Dean Duncan

I am a proud Aboriginal man of the Kamilaroi nation of North West New South Wales from Moree and I was awarded the 2019 National NAIDOC Person of the Year. I enlisted into the Australian Regular Army as a 17-year-old and was posted to the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment as an Infantry Rifleman. After serving on overseas deployment to Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia, I was then redeployed into Unit Intelligence. It was at this point I realised that without the opportunity for further field force deployments, my time in the military had come to its end. In the years following my army service, as an experienced leader with a strong business leadership acumen, I have extensive experience operating in both private and public sectors throughout Australia’s various States and Territories, and frequently operating in National roles.

I possess a strong community engagement philosophy which has allowed me to support and provide services to communities across the country. Throughout my career, the passion for which I seek is social equity and inclusion, that being always front of mind alongside my community-based memberships which include: Past President of the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team (National Indigenous Rugby Program); Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) Indigenous Advisory Group; QRU Reconciliation Action Planning Committee; Rugby Australia Diversity Council Member; First Nations Rugby Committee – Rugby Australia; Board Director – Reconciliation Victoria; Board Director – Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation; Past Co-Chair – Victorian Mental Health Complaints Commission.