The Hon. Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO (b. 1942), academic, lawyer and community and human rights advocate, was the first woman to be appointed governor-general of Australia. Born in Brisbane, she spent her early childhood in Ilfracombe in central western Queensland. She finished school in Brisbane before completing degrees in arts and law at the University of Queensland, where in 1968 she became the first female member of the law faculty. By the time she retired from teaching in 1983, she was increasingly involved in human rights and advocacy work, including as director of the Queensland Women’s Information Service, director of Queensland's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, and chair of the National Childcare Accreditation Council. As governor of Queensland from 2003, Bryce continued her work with women, families and young people while extending her influence across rural, regional, aged, Indigenous, migrant and disability sectors. In 2008 she was appointed Australia’s 25th governor-general, and served in this role until March 2014, after which she chaired Queensland's special taskforce on domestic and family violence.
Lorrie Graham's portrait shows her talent for masterful composition and storytelling. The photograph was taken in Sydney when Bryce was principal and chief executive officer of the Women's College within the University of Sydney.
Purchased 2011
© Lorrie Graham
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