March / 2025

A landmark year for law reform

People across South Australia and the nation are preparing to mark this year’s 50^th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

South Australia led the way in 1975 when both houses of parliament passed a private members bill from Labor's Peter Duncan to finally end the criminalisation of gay men.

It was a reform Don Dunstan had first proposed when he was Attorney-General in the 1960s. In the end, the awful death of Dr George Duncan galvanised the South Australian community, with politicians on both sides of the chamber supporting the change.

Fifty years on, the long, often tortuous road to decriminalisation continues to show us how our political processes can sometimes get us to the right result – with goodwill, political courage and persistence.

A state parliamentary committee, chaired by Ian Hunter, is coordinating celebrations this year, including preparing a calendar of events. We’ll have our own Foundation event late in the year. Watch this newsletter for all the details.

Meantime, I’ll be in conversation with AGSA Deputy Director Emma Fey later this month about the 50^th anniversary of decriminalisation and Don Dunstan’s legacy.

The event will be held in the Radical Textiles exhibition at the gallery, which displays Don’s famous pink shorts, at 12.30pm on Tuesday, March 25.

For ticket details, follow this link.

Governance changes at the Foundation

Business leader Matt Clemow has been appointed the chair of the Don Dunstan Foundation’s Committee of Management.

Long-term chair Cathie King has retired from the position after a long period guiding the foundation’s work.

Matt brings deep experience in public policy, partnerships, government, and media to his new role at the foundation.

In his diverse career he has worked in social policy, strategic consulting, government relations, and media.

He is a founder and senior consultant at Capetal Advsory, specialising in social and affordable housing, infrastructure and industry participation policy. He is a former general manager of the Committee for Adelaide.

“The ambitions and achievements of the Dunstan Governments, along with Don’s pre and post Premier life, remain the foundation of South Australia’s social fabric,” Matt said.

“At a time of systemic inequity and enormous global shock, there’s no more important time for the Foundation and its partners to investigate and take lessons and guidance from the past in order to look at policy issues both today and into the future.”

Addressing Racial Discrimination for a More Inclusive Australia

The Don Dunstan Foundation is pleased to be a partner in this year’s Harmony Day Lecture, presented by the Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia (MCCSA).

The keynote speaker will be Mr Giridharan Sivaraman, Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner, who will share vital insights into the ongoing fight against racism in Australia and beyond.

The lecture will be followed by a Q&A session, led by Jodeen Carney, Commissioner for Equal Opportunity.

The lecture is presented by MCCSA in collaboration with Reconciliation SA, Don Dunstan Foundation and Equal Opportunity SA.

When: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm - Tuesday 18th March

Where: Bradley Forum - Level 5 of the Hawke Building at University of South Australia (City West Campus)

Don Dunstan Foundation Special Code: DDFGUEST25 There are 40 tickets available with the code (2 per order) financial constraints code: VIPFREEHD25 (1 per order)

Join the Don Dunstan Foundation: Volunteer & Make a Real Difference!

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Why Volunteer With Us?

• Meaningful Impact: Directly contribute to important social issues.
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Volunteer Opportunities:

We offer a variety of roles to suit your interests and availability, including:

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• Research & Analysis: Support our work with valuable research.

Ready to Get Started?

It's easy! Simply visit our website to explore current volunteer opportunities and submit your application. We're excited to welcome you to the Don Dunstan Foundation team!

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