Dur-é Dara

Dur-é Dara is Indian by race, Malaysian by birth, and –  since the age of 15 – Australian by choice. She is now 73 years old.

Dur-é was the Vice President of Philanthropy Australia. She is a member of the management committee of La Mama Theatre, a Patron of the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc. and the Chair of Global Reconciliation Australia.

She studied social work and worked in youth welfare before focussing on music as a percussionist, and developing restaurant ventures (she was the first woman president of the Victorian Restaurant and Caterers Association). She has been on the Board of the Victorian Women’s Trust since 1991 – and served as convenor for almost 20 years during this time.

High on Dur-é’s priorities are environmental sustainability; equality and a treaty with, and for, the First Nation people of this country; and access to equal education and economic opportunity for women and girls. To this end, Dur-é feels very strongly about putting a gender lens on all social policy, law-making and philanthropy.