Graeme Innes AM appointed as CQUniversity’s new chancellor
CQUniversity has announced a human rights trailblazer as its fourth chancellor. Here’s what we know.
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Having been born blind, human rights trailblazer Graeme Innes AM is a champion of rights and access for people living with disability and is looking forward to building on CQUniversity’s legacy of accessibility and inclusion in higher education and training as its newest chancellor.
Mr Innes, who is an internationally renowned lawyer, author and company director, was announced as the university’s fourth chancellor following a nationwide competitive recruitment process and University Council approval.
It follows the recent announcement that current chancellor and Central Queensland industry identity, John Abbott AM, would be retiring from the role later this year after seven years and about a decade on the University’s Council.
Mr Innes said he was delighted to be appointed as the university’s new chancellor and excited to have the chance to help guide the direction of the university over the next five years.
“I am the first in my family to go to university,” he said.
“As a person with a disability I experience disadvantage and CQUniversity has a very strong focus on addressing disadvantage through higher education for people with disabilities, first nations people, people in the regions and people who are culturally and linguistically disadvantaged.
“I admire CQUniversity’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility when it comes to its student body and the university’s longstanding leadership when it comes to engaging with its regional communities.
“As a regional university, CQUniversity has an important responsibility to deliver opportunities for people from all backgrounds, so they can access high quality vocational and tertiary education.
“I look forward to playing a role in ensuring that accessibility barriers to higher education and training in the regions are broken down, whether those barriers are because of disability, socio-economic status or geography.
“I firmly believe CQUniversity can establish a global reputation as a true leader when it comes to driving social change through the delivery of future-focused, innovative, and accessible education, and through delivering research that creates tangible impact in the regions and beyond.”
In a career spanning nearly 50 years, Mr Innes was a commissioner at the Australian Human Rights Commission for nine years, holding responsibility for issues relating to disability, race and human rights.
“I have been tackling the attitude barrier towards people with disabilities most of my life,” he said.
“I will continue to use my role at CQUniversity in that regard.
“I will use the advocacy skills and the leadership skills I have developed throughout my career to help to guide the university to address disadvantage.”
Mr Innes led the merger of four agencies to form Vision Australia and became the first person to chair the board of that agency.
He was also the former chair of the Attitude Foundation, a not-for-profit aimed at using media to change attitudes towards Australians with disabilities.
Mr Innes was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia for his work on the development of the Disability Discrimination Act and was a finalist for Australian of the Year in 2003.
Internationally, Mr Innes was part of the Australian delegation that participated in negotiating the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
He said he applied for the role of chancellor at CQUniversity to continue his passion for change and addressing social disadvantage in the community.
“I am excited to work in the Central Queensland region and I hope to be a role model for other people who have experienced disadvantage to demonstrate they can aspire to leadership and to recognise the value of higher education as a way of addressing disadvantage,” he said.
CQUniversity’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Nick Klomp congratulated Mr Innes on his appointment and said he was looking forward to working with him.
“On behalf of everyone at CQUniversity, I would like to congratulate Graeme on his appointment to the role of chancellor,” Professor Klomp said.
“His professional history and experience will add enormous value to CQUniversity’s operations, especially as we continue to rebuild following the disruption of the pandemic and as we enter the development phase of our new strategic plan.
“I am certain Graeme will provide astute leadership and guidance when it comes to our social innovation agenda and accessibility strategy.
“Having someone of Graeme’s calibre as our next chancellor will be a wonderful thing for the university and I am sure he will make a tremendous impact in the coming years.”
Mr Innes holds several legal qualifications and professional memberships and has been recognised with honorary awards from the University of Canberra, RMIT, UNSW and Edith Cowan University.
He will be officially welcomed as chancellor of CQUniversity at its graduation ceremony in Rockhampton on December 6.
Chancellor John Abbott will be officially farewelled at the Gladstone graduation on December 9.
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