Great Australian Leaders

1 HOW DID WE CHOOSE THIS LIST OF 20 GREAT AUSTRALIAN LEADERS?

We did not set out to identify the twenty most famous Australians nor the twenty Australians that have had the greatest influence. Rather, we wanted to focus on leaders who have in some way impacted the lives of Australians as a direct result of their leadership qualities, not just their achievements.

We have chosen to not focus on modern era politicians as they are widely publicised and critiqued already. The only politicians included are a small group of men and women who have made a particularly unique contribution that differs to that of those normally in their role.

The leaders in this book are from a variety of fields and each successfully embodies four key values:

1. GROWTH A leader who does not strive for a one off accomplishment but continually develops themselves and seeks new opportunities.

2. PEOPLE A leader who focuses their efforts on valuing and serving others.

3. RELATIONSHIP A leader who makes their contribution alongside others.

4. INTEGRITY A leader who displays truthfulness and honesty at all times.

1 CONTENTS

About The National Young Leaders Day 3

Sir Edmund Barton 4

Sir Donald Bradman 7

Caroline Chisholm 10

Sir Ian Clunies Ross 13

Margaret Court 16

Edith Cowan 19

Alfred Deakin 22

Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop 25

John Flynn 28

Vida Goldstein 31

Fred Hollows 34

Eddie Mabo 37

Sir Douglas Mawson 40

Sir John Monash 43

Sir Douglas Nicholls 46

Sir Gustav Nossal 49

Dame Roma Mitchell 52

Dick Smith 55

Jim Stynes 58

Steve Waugh 61

Bibliography 64

2 ABOUT THE NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS DAY Where students get up close to great Australian leaders

The National Young Leaders Day is an annual one-day event in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, run by Halogen Australia. Australia’s most influential leaders inspire students by sharing from their own leadership journey. Speakers include leaders from business, sport, politics, community service, science and the arts.

Every year the National Young Leaders Day features Australia’s most inspirational voices and role models, allowing students to learn first-hand from leaders that would normally be difficult for schools and students to access on their own.

The event is held in Australia’s biggest convention and entertainment centers, supported by entertainment and activities that create a vibrant and uplifting environment.

Founded in 1997, this is Australia’s largest and most established youth leadership event, endorsed by the Prime Minister, State Premiers, and key education bodies. School groups attend, usually with students in leadership roles, or those aspiring to be leaders. Registration is also open to individuals and community groups.

For more information visit www.halogen.org.au

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4 Great Australian Leaders

SIR EDMUND BARTON THE FIRST PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

The story of Sir Edmund Barton began when he was born in Sydney in 1849. He is described as having a fortunate start to life, as although his family had to support nine children, Edmund possessed a handsome appearance, a talent for cricket and a generous intellect.

Barton studied law at the University of Sydney where he received numerous prizes and awards and also met Jeanie Ross, whom he married. As a young man he entered politics, gaining a place in the New South Wales lower house in 1879. For the next twenty years Barton juggled a career in politics with the need to earn additional income by working as a lawyer.

This time in Barton’s life coincided with a push from many angles for Australia to federate. Barton himself was both an early and important figure in the campaign for the Australian states to form a new country. Using his skills as a lawyer, Barton was a key contributor in the writing of the Australian constitution and was the leader of a gathering knownas the 1897-98 Federal Convention.

Barton is described as a person who did not always shine as a speaker, but was dedicated and committed in his work and the goal of federation that he was enthusiastic to achieve. It could be said that Barton’s most significant leadership contribution was the work that he did to guide Australia to becoming a Commonwealth country, not the years that he would later spend as prime minister.

At one point in his political leadership Barton resigned from his role as a party leader. He believed it was more important for him to focus his attention on ensuring that the British parliament pass the bill for Australian federation. During these important years Barton worked closely with Alfred Deakin, whose story is also written in this book.

The first of January 1901 was an exciting day for those in the Australian colonies, as it was the first day of the new country which Barton would lead as prime minister. A large ceremony was held in Sydney’s Centennial Park. Barton’s vision of a new country was achieved and he was quoted as saying “This is the first time in history where there has been a continent for a nation and a nation for a continent.”

The first task for Barton and his ministers was to organise the first federal elections. Following this, a whole system needed to be created for the new country to function. Barton held his prime ministerial office until 1903 when he

5 Sir Edmund Barton

made the decision to resign and he joined the bench of the high court. It is suggested that Barton’s most valuable contribution was in fact the many years of effective leadership which Barton showed in establishing the federation of Australia, not actually his prime ministerial duties.

Barton died suddenly in 1920 and is well remembered through his legacy of the Australian federation.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR EDMUND BARTON’S LEADERSHIP:

1. MANY GREAT THINGS TAKE TIME. Barton committed approximately ten years towards one decision being made.

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO STEP ASIDE. If you’re not the right person, let somebody else lead. Barton did this on more than one occasion and he is one of only three prime ministers who left the position through making this choice themselves.

3. PLAN WELL. Barton focussed much of his leadership on laying out clear plans for the federation of Australia. We still benefit today from this attention to detail.

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7 Great Australian Leaders

SIR DONALD BRADMAN AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST EVER CRICKETER

The story of Sir Donald Bradman is the story of Australia’s greatest ever cricketer. This achievement does not automatically make Bradman a great leader but as we look behind the reason for his success we see a number of leadership qualities revealed.

Bradman was born in 1908 in the town of Cootamundra, New South Wales, but soon moved with his family to the town of Bowral. He excelled in sports from a young age and demonstrated talent in tennis, rugby, athletics and his greatest passion, cricket.

His commitment to cricket was demonstrated by him practising with a stick instead of a bat and a small golf ball instead of a cricket ball. At the age of twelve he first scored one hundred runs for his team- the goal of any quality batsmen. At the age of seventeen his name first appeared in the Sydney newspapers when his large scores reached an innings of three hundred runs.

The selectors for the New South Wales cricket team invited the young Bradman to Sydney where he made an impression by consistently scoring innings of one hundred runs. Bradman’s amazing displays earned him a spot in the Australian Test team in 1928 as a twenty year old. Unfortunately Bradman was unsuccessful in his first Test match and was dropped from the team. Soon after he was given another opportunity and this time Bradman become the youngest player to score a century in a Test match.

His consistent success meant that Bradman was continually selected for the Australian team, where he continually broke all kinds of batting records. The physical demands on Bradman were not always easy for him to deal with. He needed to have short rests away from the game and on multiple occasions suffered from ill health. In 1934, he needed to take the year off, away from the game, after he nearly died from an attack of peritonitis when touring in England.

In 1937 Bradman became the captain of the Test team, often considered as the most respected sports leadership position in Australia. He led by example in every way and was a great role model off the field for both his team mates and the many young Australian’s that looked up to him. On the field, he set a standard that had never been seen before.

8 Sir Donald Bradman

Soon after, he enlisted with the air force for the war, but amazingly they declared his eyesight medically unfit. He returned to cricket and continued to succeed until he retired in 1948. Bradman needed only four runs in his last innings to be the first person to have an average score of one hundred. Unfortunately he was dismissed without scoring yet Bradman insists that he was beaten by a superior performance.

Instead of disappearing from cricket Bradman continued his involvement as a cricket selector, journalist, commentator and leader of the cricket board for thirty years. In 1949 Bradman was knighted for his services to the game of cricket.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR DONALD BRADMAN’S LEADERSHIP:

1. RESOURCEFULESS. Bradman learnt to play cricket without owning a cricket bat. Instead he used a stick and a golf ball and practised all on his own against a wall.

2. HUMILITY. Bradman did not score the four runs needed in his last innings to be the first person to have an average score of one hundred. Instead of making excuses, Bradman insisted that he was beaten by a superior performance.

3. GIVING BACK. Bradman used his success and his reputation to help others who followed after him.

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10 Great Australian Leaders

CAROLINE CHISHOLM AN INSTRUMENT FOR HELPING OTHERS

The story of Caroline Chisholm began in 1808 when she was born near Northampton in England. Whilst growing up, Caroline’s mother was a fantastic role model for her. When Caroline’s father died her mother carried on the Christian ministry work that her father had started. This led to Caroline caring for many of the sick and needy in the area. Continuing this kind of work was so important to Caroline that she rejected at least two marriage proposals from men who did not want her to continue.

At the age of twenty two, Caroline married Captain Archibald Chisholm who was supportive of her work. Soon after being married they moved to Madras in India and immediately Chisholm established a school for educating the children of the British officers. After six years in India the Chisholm’s moved to Australia and settled in Windsor, near Sydney. At this time Sydney was dirty and crowded and Chisholm started to see ways that she could improve life for the people there.

Chisholm noticed that two different cultures were emerging. One culture involved ex-convicts who were mainly men and were poor. The other culture was viewed as a more respectable class. Because the two groups were not permitted to relate with each other, the British authorities began to ship lower class women to Australia to correct the gender imbalance with the ex-convict men.

When these women arrived in Australia, the male dominant society meant that the men did not respect women in the way they should be respected. Chisholm wondered whether any good could come from the many women arriving in Australia and she decided that in fact it was a much needed necessity. Chisholm believed that the community was suffering without marriage and families as she had seen them in Britain.

Chisholm created a home for new female immigrants. She wanted a place where they could settle and be prepared to then seek employment. The Governor of the time gave Chisholm an old abandoned and ratinfested army barracks. Almost overnight, Chisholm organised to transform the barracks into a respectable place to bring the women.

Upon setting up the house, Chisholm made connections with people in rural areas where she knew the women would be most needed and she devised ways for the women to easily be transitioned for employment in these places.

11 Caroline Chisholm

Whilst leading these new projects Chisholm raised six children of her own, often with her husband serving in the military overseas. At times she would do whatever was necessary for her work to succeed including meeting the arriving ships and even meeting people to organise donations for her house.

Her work was so successful that the British government saw the need to support immigrants to work with prospective employers and therefore her house was closed to make way for the government backed initiatives. At one point, in 1846, Chisholm travelled back to Britain to speak with the country’s most powerful leaders who wanted to know how they could best follow up the work she had started. Taking direction from a woman at this time was almost unheard of.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM CAROLINE CHISHOLM’S LEADERSHIP:

1. CHANGE THE WAY THINGS ARE DONE. Chisholm did not stop at only doing good things for others. She persisted to change the way that the government did things so that there could be an effect much larger than her own.

2. BUILD RELATIONSHIPS. Chisholm networked with agencies and employers who could help in the work she was trying to achieve.

3. EVERY NEED CAN BE MET. Chisholm wasn’t afraid to meet a need that others thought couldn’t be met. As a result, she changed Australian society in the nineteenth century.

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13 Great Australian Leaders

SIR IAN CLUNIES ROSS THE CREATOR OF AUSTRALIA’S SCIENTIFIC BOOM

The story of Sir Ian Clunies Ross began when he was born as William Ian Clunies Ross in 1899 at Bathurst, New South Wales. At four years of age Clunies Ross moved with his family to suburban Sydney where he spent his childhood. He developed an interest in local plants at a young age but at school was an average student.

Upon leaving school, Clunies Ross managed to avoid enlisting in the army like his brothers did and he commenced studying agriculture at university. He soon changed to a veterinary course and later began working briefly as a vet and also teaching at the university. In his midtwenties Clunies Ross was given the opportunity to spend some time studying in England and he chose to specialise in the research of parasites.

Specialising in parasites enabled Clunies Ross to build a national reputation as a scientist and as one of Australia’s best scientific communicators. In 1926, the new Council for Scientific and Industrial Research decided to give its highest priority to research into the health and nutrition of animals, particularly sheep. Clunies Ross was appointed C.S.I.R. parasitologist and was also married during this time. He continued to work at the veterinary school until 1931 when he was appointed in charge of a new animal health laboratory built at the university.

As a scientist and a public figure, Clunies Ross showed special strength in exploring the relationship between host and parasite, an area of veterinary science that had been undiscovered. Clunies Ross always ensured that there was a way of the world benefiting from his research, rather than making discoveries for the sake of science alone. Two of his discoveries included a method of controlling disease among farm animals and also a method for immunising dogs against the effects of ticks.

During World War II Clunies Ross spent time with the ABC as an international affairs commentator which broadened his vision for Australia’s place on the world stage. He worked on various committees to help plan for Australia to contribute its scientific resources internationally. In particular he led a plan which saw the Australian wool industry survive competition from new synthetic materials.

By the 1940’s Clunies Ross was focussing his efforts on Australia’s leading scientific body the CSIRO, in which he became the Chairman. This focus meant that he and his family moved to Melbourne. During his time as Chairman, he was able to oversee a variety of successful discoveries including radio astronomy, the control of rabbits and further improvements to the important wool industry. Clunies Ross saw it important to promote science in any way

14 Sir Ian Clunies Ross

possible and was known for accepting an invitation to give a speech from anyone who asked him.

One of Clunies Ross’ best leadership characteristics was his ability to nurture the people who worked with him. Many of the people in his team went on to be very successful in their own right. Clunies Ross died at the age of 60 and many science laboratories have been named in his honour.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR IAN CLUNIES ROSS’ LEADERSHIP:

1. TALK ABOUT YOUR WORK. Clunies Ross wanted people to understand the discoveries that were being made. He went out of his way to inform people in a way that they could understand.

2. THINK OF THE FUTURE. Clunies Ross wasn’t just concerned with the matters of today. He led discoveries that he knew would help people in the future.

3. HELP OTHERS BE SUCCESSFUL. Clunies Ross was successful himself but he wasn’t afraid to help members of his team succeed. This meant that people wanted to work with him.

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16 Great Australian Leaders

MARGARET COURT FROM TENNIS COURT TO COMMUNITY

The story of Margaret Court began when she was born in 1941 in the town of Albury, New South Wales. After expressing a love for tennis from a young age she moved to Melbourne when she was fifteen to further her promising tennis career.

Her tennis career went from strength to strength as she continually won grand slam titles in both the singles and doubles tournaments around the world. However, the demands of full time tennis took their toll on Court and in 1966 she announced her retirement from tennis. At the time, Court felt that she had no more goals to fulfil. She moved to Perth, Western Australia, where she met and married Barry Court, son of the then Premier, Sir Charles Court.

After being retired from tennis for only two years Court made the decision to return to the professional circuit. Her outstanding career continued to the point where she claimed an incredible sixty four major tournament victories, including eleven Australian Opens; five US Opens; five French and three Wimbledon Singles titles. No other player, man or woman in the history of the game has ever been able to beat this record. Many of these victories came in between short breaks whilst she began to have children. In 1977 Court retired permanently when she was expecting her fourth child.

Living life as a normal housewife and mother was a new challenge. Court found the transition difficult and described having feelings of uselessness, inferiority and unworthiness, which caused her to suffer from fear and depression. The once healthy and fittest woman in the world, was now weak and fearful and afraid to go to sleep. In her search Court became a Christian and began to find meaning in her faith and in helping others.

Having spent some time studying, Court became the leader of a Church which she still leads today. Many sports stars spend their life after their career in leadership of the sport but Court decided to be part of an organisation that could care for the important, everyday needs of the community.

Part of her organisation is committed solely to helping people. Every week it distributes approximately two hundred and fifty hampers, cares for families, singles and the homeless, feeds approximately two hundred people every Tuesday night, assists thirty other agencies, provides crisis care and counselling, and runs breakfast programs in ten local schools.

17 Margaret Court

Court is a unique, visionary, uncompromising and gracious lady whose desire is to see all people live life to the full. Court understands the powerful influence of words and therefore, in addition to leading a Church, communicates through her television programs and books, helping people around the world.

Court has been honoured by receiving both sporting and community awards, being featured on postage stamps and having a court named after her at Melbourne Park, the home of the Australian Open.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM MARGARET COURT’S LEADERSHIP:

1. HAVE GOALS. Creating new goals allowed Court to continually achieve success in her tennis career. After her tennis career finished, she has been able to create new goals to take her life in a different direction.

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO HAVE ANOTHER GO. Despite the fact that Court had retired, she had the confidence to start again. This was a risk, but her confidence paid off.

3. USE YOUR INFLUENCE TO HELP OTHERS. Court has used her influence as a successful tennis player to help the community.

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19 Great Australian Leaders

EDITH COWAN THE VOICE OF WOMEN

The story of Edith Cowan began when she was born in 1861 near Geraldton, Western Australia. Her mother died when Edith was only young so she left to attend boarding school in Perth. Whilst there, only a few years later, she learnt that her father had died. She enjoyed her experience of school and this is believed to have birthed in her a lifelong conviction of the value of education and an interest in books and reading. At the age of eighteen Edith married James Cowan.

Cowan believed that education was important to overcoming many of the issues in society and that it was also necessary for growth and development. Cowan believed that the dominant male leaders of the community did not notice or deal with some of the needs that existed. She fought tirelessly to improve conditions for women, children, families, the poor, the under-educated and the elderly. She also promoted migrant welfare and the formation of infant health centres.

In 1894, Edith Cowan was one of the founders of the Karrakatta Club. This became the centre of a movement for reform, making Edith Cowan the best known woman in Australia during the first thirty years of Australian federation.

Among her many achievements, Edith Cowan was instrumental in obtaining votes for women in Western Australia. She was Vice-President of the Women Justices’ Association and the Western Australian League of Nations Union. She helped found the Children’s Protection Society, which evolved to become the Children’s Court, and helped create the Western Australian National Council for Women, of which she was President from 1913 to 1921.

Cowan also contributed to the efforts of World War I, assisting on various committees. Following this, in 1921, she was elected to the Western Australian Parliament, defeating the previous Attorney General. Cowan was sixty years of age when she became the first woman elected to an Australian Parliament. Her most important feat as a parliamentarian was her contribution to the passing of the Women’s Legal Status Bill in 1923. The Bill opened legal and other professions to Western Australian women for the first time.

Edith Cowan contributed significantly to the development of education, particularly in government schools. She worked tirelessly to raise funds for students to attend universities in other states prior to a university being built in Western Australia, obtaining government support for her

20 Edith Cowan

scheme. Her work in this area was acknowledged by naming Western Australia’s oldest education institution and newest university after her, as well as her image being added to the Australian $50 note. EdithCowan died on 9 June 1932, aged 71.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM EDITH COWAN’S LEADERSHIP:

1. ACT ON BEHALF OF OTHERS. Cowan gave a voice to the wellbeing of women and children. Additionally, she didn’t only give her voice, she took action.

2. PEOPLE WHO DO SOMETHING FIRST, INSPIRE OTHERS. Cowan was the first woman to be elected for an Australian Parliament. However, once she achieved this standing, many other women began to follow.

3. GATHER THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS. Instead of voicing her thoughts on her own, Cowan gathered likeminded women who then worked together.

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22 Great Australian Leaders

ALFRED DEAKIN THE SECOND PRIME MINISTER OF AUSTRALIA

The story of Alfred Deakin began in Melbourne where he was born in 1856. Deakin was a smart boy but one who missed out on making the most of his education by spending too much time daydreaming in class.

During his schooling Deakin never wanted to be involved in politics. Instead, he had an interest in philosophy, poetry and drama. Although Deakin finished school and drifted into a career in law, he soon drifted out of this to focus on his love of writing and his growing interest in religion. Deakin was working as a journalist for ‘The Age’ newspaper in Melbourne when in 1879 his boss, David Syme, suggested to him that he campaign in an upcoming election and enter the Victorian Parliament.

Although Deakin was only twenty four years of age he won the election but in his very first political speech he shocked the Parliament by announcing that he had decided to resign. Deakin said that he doubted whether the election poll was done fairly and that he therefore didn’t want to be a part of it. Three years later Deakin ran in the election again and this time accepted the seat in Parliament that he won. He held this seat for six years.

During his time in Parliament Deakin married Pattie Browne. It is said that life was not always easy for Alfred and Pattie, especially after his six years in the government when they lost all of their money after trying to invest in buying land. However, Deakin was highlighted as one of the few people in this time that made sure he paid back everything that he owed. To do this, he went back to working as a lawyer for a period of time.

During the 1890’s Deakin was drawn to the discussion about federation, where Australia would become its own country. Due to his political experience he became the person that was in charge of Victoria’s involvement in helping to set up the new federation of Australia. During this time Deakin worked closely with Edmund Barton, who was playing a similar role for the state of New South Wales, and they travelled together to Britain to finalise the negotiations for Australia to become a country.

Deakin was gifted in helping people discuss, negotiate and compromise. This was incredibly essential leading up to federation and Deakin committed himself to protecting Australia from any politicaltricks or opportunists that might try and rise during this time.

Although Edmund Barton was appointed the first Prime Minister of Australia in 1901, Deakin worked with him as the

23 Alfred Deakin

first Attorney General. Barton resigned in 1903 and Deakin became the Prime Minister. At this time federal politics was difficult and still relatively new, and Deakin’s time as the leader lasted less than one year. Deakin was still committed to contributing during these important years and eventually regained the role of Prime Minister in 1905, which he held for three years.

Even after standing aside as Prime Minister for the second time, Deakin wasn’t finished yet. He was continually driven by a desire to fulfil his potential and to see Australia reach its potential. A year later he became Prime Minister for the third time however his party was only in government for a short period. Deakin retired in 1913 and passed away in 1919.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM ALFRED DEAKIN’S LEADERSHIP:

1. INTEGRITY. Deakin was committed to being a truthful person by resigning when he thought the poll was unfair. He even wrote newspaper articles criticising some of his own actions.

2. DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE YOUR PATH. Deakin’s pathway in life and career changed a number of times during his life. He felt comfortable changing his direction if he thought it was best.

3. HAVE ANOTHER GO. When some of Deakin’s opportunities ended he didn’t walk away. Because of this, he was the Prime Minister at three different times.

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25 Great Australian Leaders

SIR EDWARD ‘WEARY’ DUNLOP PRISONER OF WAR

The Story of Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop began in 1907 when he was born in country Victoria. Dunlop lived on farms and although he went to school in Benalla, he much preferred to be outside playing sport and undertaking different adventures. He was a determined boy and even from a young age liked to show off his tough nature on the sports and athletics field.

When he finished school Dunlop worked in a pharmacy where he was first exposed to the medical field. However, he soon became bored of living in a small town and headed off for a new adventure in Melbourne at the age of twenty. When he arrived in Melbourne he started studying to be a doctor and at the same time started to excel in sport. He was so good at sport that he played in the Australian Wallabies rugby team and also won numerous boxing championships.

When he graduated as a doctor Dunlop took a job as the surgeon on a ship that was sailing to London. Soon after, World War II started and Dunlop knew his skills were needed closer to the action. Always up for an adventure, Dunlop couldn’t get into the army quick enough!

Soon after enlisting in the Australian Army, Dunlop was sent to Java in Indonesia. The Japanese had attacked the island, and Weary was needed to help treat the casualties. However, only weeks after he had arrived Japanese troops captured the town where Dunlop was working. Dunlop and many others were crammed onto a ship and then taken by train to Thailand. The Japanese wanted the prisoners to build a 421 kilometre long railway from west Thailand into Burma.

The prisoners did not have the tools or the strength to build the railway but the Japanese insisted that they complete it. As a commander, Dunlop had the awful job of deciding who was fit enough to work. As a surgeon, he was also the one who patched the men up after their hours of hard labour.

Although he wasn’t building the railway, Dunlop was never sitting down. He was always on his feet looking after his soldiers and his feet became infected with ulcers. Dunlop argued with his Japanese captors about making sick men work. On one occasion Dunlop stood in front of one of his soldiers that the Japanese were about to kill. He refused to move until his life was spared. Weary was too important to the welfare of the soldiers working on the railway so the Japanese wouldn’t kill him, but they would torture him instead. The experience, however, only made him more

26 Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop

defiant.

When the war was won Dunlop continued to work as a surgeon in Australia and parts of Asia. Although he was incredibly tough, Dunlop also had a compassionate nature and he is known for, later on, forgiving and even meeting some of his former enemies. In 1969, he was knighted in recognition of his contribution to medicine. Sir Edward Weary Dunlop died in 1993 at the age of eighty five and was known as ‘The Surgeon of the Railway’.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR EDWARD ‘WEARY’ DUNLOP’S LEADERSHIP:

1. STRETCH YOURSELF. Dunlop could easily have given up. However, his greatest contribution to others was when he was put in difficult situations.

2. CARE FOR OTHERS. Dunlop placed the care of others as his first priority. He even cared for the Japanese soldiers who had taken him captive.

3. FORGIVE. Dunlop chose not to hate anyone. He tried to see things from other people’s point of view and he knew that by having this attitude it would be easier for him to show care.

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28 Great Australian Leaders

JOHN FLYNN THE ROYAL FLYING DOCTOR

The story of John Flynn began in 1880 when he was born in Moliagul, Victoria. He was the son of a country school teacher and attended a number of schools in the Australian bush. After finishing school Flynn tried to start a career in teaching. He had also become involved in the Church and decided that he wanted to become a Christian minister. In preparation for becoming a minister Flynn became a missionary for the Church. This meant that he would go to outback towns and farms to help people. During this time he became quite interested in first aid, as people in the outback had little access to medical help.

At twenty seven years of age Flynn commenced his university studies and became a Presbyterian minister. During this time he received a letter from someone in the Northern Territory outback telling him of the lack of both spiritual and medical support that was making life difficult for people in isolated areas. This prompted Flynn to continue thinking of ways to meet this need.

Flynn was a very practical leader who looked for tangible solutions. He started a range of things to help people in the outback. Flynn wrote a book called ‘The Bushman’s Companion’ which contained all sorts of helpful information, including a section on first aid. The book became very popular and a number of editions have since been printed. He also started something known as the ‘Mailbag League’ where women and children in the city sent letters to people in the outback, helping people to overcome their loneliness and their isolation from life in the city.

In 1911 Flynn began working in outback South Australia. During this time he helped build a hospital and even started a magazine called the ‘Outback Battler’ to communicate and to entertain people. From inland South Australia Flynn became aware of many of the needs of the Northern Territory and his Church placed him in charge of expanding work into this area. Flynn established fifteen inland hospitals in areas that the government had decided not to support.

When the development of the aeroplane had surfaced Flynn had the vision of using it to create a ‘doctor with wings.’ Even with doctors being able to fly, there was not yet an invention for people in need to call for help. Flynn asked for assistance from Alfred Traegar, who had invented a pedal radio, and they began distributing many hundreds of them throughout the outback.

Flynn built a hospital in Western Queensland as the headquarters and arranged for an aeroplane from Qantas. This

29 John Flynn

meant that the Royal Flying Doctor Service could begin in 1928 and two hundred and fifty five patients were helped in the first year. The success of the service meant that different states started similar operations. Flynn focussed his efforts on bringing them all together as one and securing government funding to help them operate.

The radios in outback homes also had additional uses. The radios meant that children could learn, families hundreds of kilometres apart could communicate, and weather warnings could be given. Life in the outback had been improved in many ways. John Flynn died in 1951 and his ashes were flown to Mt Gillen in outback Northern Territory.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM JOHN FLYNN’S LEADERSHIP:

1. DO PRACTICAL THINGS TO HELP. Instead of entering politics or encouraging others to make a difference, Flynn did any practical thing he could think of. It started with small things like teaching first aid and writing magazines and ended up becoming much bigger, but still practical.

2. SACRIFICE. For Flynn to make a difference in outback Australia he needed to go to wherever the need was greatest, even though he knew it would be difficult.

3. UNITY. Flynn knew that the many flying doctors that started would be far more effective if they became one unified organisation.

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31 Great Australian Leaders

VIDA GOLDSTEIN ADVOCATE FOR WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE

The story of Vida Goldstein began in 1868 when she was born in Portland, Victoria. When Vida was the age of eight the Goldstein family moved to Melbourne. When they arrived in Melbourne, Vida’s father became deeply involved in helping people through welfare work and he encouraged his family to become involved as well. Vida’s father had the strong belief that to help suffering people the work needed to be highly organised and not simply handed out to anyone.

Goldstein had a fortunate upbringing, with her parents arranging for her and her sisters to be taught by a private governess and then later at a private girls school. Her parents wanted Goldstein and her sisters to be financially and intellectually independent. This became very beneficial when the family lost all of their money in a bank crash, as the Goldstein sisters then started their own school in which to work.

As a young woman aged twenty one, Goldstein helped her mother collect signatures for a petition relating to women having the right to vote. This began her interest and influence in what was being referred to as a ‘suffragist.’ Throughout the 1890’s Goldstein became involved in numerous suffragist and welfare activities. To help her understand ways in which ways she could help people, Goldstein read widely and even attended many parliamentary sessions to watch and listen. She helped in many ways from organising the Queen Victoria Hospital Appeal to campaigning for the changing of unfair laws.

The end of the nineteenth century saw the death of Goldstein’s friend who had been the leader of most of the suffragist activities. At this time, others involved looked to Goldstein to be the leader of the movement. With the help of a friend, Goldstein worked at her public speaking ability and became excellent very quickly.

Goldstein’s efforts saw Australian women being able to vote in the 1902 election and she was invited overseas to help other countries understand the progress that had been made in Australia. Goldstein ran for parliamentary election a number of times but did not win a place. Instead of giving up each time, it convinced Goldstein that she would need better organisation and that she needed to be involved in more groups and more education of women. Even without a place in parliament, Goldstein campaigned tirelessly for women’s rights, for equal pay and for the inclusion of women.

Instead of being aggressive in her vision for progress, Goldstein was humane, kind, sincere and genuinely concerned

32 Vida Goldstein

for the less fortunate, whatever race or nationality. Charming, public-spirited and believing in Christian principles which she consistently practised, she was a born reformer, though she promoted simple solutions to complex social problems.

In her later years Goldstein continued to write papers that would be used to both inspire people and also influence the decisions of government. She summarized her basic attitude to politics and public life as: ‘In essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things charity’.

Goldstein never married and she died of cancer at her home in Melbourne in 1949.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM VIDA GOLDSTEIN’S LEADERSHIP:

1. PREPARE YOURSELF. By watching, listening and reading others, Goldstein prepared herself to be the leader of an important movement.

2. SHOW HUMILITY. Instead of being domineering, Goldstein voiced her opinions with kindness and humility, making her a welcomed voice.

3. LOOK FOR SIMPLE SOLUTIONS. Goldstein wanted to change large social problems but she did so by suggesting smaller, simpler solutions to start with.

33 Great Australian Leaders

34 Great Australian Leaders

FRED HOLLOWS EYE SURGEON FOR THE POOR

The story of Fred Hollows began when he was born in New Zealand in 1929. He was part of a Christian family and Fred always liked the idea of being a missionary that helped other people, though he didn’t know exactly how. When he finished school and started at university in New Zealand he hadn’t planned on becoming a doctor. He started a general arts degree and whilst doing some charity work at a hospital was drawn to the work that the doctors were doing.

This led Hollows to become a doctor himself and eventually a specialist in eye surgery, known as an ophthalmologist. During the 1960’s, Hollows got a job in Australia and within five years he was head of the Eye Department at a Sydney hospital.

Hollows always believed strongly in equality for all people, so when he was told about the need for Aboriginal health services in Sydney he wanted to contribute. One thing that Hollows discovered really shocked him. He discovered that it was very common for the Aboriginal people in outback communities to suffer from eye diseases, which he knew could easily be avoided.

In the 1970’s Hollows helped launch a national program to attack eye disease in Aboriginal Australians and also the first Aboriginal Medical Service. Even though he was a skilled surgeon, Hollows knew that he couldn’t work on this problem alone. He had a great ability to inspire people and set out recruiting doctors and others to volunteer their time to join him.

In three years Hollows’ team travelled across outback Australia treating thirty thousand people and providing more than ten thousand pairs of glasses. Hollows quickly became known as the ‘wild colonial boy’ of Australian surgery, partly because he had a deep love of the bush, and also because he had a quick temper when things were getting in the way of him helping people.

As he travelled around Australia Hollows became continually upset that not enough was being done to improve the health of Aboriginal people. He did what he could to communicate his concerns but still remained focussed on helping anyone that he could.

By 1980, Hollows was travelling all over the world to help set up eye health programs in developing countries. When

35 Fred Hollows

he travelled to Africa he learned that each year in Africa about two and a half million people go blind. Hollows wanted to help these people build their own eye lens factory and used his influence in Australia to gather donations towards the six million dollars that was needed.

By 1989 Hollows was dying of cancer. Instead of giving up, Fred considered himself lucky and continued with his work. In 1993 he died at home surrounded by his friends, his wife Gabi and their five children.

Hollows was a man who received many awards before and after his death, but his greatest achievement was giving ‘vision’ to more than one million people around the world. Gabi Hollows is continuing Fred’s work and each year the team is giving sight back to thousands of people.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM FRED HOLLOWS’ LEADERSHIP:

1. DON’T LEAVE SIMPLE NEEDS UNMET. Instead of doing advanced research and making new discoveries Hollows focused on performing simple eye operations over and over again to help those who simply couldn’t see.

2. LEADERS LEAVE A LEGACY. If the leaders work is significant and if they work together with others, the work will continue even after the leader moves on.

3. LEAD BY EXAMPLE. Hollows didn’t sit at a desk directing others in what to do; he travelled to the needy places and showed how problems could be overcome.

36 Great Australian Leaders

37 Great Australian Leaders

EDDIE MABO LAND RIGHTS FOR ABORIGINAL PEOPLE

The story of Eddie Mabo began when he was born in 1936. He was born on Mer Island in the Torres Strait, the space between the north of Australia and Papua New Guinea. His name at birth was Edward Koiki Sambo but as his mother died when he was young, Eddie changed his surname to Mabo as this was the surname of his uncle who raised him.

Mabo was taught by his family about the land in which they lived. They had lived there for generations and he knew every boundary marked by trees, rocks or stones. However, a government authority controlled the island and when he was a teenager a misunderstanding meant that he was forced to leave the island and move to Queensland.

On the mainland he mixed with other Torres Strait Islanders and his leadership ability meant that he was often their spokesperson when speaking with the government. When he was twenty three he married Bonita Neehow and together they raised ten children. Mabo had many different jobs but when he was thirty-one he got work as a gardener with James Cook University in Townsville.

Instead of just keeping to his gardening work, he would sit in on classes and read library books, especially to hear what the ‘white experts’ had to say about his people. He would speak often with people and on one day in 1974 had a very important conversation whilst eating lunch with Professor Noel Loos and Henry Reynolds.

During this conversation Mabo was speaking about his land back on Mer Island when the men he was speaking with realised that Mabo thought he owned that land. The two men glanced at each other and then made the difficult decision to tell him that he didn’t own that land, that it was owned by the government. Mabo was shocked to hear that this was true and went home to his wife and said “No way, it’s not theirs, it’s ours”.

Mabo continually studied and discussed his concerns and a few years later a Land Rights Conference was held at James Cook University. Mabo made a very important speech where he spelt out land ownership and land inheritance on Mer Island. A lawyer at the conference spoke to Mabo and suggested they should do a test case to claim land rights through the court system.

The Murray Islanders decided they would challenge the claim of ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to no one) in the High Court and they chose Mabo to lead their fight. After a ten year battle Justice Moynihan came to the conclusion that because Mabo wasn’t really the son of his uncle he had no right to claim the family land. Eddie Mabo was devastated

38 Eddie Mabo

and he felt like giving up. However, he believed he was right and decided to persist with the case.

But after ten years the strain began to affect his health. In 1992, Mabo died of cancer at fifty six years of age. Five months later the High Court announced its historic decision that the original inhabitants were the owners and that it was up to the Aboriginal or Islander people to determine who owned what land. Three years after Mabo’s death, with the traditional mourning period over, his people gathered in Townsville for a memorial service. His body was buried on Mer Island, the land he loved and fought for.

The historic Mabo decision by the High Court of Australia overturned ‘terra nullius’ which the British declared before claiming Australia over two hundred years ago.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM EDDIE MABO’S LEADERSHIP:

1. PERSIST WITH WHAT YOU BELIEVE IS RIGHT. Mabo didn’t give up despite the strain it took on him. Because of his beliefs, giving up was not an option.

2. GET INVOLVED. Mabo could have done his work as a gardener and nothing else. Instead he got involved at the university, spent time with others and grew in the process.

3. CULTURE IS IMPORTANT. All people and places have culture which gives them identity. When Mabo felt that his culture and identity was being threatened he fough to save it.

39 Great Australian Leaders

40 Great Australian Leaders

SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON ADVENTURER

The story of Sir Douglas Mawson began in 1882 when he was born in Yorkshire, England. At the age of four he migrated to Australia with his parents and they settled in Sydney. After finishing high school Mawson studied at Sydney University where he brought his leadership ability to the forefront by starting the Science Society.

Mawson’s interest in geology drew him to help with an expedition to explore the area around Mittagong in NSW and then later the New Hebrides Islands. At the age of just twenty three Mason became a lecturer at the University of Adelaide. For fifty years Mawson taught at the university but would regularly take time to embark upon new explorations, which he would eventually become very well known for.

After teaching at the university for two years Mawson visited the snowy mountains and his fascination with the snow caused him to become interested in Antarctica. In 1907 Mawson joined an expedition to the South Pole with well known British explorer Ernest Shackleton. The expedition lasted most of the year and involved them walking thousands of kilometres on foot enduring frequent blizzards. Mawson could easily have died on that expedition but instead he fell in love with the Antarctic.

In 1911 the Australian Government funded an expedition to the Antarctic and asked Mawson to lead it. One task was to set up a base and following this Mawson and two companies set out to map a part of the Antarctic that nobody had ever been to before. They took numerous dogs and sleds to assist their journey. Within two weeks of the journey beginning, one of Mawson’s companions disappeared with a dog down a gaping hole. Not only had they lost a friend but also most of their food.

Mawson and his one remaining companion only had a few days food left so they decided to turn back, unsure if they would even survive for the many weeks that they needed to. In their desperation, they cooked and ate their animals in order to survive. Mawson’s companion became sick and with the weather too cold to recover, he died leaving only Mawson remaining. Still with weeks of walking to get back to safety Mawson continued to endure challenges. At one point he fell down a hole and managed to hang on to the rope from his sled in order to pull himself back to the surface. On another occasion he sheltered in a cave for more than a week to avoid a blizzard. After weeks on his own with no food he finally reached his base and the safety of those waiting.

Years later, in 1929, he led another expedition to map the coastline of the Antarctic. As a result of this expedition the

41 Sire Douglas Mawson

territory was given to Australia by the British, which meant that the land size belonging to Australia nearly doubled! Mawson’s expeditions were also able to set up numerous weather stations around the continent to provided valuable long range forecasts and information.

In the last part of Mawson’s life he continued with his teaching and in advising the Government on future explorations until he died in 1958.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR DOUGLAS MAWSON’S LEADERSHIP:

1. ENDURANCE. Mawson could have easily given up during many of his expeditions. Despite the difficult conditions, he persisted and showed how much human beings are capable of.

2. TEAMWORK. On the occasions when Mawson had his team around him, their expeditions would succeed. When he was left on his own, it was a struggle to even survive.

3. LEADERS GO TO UNCHARTERED TERRITORY. Mawson chose to go to a place that nobody had been. He tried to do something that nobody else had done. Instead of sitting back and watching others, he decided to be the one to investigate.

42 Great Australian Leaders

43 Great Australian Leaders

SIR JOHN MONASH ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S FINEST SOLDIERS

The story of Sir John Monash began in 1865 when he was born in Melbourne. His parents struggled financially but Monash displayed much academic potential. He loved to read and finished school as the equal top of his class. At the age of only sixteen he started at the University of Melbourne to study civil engineering and when he finished this he studied law part time.

Monash married in 1891 and continued studying both engineering and law until 1895 when he started working for himself as an engineer. Within five years Monash was seen as the leader in his field and worked on many big construction projects around Australia.

Whilst being involved in his work Monash also completed military studies and became a sergeant, lieutenant officer and then a commander. As the First World War looked likely, Monash was appointed in 1913 as a Commander with the task of moulding soldiers into a unified group. In 1914 he set out with his troops to Gallipoli.

At the conclusion of the battle in Gallipoli, Monash was the only commander to remain, having not been killed or sent home suffering from wounds or mental illness. Monash and his troops were sent to France and he was promoted to major-general. He was involved in more military battles in Europe and in 1918 was promoted to the command of the Australian Army Corps.

Monash’s strategies and resourcefulness were very successful and in the battle of Hamel it took only ninety three minutes for the Australian soldiers to meet all of their objectives. King George V visited Monash and made him Knight Commander. This was the first time in two centuries that a British king had travelled to a field to knight someone. Soon after, the Australian military were withdrawn from battle.

Monash accepted a new Military role in which he would help troops heading back to Australia. He established special training for the one hundred and sixty thousand troops in Europe who were waiting for ships to take them back to Australia. Whilst waiting, they were trained ready for normal jobs back home and as a result more than ninety per cent returned to Australia and immediately entered the workforce.

Monash retired from the military in 1920 and accepted a role with the Victorian Government to manage the electricity commission. For the last ten years of his life Monash worked tirelessly to set up things that

44 Sir John Monash

we take for granted today. He led the development of coal deposits into electric power, created a hydro-electric network, and created a system which helped Victoria become independent of power resources from other states.

Monash was described as an easy man to work with, open to suggestions, grateful for assistance, kind, and encouraging to all that he led. Monash died at home in 1931 and was given a state funeral by the Federal Government.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR JOHN MONASH’S LEADERSHIP:

1. LEADERSHIP SKILLS CAN BE APPLIED TO DIFFERENT FIELDS. Monash used his experience as an engineer to help him as a military commander. He was then able to use this experience to improve the electricity system.

2. THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE MATTERS. Monash didn’t just focus on winning a war. As soon as it ended, he spent time and effort to make sure the soldiers were well cared for and well prepared to head back to their everyday lives.

3. CONTINUALLY LEARN. Monash focussed on learning from a young age. He read often and continually studied.

45 Great Australian Leaders

46 Great Australian Leaders

SIR DOUGLAS NICHOLLS INDIGENOUS LEADER

The story of Sir Douglas Nicholls began when he was born in 1906 in Cumeroogunga, New South Wales. He lived at an Aboriginal station and belonged to the Yorta Yorta tribe. Nicholls had a simple family life with his mother at home and his father a farmer. Through the school in the area Nicholls was taught strong religious principles however the school only taught children up to the third grade.

Without his family having much money he was unable to properly continue his education. In childhood he even used to catch various kinds of snakes and try to sell them for money. Whilst still a child, he witnessed a severe family tragedy when his sister was taken away by the police forcibly.

As a young teenager Nicholls began working under the supervision of his uncle in the sheering sheds, which he enjoyed. Also in his teenage years Nicholls showed his talent in Australian Rules Football before being discovered and given a chance to move to Melbourne to play at the Carlton Football Club. The start of Nicholls’ football career wasn’t easy, due to the racist attitude that many people had. Throughout the 1930’s he played at three different clubs before retiring with a knee injury in 1939.

His football experience meant that Nicholls could get work as both a coach and also with the National Aboriginal Sports Foundation. Throughout his time in football Nicholls became interested in his Christian faith so when retiring from football he was able to focus more time on community work and eventually leading a Church as the pastor of the Aboriginal Church of Christ.

During World War II Nicholls followed his expected duty and enlisted with the Australian Army. He was a fantastic role model for other soldiers and never once asked for special treatment because of his football profile. However, the police in Melbourne knew how important it was for Nicholls’ important community work to continue so they quickly applied to have him discharged from the military.

In the late 1950’s Nicholls became the leader of the League of Aboriginal Advancement. He worked tirelessly to help Aboriginal people achieve equal rights, a better standard of living and free education. In 1972 he was knighted for his achievements, making him the first Aboriginal person to ever receive the honour.

He was gifted in communicating and achieving change which, in 1976, saw him become the Governor of South

47 Sir Douglas Nicholls

Australia for a short period. Again, Nicholls was the first Aboriginal person to hold a Governor’s office. After suffering a stroke one year into his role Nicholls retired, before finally passing away in 1988.

Nicholls has a suburb in Canberra named after him and is remembered for his charismatic and confident personality. His work has had a lasting effect by awakening a sense of responsibility among politicians and the public concerning Aboriginal reconciliation throughout Australia.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR DOUGLAS NICHOLLS’ LEADERSHIP:

1. BE WHO YOU ARE. Nicholls was a proud Aboriginal Australian and used this to have influence as a leader. He didn’t try to be anyone else.

2. TAKE OPPORTUNITIES. Nicholls had many roles and influenced people through sport, church, community work and government. He wasn’t afraid of a new challenge.

3. ACT ON BEHALF OF OTHERS. Nicholls was gifted with leadership ability and a voice, which he used to speak for the rights of those who felt powerless.

48 Great Australian Leaders

49 Great Australian Leaders

SIR GUSTAV NOSSAL SCIENTIST

The story of Sir Gustav Nossal began in Bad Ischl, Austria, where we was born in 1931. When he was eight years of age he moved to Australia with his family. Nossal studied hard and was an excellent student earning himself entry to study medicine at the University of Sydney.

After first working at a Sydney hospital, Nossal moved to Melbourne where he worked at the Hall Research Institute whilst working on his doctorate. Nossal focussed his work on immunology, which studies how to prevent the human body from contracting various illnesses. Nossal quickly became the leader in his field and after some short periods in influential roles in the USA and Europe, Nossal became the Director in charge of the Hall Research Institute at the young age of just thirty four. This would be the place that Nossal would continue to base his research for a number of decades.

Nossal quickly began publishing his research in multiple books and hundreds of articles. Whilst his scientific research is complex, he was also very interested in making sure that his findings would benefit everyday society. Over the next thirty years of his life Nossal helped define the field of immunology we benefit from today. Much research has gone into the food that we eat and the medicine that we take. A lot of this work has come from Nossal.

Nossal has been in the front lines in the global battle against disease through his direct involvement with the World Health Organisation since 1967. In 1977 he was knighted for his ground-breaking work. He has been the leader of all kinds of scientific organisations such as the Australian Academy of Science and he has provided the government with valuable input in making important decisions. Nossal says that there are two important aspects to his leadership. The first is that he makes a positive contribution himself. The second is that he works to help the government and others make decisions that are also a positive contribution.

Instead of hiding in the laboratory, Nossal has been committed to giving lectures, radio and television appearances and his approach has attracted many bright young minds to explore science. Since retiring Nossal continues to use both his scientific and leadership skills and is the Chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Children’s Vaccine Program in the USA, which was developed to help ensure that children in developing countries are immunised against major diseases. In this role, Nossal overseas the spending of over one billion dollars to save lives all over the world.

Nossal is still alive today and is the recipient of countless scientific awards, leadership awards and Australian

50 Sir Gustav Nossal

community awards, including the Australian of the Year in 2000.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM SIR GUSTAV NOSSAL’S LEADERSHIP:

1. OUR EFFORTS SHOULD BENEFIT OTHERS. Nossal has always focussed his research on making discoveries that help people, not just doing things for the sake of it.

2. TEACH OTHERS. Nossal has always maintained a role in teaching others so that his work will continue and be advanced long after his lifetime.

3. MAKE YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE. Instead of only interacting with scientists, Nossal continuously gives talks and interviews so that he can communicate widely with people.

51 Great Australian Leaders

52 Great Australian Leaders

DAME ROMA MITCHELL AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR

The story of Dame Roma Mitchell began in 1913 when she was born in Adelaide. Her father was a lawyer but when Roma was young her father left to serve in World War I, in which he died. Roma’s mother did not have an education or a career of her own but was determined to provide these for her daughters.

Whilst at school Mitchell studied music, dancing and law, proving to be very talented academically as well as in the performing arts. She developed a strong sense of social justice and wanted her career to make a difference, so she made up her mind to become a lawyer. When she studied law at university, she became active in student leadership but was not permitted to join the Law Student’s Society because she was a woman. This sense of injustice frustrated Mitchell and she decided to form the Women Law Student’s Society.

Mitchell finished as the most brilliant law student in her year and graduated to commence working as a lawyer. She was determined to succeed in her career and also resist the attitude that law was only a career for men. Impressing her superiors from the beginning, Mitchell became a partner and leader of a law firm at just twenty-two years of age.

In the next twenty years of Mitchell’s legal career she helped advance the interests of women. She represented Australia at the United Nations discussion regarding women and family. She persuaded the Premier to change the law that previously prevented women from being involved in court juries. Mitchell became Australia’s first female Queens Council, which is a senior lawyer appointed by the Queen, and she also became Australia’s first female judge of the Supreme Court.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s Mitchell focussed her efforts on ways in which she could bring about lasting change. She was the leader of various committees and commissions that looked at human rights and taughtlaw at the University of Adelaide. She eventually became the first female leader of the whole university, known as the Chancellor.

In 1982 Mitchell was awarded the recognition of ‘DBE’ (Dame of British Empire) and became known as Dame Roma Mitchell. Continuing her trend in being the first women to hold various positions, Mitchell became the first female Governor of South Australia in 1991. As Governor, Mitchell showed energy and enthusiasm for her role by visiting towns throughout South Australia, attending all kinds of concerts, festivals and functions.

Mitchell retired in 1996 having held many roles that, before her, only men had held. In all of her roles Mitchell showed

53 Dame Roma Mitchell

complete freedom from prejudice as well as justice, compassion and a desire for advancement. She passed away in hospital in 2000.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM DAME ROMA MITCHELL’S LEADERSHIP:

1. DON’T FOLLOW THE CROWD. Mitchell showed that success often comes from going against the crowd. She was the first person to hold a number of leadership roles and was deliberate about following her own convictions, not just following the opinions of others.

2. JUSTICE. The community and people within it benefit from a better life when leaders fight for fairness and justice.

3. CHANGE ATTITUDES. Mitchell didn’t boss her way into her roles; she worked to change people’s attitudes towards the contribution she could make. She knew that this would have a lasting affect and help those that didn’t have her strong voice.

54 Great Australian Leaders

55 Great Australian Leaders

DICK SMITH BUSINESS LEADER AND AUSTRALIAN PILOT

The story of Dick Smith began when he was born in Sydney in 1944. Today he is recognised as the name behind the electronics store and the food label, but Dick Smith’s journey has seen him tackle almost anything and everything.

After finishing high school Smith started studying at university but felt that it wasn’t right for him, so he left to start working at an electronics store. Smith enjoyed his work but being a leader he knew that many things in the store could be done in a better way. He was also passionate about radio and had a license to broadcast programs that he would create. At the age of twenty four he started his own electronics shop in Sydney before opening many other Dick Smith stores around Australia.

In the early 1980’s Smith decided to sell all of his stores so that he could explore different things. Smith had the spirit of an adventurer and in 1983 was the first person to complete a solo helicopter flight around the world. He was also the first person to fly directly between the North Pole and the South Pole, the first person to fly a hot air balloon across Australia and then across to New Zealand. As well as his adventures in the air Smith was a keen mountaineer.

Smith continuously started successful businesses such as the Australian Geographic stores and Dick Smith foods. He also started the Australian Geographic Magazine which showcased wonderful images of the Australian landscape. Each of Smith’s companies had some kind of interest in promoting the Australian culture and Smith used the money from these businesses to fund his adventures as well as donate generously to many community projects.

Being a leader, many organisations asked Smith to join their board and contribute his leadership skills to help them. These organisations were all very different to each other but Smith was able to make a valuable contribution to each of them. Some of these included the National Centenary of Federation Council, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and Scouts Australia.

Smith has regularly used his influential voice to bring about awareness and change for worthy causes. One of these causes many years ago was the changing of laws preventing cigarette companies from advertising to children. On other times he has been a significant voice for helping individuals who have suffered from injustice.

In recent years Smith has developed a concern for some of the biggest challenges on the planet. He cares deeply about the environment and also about the growth of the population worldwide. As a visionary, Smith believes that

56 Dick Smith

in the future some problems could occur because of these things and he is leading the way as a leader of today to try and protect the future of our world.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM DICK SMITH’S LEADERSHIP:

1. LEARN FROM YOUR SUCCESS. We often hear people suggest that a person should learn from their mistakes. Smith has shown that when someone succeeds at something, they can apply similar skills to other areas in their life to succeed there too.

2. THINK OF THE FUTURE. Smith doesn’t simply look at the needs that are present today. Leaders go first, which means thinking about problems of the future and preventing or preparing for them.

3. BUILD YOUR PROFILE. Smith never advertised himself for the sake of it, but he did look for opportunities to become known in the community. Smith then used this awareness to be a positive voice for the causes that he would lead.

57 Great Australian Leaders

58 Great Australian Leaders

JIM STYNES FOOTBALL LEGEND AND LEADER OF YOUTH

The story of Jim Stynes began in Ireland where he was born in 1966. Stynes was a very talented Irish footballer and although the sport is different to Australian Rules Football, he was part of a football experiment that saw him move as an eighteen year old to Australia to play with the Melbourne Demons Football Club.

Stynes played his first AFL game in 1987 and retired 264 games later in 1998. He broke numerous records and won countless awards, including the 1991 Brownlow Medal which is awarded to the best player in the league.

Even whilst playing AFL football, Stynes wanted to make a contribution to the lives of young people. In 1994 Stynes and a friend started The Reach Foundation, an organisation which is committed to supporting young people between eight and eighteen years. Stynes’ aim for Reach was to support young people on their journey to find their own truth and to follow their dreams. Reach created a ‘safe space’ for groups of young people to develop trust, openness and the freedom to express their concerns, perceptions, fears and aspirations, and to recognise that they are not alone.

After finishing his football career Stynes was able to focus more time on Reach. Stynes would spend hours of his time sitting and talking with young people. He trained numerous teenagers in important skills and as well as being a role model, he would be a friend. Stynes received numerous awards for his work including Victorian of the Year in 2001 and 2003 and the Order of Australia and Churchill Fellowship in 2007.

As a leader Stynes continually looked for new opportunities and when he became concerned about the quality of care at some large childcare centres, he started his own! This eventually became a chain of fifteen centres in multiple states of Australian. In a similar way, Stynes became concerned about the nutrition of many breakfast cereals and therefore created his own food company and launched Jimbo Muesli.

When Stynes’ old football club was facing many difficulties he decided to contribute the leadership skills that he had developed. He became the President of the Melbourne Football Club and within a few years was able to successfully lead the club to a much better position. It was during this time that in 2009 Stynes was diagnosed with cancer. He had never shied away from a challenge so prepared himself to fight this battle. Even whilst dealing with cancer, Stynes remained committed to his leadership roles and responsibilities.

After a brave three year fight Stynes died in Melbourne in 2012 and leaves behind his wife and two young children.

59 Jim Stynes

In addition, Stynes also leaves behind a vibrant and life changing youth organisation, a strong football club and businesses that help people’s everyday lives. The AFL has also used Stynes’ legacy to encourage other football players to make a difference in the community by creating a special award in his honour.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM JIM STYNES’ LEADERSHIP:

1. EVERYONE HAS A STORY. Stynes created Reach in order to value the story of every person. He gave everyone a place to dream and grow.

2. THE UNKNOWN CAN BE REWARDING. Stynes came to Australia to play a game he had never played before. His risk was rewarded and he continually ventured into the unknown for the rest of his life.

3. NEVER GIVE UP. Even whilst suffering from cancer, Stynes still persisted with making a difference in the way that he wanted to. He did everything he could to look after his health and also to help others.

60 Great Australian Leaders

61 Great Australian Leaders

STEVE WAUGH CRICKET AND COMMUNITY

The story of Steve Waugh began when he was born in Sydney in 1965. He was a twin and his brother Mark journeyed through life alongside Steve, as they were both very talented cricketers. As a teenager Steve was selected to play cricket for New South Wales and at age twenty joined the Australian team in South Africa where he played his first test match.

As a cricketer Waugh went on to play for Australia at the highest level for more than eighteen years until he retired in 2004. Over this period of time he played more test matches than any cricketer had ever played, although this record was broken by an Indian batsmen in 2010. As a batsmen Waugh had numerous impressive performances, often being the player that would win the game for Australia.

Waugh is considered as an excellent leader for two different reasons. The first reason is that he was the captain of the Australian cricket team during a period in which he helped the players achieve tremendous success.

The second reason Waugh is considered as an excellent leader is because of the tremendous contribution he has made to people in need and also the wider community. When Waugh travelled with the Australian team to India in 1986 he was appalled at the conditions in which people were forced to live. At this point, Waugh wanted to help but felt overwhelmed and hopeless. Waugh said that when he finished playing for Australia, it was time to stop being a cricketer and time to start on bigger things.

Waugh went straight back to India to start helping those suffering from leprosy and became the supporter of the Udayan Home in Barrackpore, India. The home takes children out of their leprosy environment and provides them with education, healthcare and opportunities in life.

As a cricketer Waugh was fortunate to meet celebrities such as the Queen, Nelson Mandela and Sir Elton John, but he says it was his meeting of Mother Theresa that was by far the most significant for him. Waugh said that at this moment, he made the decision to devote his life to charity.

Waugh founded and leads the Steve Waugh Foundation, which focuses on helping children that suffer from rare diseases. In some cases a disease is so rare that children and families don’t have a group that

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they can turn to for support, but Waugh has created a place to help these people in numerous ways. A number of sports stars in Australia have put their name behind worthy causes, but Waugh has been committed to leading a contribution himself.

A demonstration of how much Waugh has inspired Australian’s occurred during his final cricket match in Sydney. On this day, the organisers handed out thousands of red and white spotted handkerchiefs which the crowd waved, as they were the same as the unique material that Waugh would use to wipe his cricket bat. In 2004, Waugh was also honoured by being named as the Australian of the Year.

KEY THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM STEVE WAUGH’S LEADERSHIP:

1. DON’T TURN BLIND EYE. Waugh made the decision to take action and help meet the needs of the people he would see.

2. HAVE ROLE MODELS. Waugh describes the influence of Mother Theresa as being very powerful for him. Her example caused him to set a similar direction for his life.

3. FOCUS ON ACHIEVEMENTS THAT BENEFIT OTHERS. Despite his numerous individual sporting achievements, Waugh demonstrates the importance of striving to help others.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sir Edmund Barton Davidson, G. Hirst, J. Macintyre, S. The Oxford Companion to Australian History, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1998. King, J. Great Moments in Australian History, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 2009. Lahey, J. Faces of Federation, Royal Historical Society of Victoria Inc., Melbourne, 2000.

Sir Donald Bradman Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983. Hamlyn, P. 100 Famous Australian Lives, Hamlyn, Sydney, 1969.

Caroline Chisholm Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983. Hamlyn, P. 100 Famous Australian Lives, Hamlyn, Sydney, 1969.

Sir Ian Clunies Ross Australian Dictionary of Biography, Clunies Ross, Sir William Ian, 2006-2012, Australian Dictionary of Biography, 04/10/2012, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/clunies-ross-sirwilliam-ian-9770 Australian Academy of Science, Ian Clunies Ross 1899-1959, 1995, Australian Academy of Science, 04/10/2012, http:// www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/aasmemoirs/ross.htm

Margaret Court Margaret Court Television, Profile, 2010, Margaret Court Television, 5/10/12, http://www.margaretcourt.org.au/ profile.html Victory Life International, Community Services, 2012, Victory Life Centre, 5/10/12, http://www.victorylifecentre.com. au/community-services.html

Edith Cowan Daniels, D. Murnanem, M. Australia’s Women, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane, 1980. Edith Cowan University, Edith Dircksey Cowan, 2011, Edith Cowan University. 5/10/12, http://www.ecu.edu.au/about-ecu/welcome-to-ecu/edith-dircksey-cowan

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Alfred Deakin Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983. Molony, J. The Penguin History of Australia, Penguin, Melbourne, 1987.

Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop, 2012, Schools TV. 5/10/12, http://www.abc.net.au/ schoolstv/australians/dunlop.htm Nelson, H. Prisoners of War, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney, 1985.

John Flynn Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983.

Vida Goldstein Oldfield, A. Woman Suffrage in Australia, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, 1992. Australian Dictionary of Biography, Goldstein, Vida Jane, 2006-2012, Australian Dictionary of Biography, 05/10/2012, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/goldstein-vidajane-6418

Fred Hollows Edwards, H. Professor Fred Hollows, New Frontier, Sydney, 2012. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Fred Hollows, 2012, Schools TV. 5/10/12, http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/ australians/hollows.htm

Eddie Mabo Sutton, P. Native Title in Australia, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne, 2003. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Eddie Mabo, 2012, Schools TV. 5/10/12, http://www.abc.net.au/schoolstv/ australians/emabo.htm

Sir Douglas Mawson Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983, Hamlyn, P. 100 Famous Australian Lives, Hamlyn, Sydney, 1969.

Sir John Monash Macklin, R. 100 Great Australians, Currey O’Neil Ross, Melbourne, 1983. Hamlyn, P. 100 Famous Australian Lives, Hamlyn, Sydney, 1969.

Sir Douglas Nicholls Thorpe Clark, M. Pastor Doug, Landsdowne Press, Adelaide, 1965. Compare Infobase, Sir Douglas Nicholls, 2007, Australia On Net. 5/10/12, http://www.australiaonnet.com/about- australia/famous-australians/sir-douglasnicholls.html

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Sir Gustav Nossal National Australia Day Council, Australian of the Year, Sir Gustav Nossal, 2012, Australian of the Year. 5/10/12, http:// www.australianoftheyear.org.au/pages/page64.asp Nossal, G. Nature’s Defences, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Sydney, 1978.

Dame Roma Mitchell Healey, J. SA’s Greats, Historical Society of South Australia, Adelaide, 2003. The University of South Australia, The Late Dame Roma Mitchell, 2009, The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre. 5/10/12, http://w3.unisa.edu.au/hawkecentre/patrons/Mitchell.asp

Dick Smith National Australia Day Council, Australian of the Year, Dick Smith, 2012, Australian of the Year. 5/10/12, http://www. australianoftheyear.org.au/recipients/?m=dick-smith-1986 Dick Smith Foods, Dick Smith’s Bio, 2012, Dick Smith Foods. 06/10/12, http://www. dicksmithfoods.com.au/dick-smiths-bio

Jim Stynes Jim Stynes, About Jim Stynes, 2012, Jim Stynes. 06/10/12, http://www.jimstynes.com.au/aboutus.html

Steve Waugh Chambers, C. A History of Cricket, Black Dog, Melbourne, 2009. National Australia Day Council, Australian of the Year, Steve Waugh, 2012, Australian of the Year. 5/10/12, http:// www.australianoftheyear.org.au/pages/page60.asp Steve Waugh Foundation, About Steve, 2012, Steve Waugh Foundation. 5/10/12, http://www.stevewaughfoundation. com.au/content_common/pg-about-steve.seo

66 Great Australian Leaders THE NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS DAY WHERE STUDENTS ARE INSPIRED TO LEAD

This unique event exposes students to a range of influential leaders who would often be difficult for schools and students to access on their own. The high-profile speakers include leaders from business, sport, politics, community service, media, science and the arts.

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