Natasha Stott Despoja AO

Member of the People Committee

Natasha Stott Despoja is an Expert Member of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. A Senator for South Australia between 1995 to 2008, Natasha was the Leader of the Australian Democrats.

She was the founding Chair of Our Watch (Australia’s national organisation to Prevent Violence Against Women and their Children) between 2013 to 2021 and served as Australia’s Global Ambassador for Women and Girls between 2013 to 2016. Currently, Natasha is a professor in the practice of politics at ANU.

Natasha has served on the World Bank Gender Advisory Council and was a member of a UN high-level working group on the health and human rights of women, children and adolescents.

She has been a Non Executive Director of Carrie’s Beanies for Brain Cancer, Global Citizen and beyondblue.

She is a member of the Agenda 50-50 by 2030 advisory council, the George Washington Global Women’s Leadership Council, and was a member of the Women’s World Cup 2023 bid committee.

In April, she was appointed as the Royal Commissioner for the South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence. Natasha lives in Adelaide and saw her first Australian Ballet performance in 1975!