advise governments on policy, services and strategies for Muslim and non-Muslim women.
Maha knows the migrant experience firsthand having moved from Lebanon to Australia with her family in the 1960s. She has completed a Bachelor of Social Work, a Masters in Social Science, and Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution.
A trained social worker, Maha’s contributions to human rights, equality and community cohesion have been recognised through numerous awards. This year, Maha was a 2024 NSW Australian of the Year Nominee. In 2022, Maha received an Honorary Fellow from Western Sydney University, and was appointed as a Panel Member of the NSW Treasurers’ Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. In 2021, Maha was awarded the Committee for Sydney Unsung Hero Award, in 2016 Maha was the NSW Seniors Week Ambassador as well as the BreastScreen NSW Ambassador. In 2015 Maha was a finalist for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Medal, and she was the NSW Human Rights Ambassador for 2014-15.
Maha’s work has helped provide new arrivals and other women with safety and assurance. She also works at a local, national and international level to advise governments on policy, services and strategies for Muslim and non-Muslim women.
Maha knows the migrant experience firsthand having moved from Lebanon to Australia with her family in the 1960s. She has completed a Bachelor of Social Work, a Masters in Social Science, and Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution.
A trained social worker, Maha’s contributions to human rights, equality and community cohesion have been recognised through numerous awards. This year, Maha was a 2024 NSW Australian of the Year Nominee. In 2022, Maha received an Honorary Fellow from Western Sydney University, and was appointed as a Panel Member of the NSW Treasurers’ Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. In 2021, Maha was awarded the Committee for Sydney Unsung Hero Award, in 2016 Maha was the NSW Seniors Week Ambassador as well as the BreastScreen NSW Ambassador. In 2015 Maha was a finalist for the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Medal, and she was the NSW Human Rights Ambassador for 2014-15.
Julie Inman-Grant
Julie is Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the world’s first government regulatory agency committed to keeping its citizens safer online.
Before commencing in this role in January 2017, Commissioner Inman Grant spent two decades working in senior public policy and safety roles in the tech industry at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe.
Before commencing in this role in January 2017, Commissioner Inman Grant spent two decades working in senior public policy and safety roles in the tech industry at Microsoft, Twitter and Adobe.
Jess Hill
Jess is a Walkley award-winning journalist, advocate and public speaker who specialises in coercive control and gendered violence. Prior to this, she was a Middle East correspondent, and worked as both a producer and reporter for various current affairs programs across the ABC. In 2019, she published her first book, See What You Made Me Do, about the phenomenon of domestic abuse in Australia. It was awarded the 2020 Stella Prize, has been shortlisted for several others, including the Walkley Book Award and the Prime Minister’s Literary Award, and has been adapted into a television series for SBS, which has become the broadcaster’s highest rating documentary series. Recently, Jess has also produced an audio documentary series on coercive control called ‘The Trap’ (with the Victorian Women’ Trust), a Quarterly Essay on #MeToo in Australia, ‘The Reckoning’, and a recent series on Consent on SBS, ‘Asking For It’. In 2023, she was named marie claire magazine’s Changemaker of the Year.
Virginia Haussegger AM
Virginia is an award-winning television journalist and gender equity advocate. She has reported around the globe for Channel 9, the Seven Network and the ABC and anchored ABC TV News in Canberra for 15 years. In 2017 Virginia established a gender research initiative at the University of Canberra and founded the media platform, BroadAgenda. Host of the podcast BroadTalk, in 2022 Virginia was guest curator of the exhibition Australian Women Changemakers at MoAD. She is Deputy Chair of PIJI, a Public Interest Journalism think-tank; an ANZSOG Fellow; and sessional lecturer in public policy communications at UC, where she is an Adjunct Professor. In 2019 Virginia was named ACT Australian of The Year, in recognition of her community leadership and women’s rights advocacy.
Antoinette Braybrook AM
Antoinette is an Aboriginal woman who was born on Wurundjeri country. Her grandfather and mother’s line is through the Kuku Yalanji. Antoinette is the CEO of Djirra, a position she has held since the service was established in 2002. Antoinette is also Co-Chair of Change the Record, Australia’s only national First Nations led justice coalition of legal, health and family violence prevention experts.
Antoinette seeks to give voice and visibility to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who experience family violence. She is a strong advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control and self-determination.
Antoinette’s leadership and contribution have been recognised through numerous awards, including being honoured on the UN Gender Justice Legacy Wall in 2017, inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2020, City of Melbourne Awards, Melburnian of the Year 2022, Member Order of Australia Medal - 2023 King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List.
Antoinette seeks to give voice and visibility to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who experience family violence. She is a strong advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community control and self-determination.
Antoinette’s leadership and contribution have been recognised through numerous awards, including being honoured on the UN Gender Justice Legacy Wall in 2017, inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2020, City of Melbourne Awards, Melburnian of the Year 2022, Member Order of Australia Medal - 2023 King’s Birthday 2023 Honours List.
Ludo McFerran AM
Ludo has worked on the issue of domestic violence since joining the Elsie collective in 1978. As the first WESNET Chair she advocated for policy to enable women and children to stay safely in their homes, and piloted the first scheme in NSW. Her research on older women revealed the link between homelessness and falling out of work. With trade unions she developed paid domestic violence leave, legislated for all workers by the the Labor Government in 2022 as an amendment to the Fair Work Act. Her work with the international Labour Organisation contributed to the inclusion of domestic violence in a new international labour standard against violence.
Lauren Callaway
Lauren is Assistant Commissioner of Family Violence Command for Victoria Police. She grew up in Sale and joined Victoria Police in 1994 after completing a cadetship as a newspaper journalist in the Latrobe Valley. Despite initially aspiring to pursue artistic ambitions in graphic design or fine arts, Lauren's decision to join the police force brought a sense of financial relief to her parents.
Her career within the police force encompassed various roles and departments. Starting with operational duties in Melbourne, Ballarat, and Geelong, Lauren later took on a promotion to sergeant in the Intelligence and Covert Support Department (ICSC). Over six years in this role, she was involved in forensic intelligence, special projects, and establishing the Sex Offenders Registry, which gained national exposure and provided opportunities for international collaboration in the United Kingdom.
Afterward, Lauren served in the Crime Department as an Acting Inspector, focusing on establishing the Violence Against Women and Children Strategy Group. Subsequently, she spent four years at Professional Standards and then assumed a Local Area Command role at Glen Eira Bayside. Returning to the Intelligence and Covert Support Command as a Superintendent, she managed the Offender Management Division and expanded the post-sentencing scheme to encompass violent and serious sex offenders.
In 2018, Lauren took on the role of Commander at People Development Command, concentrating on organizational education strategy, specialized training, and ensuring quality outcomes in education and training. Returning to the Academy environment after 25 years proved to be a challenge, but one that she embraced.
Her career trajectory led her to become the Assistant Commissioner of Family Violence Command in 2020. This role allowed her to align her policing values, particularly her dedication to gender equality, with her professional responsibilities.
Stepping down in 2021 after serving for 11 years on the Board of Victoria Police Legacy, including five years as chair, Lauren aimed to foster a culture of compassion during her tenure.
Among her proudest achievements are writing a book on Aboriginal jockey Darby McCarthy titled "Against All Odds," completing three marathons, and raising a considerate and hard-working daughter. Lauren particularly takes pride in her work supporting professional development and career planning for colleagues, especially tailored to assist women in achieving success in policing. The gratification she feels when receiving feedback from people who leave her sessions feeling inspired and empowered to pursue their careers, and even more so when they share news of landing a job, reinforces her commitment to her chosen path.
Her career within the police force encompassed various roles and departments. Starting with operational duties in Melbourne, Ballarat, and Geelong, Lauren later took on a promotion to sergeant in the Intelligence and Covert Support Department (ICSC). Over six years in this role, she was involved in forensic intelligence, special projects, and establishing the Sex Offenders Registry, which gained national exposure and provided opportunities for international collaboration in the United Kingdom.
Afterward, Lauren served in the Crime Department as an Acting Inspector, focusing on establishing the Violence Against Women and Children Strategy Group. Subsequently, she spent four years at Professional Standards and then assumed a Local Area Command role at Glen Eira Bayside. Returning to the Intelligence and Covert Support Command as a Superintendent, she managed the Offender Management Division and expanded the post-sentencing scheme to encompass violent and serious sex offenders.
In 2018, Lauren took on the role of Commander at People Development Command, concentrating on organizational education strategy, specialized training, and ensuring quality outcomes in education and training. Returning to the Academy environment after 25 years proved to be a challenge, but one that she embraced.
Her career trajectory led her to become the Assistant Commissioner of Family Violence Command in 2020. This role allowed her to align her policing values, particularly her dedication to gender equality, with her professional responsibilities.
Stepping down in 2021 after serving for 11 years on the Board of Victoria Police Legacy, including five years as chair, Lauren aimed to foster a culture of compassion during her tenure.
Among her proudest achievements are writing a book on Aboriginal jockey Darby McCarthy titled "Against All Odds," completing three marathons, and raising a considerate and hard-working daughter. Lauren particularly takes pride in her work supporting professional development and career planning for colleagues, especially tailored to assist women in achieving success in policing. The gratification she feels when receiving feedback from people who leave her sessions feeling inspired and empowered to pursue their careers, and even more so when they share news of landing a job, reinforces her commitment to her chosen path.
Vivien Johnson
Vivien was a founding member of the women’s refuge movement in Australia and of Marrickville Women’s Refuge Collective, which also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Vivien has been involved in the visual arts in Australia since the early ‘70s and was one of the first to champion Aboriginal art’s recognition as Contemporary Art. As a writer, teacher, researcher and curator, her contributions over four decades to advocacy and scholarship, especially of Western Desert art, have effected positive social and cultural change. Her monographs on Western Desert artists were foundational and her work on Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights was recognised nationally and internationally.
Dr Jane Wangmann
Jane is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Law at UTS. Jane’s research focuses on legal responses to domestic and family violence. Her research draws on almost 30 years of working in this field as a solicitor, in law reform, government policy positions and in academia. Jane’s research has explored the criminalisation of coercive control, lawyering in domestic violence matters, self-representation in family law proceedings, and the use of cross-applications in AVO proceedings. Since 2014 Jane has been one of two non-government experts appointed to the NSW Domestic Violence Death Review Team.
Dixie Link-Gordon
Dixie is a proud and resourceful Gooreng Gooreng woman from South East Queensland, and a resident of New South Wales, she has earned the respect of the local and broader Indigenous community throughout Australia and the Pacific in her work as a Domestic Violence Community Educator and Advocate. She is the Founder and Ambassador of the Breaking the Silent Codes, a charitable organisation which enables vulnerable First Nations Women to find a safe environment in which to share their deeply personal stories and commence their healing journey. She has hosted and spoken at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at parallel and side events held by the United Nations in New York in 2012, 2016, 2019 and 2020. She is currently the Program Coordinator, NSW Aboriginal Women's Advisory Network (AWAN).
Dr Mihajla Gavin
Mihajla is a Senior Lecturer in employment relations and human resource management at UTS Business School. Her research on gender equality, domestic violence, work and education has had demonstrable impact through features in major media, expert testimony, submissions to government inquiries, and partnerships with industry. Her teaching has been awarded at University and Faculty level for innovation and fostering social impact. Mihajla holds several leadership positions including Co-Chair of UTS Business School’s Social Justice and Inclusion Committee, Treasurer of the Industrial Relations Society of NSW, and Vice-President of the Association of Industrial Relations Academics in Australia and New Zealand.
Professor Marie Segrave
Marie is an ARC Future Fellow at the University of Melbourne. Marie's research and advocacy has focused on the migration system and its connection to gendered violence, including domestic and family violence. Marie has led major national studies in this area that have led to key policy reforms to better protect temporary migrants experiencing domestic and family violence.
Rowena Puertollano
As Chairperson of Aboriginal Family Legal Services, Rowena advocates tirelessly against family and domestic violence (FDV) on a voluntary basis. Yawuru/Bard Jarndu from the West Kimberley Region and town of Broome. Rowena has held notable positions including Coordinator of Family Violence Prevention Legal Service and Regional Manager for Marnja Jarndu Women’s Refuge. As Regional Manager and Chair of Marnja Jarndu Refuge, she ensures her staff remained focus in helping the many victims of domestic violence and to assist further in self-healing techniques, self-determination in their future. She also placed an emphasis on staff to ensure mothers to consider their children’s wellbeing and finding ways to help them protect themselves at home along with educating the women within the Refuge and in the community about ‘what is violence’.
Rowena's genuine, culturally aware support extends to diverse community members facing FDV, sexual assault, or suicide.
Rowena's genuine, culturally aware support extends to diverse community members facing FDV, sexual assault, or suicide.
Annabelle Daniel OAM
As CEO of Women’s Community Shelters, Annabelle Daniel OAM has worked with local communities around NSW to establish and open nine shelters at Hornsby, Forster, Castle Hill, Penrith, South Penrith, Bayside, Parramatta, Revesby and Camden. She has also been instrumental in the ongoing success of the very first WCS shelter which opened in Manly in 2010. (Now known as Northern Beaches Women’s Shelter.)
She has collaborated with a range of organisations, individuals and stakeholders, from the community and all levels of government to achieve change in the field of homelessness for women and children.
Annabelle is continuing to lead work into the establishment of further shelters, transitional homes and preventative programs to address domestic violence and women’s homelessness in New South Wales and across Australia.
Annabelle’s volunteer roles include Chairing Domestic Violence NSW (the peak body for domestic and family violence services in NSW) and acting as the Independent Member on the New South Wales Coercive Control Implementation Taskforce, along with Chairing the DFV Sector and Lived Expertise Reference Groups.
She has collaborated with a range of organisations, individuals and stakeholders, from the community and all levels of government to achieve change in the field of homelessness for women and children.
Annabelle is continuing to lead work into the establishment of further shelters, transitional homes and preventative programs to address domestic violence and women’s homelessness in New South Wales and across Australia.
Annabelle’s volunteer roles include Chairing Domestic Violence NSW (the peak body for domestic and family violence services in NSW) and acting as the Independent Member on the New South Wales Coercive Control Implementation Taskforce, along with Chairing the DFV Sector and Lived Expertise Reference Groups.
Karen Bentley
Karen is the CEO of WESNET, the national peak body for specialist women's domestic and family violence services. Karen has worked across the Violence Against Women sector since 1997 as a senior executive in the Australian Public Service, as a consultant, in women's and community health services and in WESNET. Always a tech enthusiast and strong anti-violence advocate, Karen has a particular interest in the intersection of technology and Violence Against Women, and is regularly called upon to provide advice to governments, policy makers and technology companies. Karen has trained thousands of frontline workers and other professionals about technology safety and is a co-founder of the Safety Net Australia project. Karen has a BSc(Hons) from ANU and began her career as a scientist before joining the Australian Public Service where she worked across several agencies. She has also worked as a consultant to numerous non-government organisations and in leadership positions in the health sector. She is passionate about ensuring gender equality and ending violence.
Bobbie Townsend
Bobbie arrived at Elsie in 1975 with her 2 children.
This experience gave Bobbie an incredible wealth of knowledge and changed her life.
Bobbie became part of the first ex resident communal household experience living with 3 other ex-residents and their nine children in a run-down terrace house in Ultimo.
She initially volunteered at Elsie and later when the move to employ ex -residents to run the refuge occurred, she was one of the first ex- residents to be employed.
Bobbie stayed working at Elsie until 1978.
Bobbie went on the work in 3 other Womens Refuges in both Hobart and Sydney over the next ten years.
Her experience in refuges led her to work in community housing, again in a women specific organisation where she stayed for the next 25 years.
Bobbie was CEO of Womens Housing Company until she retired in 2014.
This experience gave Bobbie an incredible wealth of knowledge and changed her life.
Bobbie became part of the first ex resident communal household experience living with 3 other ex-residents and their nine children in a run-down terrace house in Ultimo.
She initially volunteered at Elsie and later when the move to employ ex -residents to run the refuge occurred, she was one of the first ex- residents to be employed.
Bobbie stayed working at Elsie until 1978.
Bobbie went on the work in 3 other Womens Refuges in both Hobart and Sydney over the next ten years.
Her experience in refuges led her to work in community housing, again in a women specific organisation where she stayed for the next 25 years.
Bobbie was CEO of Womens Housing Company until she retired in 2014.
Zoe Rathus AM
Zoe is a senior lecturer at the Griffith University Law School. She was a founding member of the Women’s Legal Service in Brisbane in 1984 and became coordinator in 1989. Zoe worked in private practice as a lawyer from 1981 to 1989 and has been in academia since 2005. Her research centers on the family law system and family violence and she has been participating in reform of the family law system for over 40 years. She is currently Chairperson of the Immigrant Women’s Support Service and a member of the Queensland Law Society Domestic Violence Committee.
Professor Dianne Otto
Dianne was one of a group of feminists, inspired by news of Elsie, who established the first Women’s Shelter in Adelaide in 1974. In 1975 she joined the Melbourne Women’s Liberation Halfway House Collective as the first paid worker, funded by the Myer Foundation. Her role was to document the work of the Collective and the experiences of the women and children who were seeking refuge. Later, Di continued to work in the community sector as a youth worker and helped establish the Young Women’s Housing Shopfront in Collingwood and, in 1987, a refuge for young women called At Last. She completed a law degree in 1992 and went on to teach International Law and Human Rights Law at Melbourne Law School. Her research and teaching engage with a range of critical legal theories, particularly those influenced by feminism, postcolonialism and queer theory.
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