The Victorian Chamber was proud to host 300 guests at Crown Palladium for our annual Women in Business luncheon as Ms Dessau provided insights into her eight-year term as Governor of Victoria.

Ms Dessau was the 29th Governor from 2015 to 2023, the first female in the role. Before that she had a distinguished career in law as a solicitor and barrister, working at the Children’s Court, the Coroner’s Court and the Magistrates’ Court, with her final 18 years spent as a judge in the Family Court of Australia.

Ms Dessau became a member of the Order of Australia in 2010, was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in 2017 and was appointed as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order by King Charles III in 2023 in recognition of her service as Governor.

In a Q&A with MC Alicia Loxley, she said her time as Governor was driven by a “genuine commitment to bring people together and to promote the state in every aspect.”

Her work comprised four main areas: constitutional, providing advice on regulations and appointments; ceremonial, such as attending key events; community, including engaging with local organisations; and international, promoting Victoria socially, culturally and economically in other countries.

“It is the best role in the world where you can write the script for how you contribute to the community, so truly I miss that more than anything,” she said.

Ms Dessau is known as being the first female and Jewish Governor of the state but said she did not want to be “pigeonholed” like that.

“Of course I brought those personal qualities with me but I wasn’t going to be the Governor that belonged to one particular faith group or half the community and not the other half.”

Leadership

Considering the Women in Business theme, the event heard that Ms Dessau and her husband Anthony Howard AM have long worked with community organisations and business groups to advance women in leadership.

“He’s been every bit as earnest and enthusiastic about these issues as I have for decades and I know his strong view is the same as mine, which is that women’s issues are everybody’s issues,” she said.

“We’re all enriched if we have 100 per cent of our talent pool and our community performing at its best with equal opportunities, and we’re all diminished if that doesn’t happen.

“There’s been improvements and I’m always happy when I see that, but we still know about … the pay disparity, we know that women are getting stuck at a certain executive level and not coming through in the numbers that we want, and we know that during COVID women with part-time work did suffer more as a group than men.

“That worries me and we should be looking at the structural issues that are still holding women back.”

Ms Dessau described the demands of leadership as “fascinating” due to its “paradoxical” nature.

“A leader needs to be incredibly strong, make really hard decisions, but you also need to be empathetic.

“A leader needs to be decisive – people need and want to be led and want to have decisions made – but you’ve got to be flexible as well.

“You do the best to make the decisions you can on the best information available at the time, but that might change – and if it does, you need to stand up and say, ‘I’ve changed my mind’.”

The royals

Ms Dessau fondly recalled Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III – she attended the latter’s coronation – as “genuinely interested and very knowledgeable about Victoria”.

“[They had a] desire to know if things are tough, if there are floods or fires, or any things that they might be able to be of some comfort in responding to.

“[The Queen] was wise, she knew world history and world events and world leaders. She was very funny and she loved sport.

“His Majesty is absolutely genuine about his environmental work – the natural environment and the built environment.”

Despite the ongoing relationship with the Commonwealth, Ms Dessau said she, and the Royal Family, acknowledge that discussions will persist around Australia becoming a republic.

“They understand that Australia will determine its own future at some time. Who knows when, who knows how, but they’re the least shy people about discussing that sort of reality,” she said.

“There’s a genuine affection and care and a genuine desire to still use the benefits of being part of the Commonwealth. There are immense business opportunities, for example.”

Final reflections

Outside of her role as Governor Ms Dessau has been involved in a wide range of community organisations, including as a Commissioner of the AFL, President of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria.

Ms Dessau paid tribute to Victoria, saying we tend to “underestimate our state”.

“I think that we’re so spoiled that we don’t necessarily see how fantastic it is,” she said.

“We’re quite myopic and we had a hard time during COVID and it’s good that we emphasise negative aspects if that drives us to keep improving.

“But I don’t think we appreciate all the brilliant industry and innovation here: med tech, agriculture, international education, major events – I could go on and on.

“So when it’s tough, we have to appreciate that we are a community of fantastic and diverse people and when we work together on the difficult issues, we can achieve anything.

“It’s actually a fantastic state – eight years as governor taught me how lucky we are to be here.”

Victorian Chamber Chief Executive Paul Guerra thanked Ms Dessau for her contributions to Victoria and wished her luck for the future.

“Today is all about inspirational women who make Victoria the incredible place it is, with the leader of the pack, our very own Linda Dessau.

“I’ve been privileged with the people I have met in this role. But by far the most remarkable and delightful of them all is our former Governor.

“Always engaging, always looking at how to progress Victoria’s interests, her advice is considered and a cause for reflection.

“We are lucky to have such a former Governor who will continue to contribute to our wider community.”

Ms Dessau left the audience amused with a surprise revelation.

“I love reality TV. Almost all of them – Farmer Wants a Wife, the Bachelor.

“I do draw the line at Love Island.”

Ms Dessau was succeeded by Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC as the 30^th Governor of Victoria in August 2023.