dr ANNE SUMMERS AO
HONORARY PROFESSOR, university OF TECHNOLOGY OF SYDNEY

Dr Anne Summers AO is a journalist, commentator and best-selling author of ten books, including the classic Damned Whores and God’s Police, first published in 1975, and still in print. Her new book Witness: People. Politics. Culture. Feminism. 1975-2025 will publish in December 2026 through NewSouth.

Anne is currently an Honorary Professor of Domestic and Family Violence at UTS. 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.

Natasha stott despoja ac
Former Australian politician, diplomat, gender equality advocate and author

Natasha Stott Despoja AC is a former Australian politician, diplomat, gender equality advocate and author. 

Natasha was a federal Senator for South Australia (1995-2008), a political party leader, Ambassador and Royal Commissioner. 

In 2020, Natasha was elected by the General Assembly of the United Nations as a member of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). She was re -elected in 2024 for a four year term.

In 2024, Natasha was appointed to lead the South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, which handed down its findings in August 2025.

Natasha was the founding Chair of Our Watch (2013-2021) and served as Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls (2013-2016), working to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world.

She recently concluded her role as a Professor in the Practice of Politics at ANU.

She currently serves as a non-executive Director of The Australian Ballet, Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer and Torrens University. She is a former Deputy Chair of beyondblue and has been a board member of the Burnet Institute (2008-2013), Global Citizen, the South Australian Museum (2009-2013), the Advertising Standards Board (2008-2013) and the Museum of Australian Democracy (2010-2013).

She served on the Australian National University Council (2016-2021).

She has also been a member of the Broad Agenda 50:50 by 2030 Advisory Group, the George Washington Global Women’s Leadership Council.

Natasha was a member of the successful FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup Steering Committee.

Natasha has served on the World Bank Gender Advisory Council (2015-2017) and was a member of a UN High Level Working Group on the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents in 2017.

She was a member of the Prime Minister’s Referendum Council which recommended the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

In May 2018, she was named one of the Top 100 Global Influencers on Gender Policy.

She is/has been, a Patron or Ambassador for several not-for-profit groups, including The Orangutan Project, VicHealth, secondbite, Ovarian Cancer Australia, ENUF the HIV/AIDS anti-stigma campaign, Girls Takeover Parliament, Share the Dignity, The Fay Gale Centre at The University of Adelaide and ActionAid. 

She is the author of On Violence (March 2019).

She has been an international election monitor in several countries including Nigeria, Indonesia, Cambodia and Kenya.

In 2001, she was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and in May 2018, she was named one of the Top 100 Global Influencers on Gender Policy.

Natasha is an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at The University of Adelaide and has been awarded honorary doctorates from The University of Adelaide and UniSA.

In 2021, she was awarded the National Leadership Award by Women Leadership Australia (WLA), she is one of South Australia’s “100 Most Inspiring Women of All Time” and is a Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Adelaide.