The Australian Association of Social Workers has appointed its first Torres Strait Islander woman as a board director.
Muriel Wymarra, who was born and raised in Gimuy (Cairns), joins a remarkably diverse all-female board at AASW, becoming the fourth woman on the board with a First Nations background and the first of Torres Strait Islander culture.
Linda Ford, the National President of AASW, said the appointment of Wymarra is a major step in representing the diversity of First Nations cultures in Australia within the organisation.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are often identified jointly without acknowledging their unique cultural differences,” Ford said. “The AASW Board has recognised that we must value and promote both First Nations.
“Muriel Wymarra’s appointment represents a significant milestone for the AASW board. Her wealth of experience and dedication to advocating for the Torres Strait Islander community aligns seamlessly with our inclusivity and cultural integrity mission.”
Wymarra has had an impressive career, amplifying the voices of Australia’s First Nations peoples in every role she has held.
Wymarra has worked in federal government administration, as well as not-for-profit organisations, and has served as the National Indigenous Social Work Group (NISWG) chairperson in Services Australia. She also provides counselling support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and is now pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy at Central Queensland University. Her research focuses on professional helping in Torres Strait culture.
Wymarra is looking forward to starting her new role as a Board Director at AASW.
“This is an exciting opportunity for a Torres Strait Islander social work practitioner to represent and amplify the rich diversity of Australia’s culture,” she said.
The Australian Association of Social Workers is the professional body for social workers around the country, supporting social workers and setting standards for education and practice within the industry.
Diversity of board directors in Australia is improving overtime. According to research from Watermark Search International and the Governance Institute of Australia, the percentage of women board directors on the ASX 300 list rose from 20 per cent in 2016 to 35 per cent in 2022.
However, most board directors in Australia still come from Anglo/European backgrounds, with just four per cent of board directors on the ASX 300 list Indigenous Australians.