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Bronilyn Smith

Tasmanian Honour Roll of Women logo
Bronilyn Smith

Awarded for service to education and training, community and sport and recreation

Born: 15 February 1946

Entered on roll: 2019


"Everyone has the right to feel safe in their community"

Bronilyn Smith is an authority on community and personal self-protection, pioneering an innovative and internationally acclaimed approach to self-defence. She holds a sixth degree black belt in Aikido, is the founder and CEO of Defence Dynamics Pty Ltd, and in 2015 was inducted into the Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

Bronilyn’s unique programs provided community-based training and personal safety material to national and state governments, businesses and individuals for over 30 years.

Bronilyn is the first Australian self-defence author to be published internationally. Her book Defend Yourself! was showcased at the 1979 Frankfurt Book Fair with a United Kingdom launch the following year. Her bestselling book, The 3-Day Self-Defence Manual, included special print runs for Reader’s Digest Australasia and SE Asia. In 1994, the book was published in Poland; it was also transcribed into braille and published in Canberra. In 1996, her book Self-Protection for the Elderly was released in Japanese.

As well as lecturing around Australia and overseas, Bronilyn has produced videos, DVDs and audio cassettes to communicate her commonsense personal safety message. Bronilyn appeared regularly on national television as well as radio programs across Australia, particularly through the ABC, including talkback radio and packaged series.

The Australian Government appointed Bronilyn to the national committee to develop the groundbreaking Women, Sport and the Media report, which was tabled in the Senate in 1985. The report provided a framework and impetus for establishing equal rights for women in sport through the newly funded Women’s Sports Promotion Unit, in conjunction with the Australian Sports Commission.

Bronilyn was a founder and inaugural President of the Tasmanian Sportswomen's Association and a founding member of the Tasmanian Martial Arts Council and its first female Chair. Additionally, Bronilyn served as a selection committee member for the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame, from its inception in 1986 to 1996.

She was a foundation member and past state president of Women Chiefs of Enterprise - International, and the Tasmanian representative for the Australian Society of Authors for over 25 years.

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