Dr Mary Duniam

Awarded for service to community, advocacy and inclusion; government and public service

Born: 11 August 1950

Entered on roll: 2023

Civic leaders can influence change

In 2022, Dr Mary Duniam was the first female elected Mayor of the Waratah-Wynyard Council.

Dr Duniam was elected to the Waratah-Wynyard Council in 2005 and elected Deputy Mayor in 2014. Her mother Iris Graham OAM was the first female councillor elected to the Burnie Council in 1953.

Being involved with local government resulted in Dr Duniam undertaking research into female civic leadership in Tasmania and how this can influence change. Dr Duniam has co-published two book chapters on interactive community governance.

Dr Duniam was awarded a University of Tasmania PhD scholarship at the age of 62, graduated at 67 and was honoured with the 2017 Valedictorian at the University’s Cradle Coast Campus. Her PhD research has contributed to the understanding of the relationship between local government and local social enterprises and the possible influence of these relationships on community capacity-building.

As a Councillor, Dr Duniam has served on various Waratah- Wynyard Council’s committees and on the Cradle Coast Authority which represents councils in the Cradle Coast region.  She is also North West Councils’ representative on the Tasmanian Selection Committee of Tas Water and Waratah- Wynyard Council representative on the Premier’s Flood Advisory Group.

Dr Duniam is a representative on the Tasmanian Women’s Council, Chair of Australian Local Government Women’s Association Tasmania, local government representative on the Tasmanian Library Advisory Board and a member of Local Government Division Governance Group. She is also Deputy Patron of Surf Life Saving Tasmania, past Director of Heritage Tasmania and Volunteering Tasmania, and a current member of the Rural Clinical School Community Advisory Board and Big hART Community Advisory Board.

Dr Duniam is actively involved in her community and is currently an Assistant District Governor of Rotary Tasmania and is Past District Secretary, Past President and Past Secretary of the Rotary Club of Somerset Inc.