Australia Day honours: Helen Nugent making a difference in whatever she does

Eminent businesswoman Helen Nugent has helped shape Australia to be a society where all people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to grow and make a difference.

Nat­ional Disability Insurance Agency chair Helen Nugent. Picture: Nikki Short

Businesswoman Helen Nugent has helped shape Australia to be a society where all people, regardless of background, have the opportunity to grow and make a difference.

That commitment to diversity and a desire for all Australians to succeed have been the driving forces behind her work in disabilities, the arts and the education sector, and she has been honoured for it by being appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

“I think many countries have prompted the ability to succeed, people from migrant backgrounds, parents who weren’t well educated, but Australia in particular is the land of opportunity and I think that is something to be treasured and nurtured,” she said.

“It’s the same with disability; for me, it’s about ensuring every Australian has the ability to give and be at their best.”

Through her work in the disability sector as chair of the Nat­ional Disability Insurance Agency, Ms Nugent has helped empower Australians living with disabilities, with the world-first scheme growing from 61,000 ­people to more than 500,000 under her leadership.

She has helped cultivate Australia’s vibrant arts sector, first at the helm of the 1999 Nugent inquiry that was adopted as a blueprint for the performing arts.

She was then appointed by arts minister George Brandis to undertake a major review of four federally funded opera companies, as chair of the National Opera Review that examined the viability and accessibility of opera in Australia.

More recently, she gent was the chair of the National Portrait Gallery when it became a statutory authority.

The reform led to the establishment of the National Portrait Gallery Foundation, with $26m under its belt, which through investment in art has helped to shape and memorialise the Australian identity. “I think it’s that commitment to diversity – you’ve only got to look at the portrait gallery, and the fact Australia is a society where people can come from humble beginnings and make a real difference to Australian life,” she said.

A unifying thread tying together all of Ms Nugent’s expansive career is her unique expertise to work effectively with government to bring about social and economic reform, and its subsequent implementation.

For Ms Nugent, the award is a tribute to the talented people she has been able to work with over her career, and reinforces her goal of making a difference in whatever she does.

“Australia is truly an amazing country and it has given me the opportunity to make a difference in areas including disability, the arts, education and business and it's wonderful to see the award recognise this diversity.