Our Patron

Dame Quentin Bryce

The Honourable Quentin Bryce AD CVO

Quentin Bryce has enjoyed a rich and distinguished career as an academic, lawyer, community and human rights advocate, senior public officer, university college principal, and vice-regal representative in Queensland and for Australia.

Quentin Bryce’s contribution to advancing human rights and equality, the rights of women and children, and the welfare of the family was recognised in her appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1988 and a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2003. Also in 2003, she was invested as a Dame of Grace of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. On 25 March 2014, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that Ms Bryce had become a Dame in the Order of Australia.

In her civic role as Governor of Queensland, Ms Bryce continued her work with women, families and young people while extending her influence across the State’s broad and diverse spectrum, including the rural, regional, aged, indigenous, migrant, and disability sectors.

On 5 September 2008, Quentin Bryce was sworn in as Australia’s twenty-fifth Governor-General. As the first woman to take up the office, she was a pioneer in contemporary Australian society, and yet one who brought more than 40 years of experience in reform, community building and leadership to the role. Her term concluded in March 2014. In August 2014 she was appointed by the former Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman to chair a Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence. Ms Bryce presented the report of the Taskforce, Not Now, Not Ever, to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on 28 February 2015.