jude munro AO

BA (Hons), grad. dip. public policy (university of melbourne),
grad. dip. Bus. Admin. (swinburne university)
MAC.ROB Student, 1965-1969
PORTRAIT GALLERY INDUCTEE, 2015
activist, public servant, local government ceo, director

Jude Munro was born in Melbourne in August 1951. She grew up in Port Melbourne with her Salvation Army parents and her sister Barbara (Mac.Rob 1958-1961).

At Mac.Rob, Jude was given many opportunities, from learning languages to being Oreads captain and prefect. She was active in madrigals and drama. At university she was an anti-war activist, and a co-founder of gay liberation.

Jude worked for the Victorian teacher unions leading campaigns to support girls through the curriculum and teachers’ rights to flexible work arrangements. She joined the Victorian public service as a regional social planner and left as a senior executive of Community Services Victoria. During this period, Jude gained her postgraduate qualifications.

At age 39, Jude became one of the first women to lead a local council in Australia – St Kilda Council. CEO, Moreland and Adelaide City councils followed. She ended her local government career with 10 years as CEO at the City of Brisbane – Australia’s largest council. During that time Brisbane City Council (BCC) was awarded the National Employer of Choice across private and public sectors. BCC also built the Clem 7 tunnel, two major bridges and water reforms. She was also served as Queensland president at the Institute of Public Administration Australia.

Jude was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 2010 for her services to local government and Brisbane, and given the keys to the City of Brisbane by Lord Mayor Campbell Newman. Jude then set up her own consultancy business. She helped co-ordinate the Lockyer Valley Regional Council’s community recovery effort in 2011 post the tragic flooding of Grantham, in which 21 lives were lost. She negotiated the relocation of residents to live on higher ground.

Jude has also chaired or been a panel member of major reviews of local government in NSW and Southern Tasmania, and into the planning of Australia's metropolitan cities. Jude chairs Uniting Vic.Tas and the Victorian Planning Authority. She has been a director or chair of 30 boards across 11 industries in the past 25 years. She chaired the Logan Leadership Team to address disadvantage in that city.

Jude now lives in Melbourne with her partner of 37 years, Louise Kummrow. They enjoy bushwalking, cycling, opera and films. Jude combines learning languages with travel.