Speaker: The Hon Professor Verity Firth AM
Date and place: Monday 15 September, 11.45 am for 12.20 pm, Strangers’ Room, NSW Parliament
The Library is delighted to have as our guest this year the Hon Professor Verity Firth AM, Vice President Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement at the University of NSW. She is also Professor of Practice within the School of Education. Professor Firth has over twenty years’ experience at the highest levels of government and in the education sector in Australia. She has brought her executive public policy experience and interest in reform to a range of organisations.
Professor Firth’s early career included years working at the grassroots with communities in Sydney’s inner-west, experience she brought to her years as a local member when she won the seat of Balmain. As Minister for Education and Training (2008-2011) Professor Firth effected significant policy changes addressing disadvantage in low socio-economic, and rural and remote Indigenous communities. As Minister for Women (2007-2009) she implemented sector wide strategies to ensure equity in women’s recruitment, development and employment opportunities across the NSW Public Sector and delivered the NSW Government’s first Domestic Violence Strategy.
Before taking up her current position at the University of New South Wales, Professor Firth was the Pro Vice Chancellor, Social Justice and Inclusion at the University of Technology (2015-2022). She developed and delivered the UTS Social Impact Framework, the first of its kind for the Australian university sector and founded the UTS Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion. She was instrumental in establishing the UTS Human Technology Institute.
Professor Firth has continued her interest in effecting change for children experiencing disadvantage and vulnerability through her positions as a Board Director for the Teachers Mutual Bank and with the Front Project which works to improve outcomes for young children in early childhood education,
She is also Deputy Chair of the James Martin Institute (JMI) for Public Policy, an independent, non-partisan joint venture between government and leading Australian universities.
The July Newsletter will contain more information about the Luncheon and the address on Monday, 15 September 2025.
