Kristy McKellar OAM

Renowned in Australia and around the world, Kristy McKellar OAM is uniquely positioned to ignite change through her story, as both a professional clinician in the sector and as a survivor advocate, having a lived experience of domestic and family violence.  

Kristy was bestowed an Order of Australia Medal for her outstanding contributions to the community services sector. She has been named as one of the top 100 Women of Influence in the country and the Agenda Setter of the Year for Australia. Additionally, she has been inducted into the Honour Roll of Women.   Kristy’s work with governments, law makers, not-for-profits, corporates, clubs and sporting codes has driven critical change. She has addressed Members of the Legislative Assembly and Council and she played a significant role in the Australian Royal Commission into family violence.  

By highlighting the complexities and failures of the system, Kristy influenced the implementation of new legislation in Australia to better protect and validate victims, prioritise their rights and hold perpetrators to account. As a result, victim survivors of family violence are now able to live safer, healthier, happier lives, and the lives of children are protected and acknowledged.   Kristy is the youngest member to be appointed to sit on the Adult Parole Board, her expertises are used in making decisions under a statutory framework, about the reintegration of eligible prisoners into the community in a way that protects community safety.  

Her role includes making decisions about whether to grant, deny, defer or cancel a prisoner’s parole. Influenced by Kristy’s advocacy, has been her work with the Australian Football League (AFL) and other sporting codes, implementing measures to ensure that gender equality is achieved.    Kristy shaped the first Male Champions of Change model, including successfully engaging many male dominated workplaces in understanding and then delivering responses to domestic and family violence. 

Kristy continues to work with all the Champions of Change Coalition nationally and globally, leading meaningful and sensitive conversations that drive real social change. She has driven effective change with major corporations in Australia to embed practical measures within their organisations, implementing various domestic and family violence policies including paid leave and helping reintegrate survivors back into the workforce, while also providing appropriate support to individuals who are perpetrating violence or abuse in the workplace. This work has broadened the world's understanding of family violence and its workplace responsibilities.   

Kristy has helped reform the education of the Australian Police Force by developing a mandated family violence dynamic module e-learning package, which has successfully trained 15,000 members at all levels, highlighting gaps and failures in the family violence policing response. Kristy was appointed a member of the Royal Commission Chief Magistrates Taskforce and Social Services Taskforce with the Special Minister of State. She has been a delegate to the Australian Royal Commission into Family Violence Steering Committee.   

Kristy has made outstanding contributions on a national and global scale, challenging everyone to play their part in preventing family violence. She has empowered many to speak out, gain assistance, and restore hope for individuals to live a life free from fear and violence and to seek equal opportunities.