Hetty Johnston AM

As the founder and chair of Bravehearts Foundation Ltd, Hetty Johnston AM has dedicated her career to ending paedophilia and child sexual assault. She has been consulted for her leading insight with a range of state and federal government organisations.

Established in 1997, Bravehearts is an Australian non-profit organisation that addresses the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse. With a range of education and training programs, they hope to empower Australians to take action against child abuse so that Australia can become the safest place in the world to raise a child.

Hetty is also heavily involved in legislative reform and the political landscape, working closely with government and private organisations to increase research and political accountability. She was part of the Federal Government’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Queensland Child Protection Commission of Inquiry. 

Hetty has also been a chair on the Queensland Child Protection Week Committee, and a board member for the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect.

Drawing on her professional expertise, Hetty has published her own autobiography “In the Best Interests of the Child”, and also contributed to a range of book projects, including “Crime On My Mind” and “Women on Top”.

In recognition for her incredible work, Hetty has received multiple awards, including her appointment as an honourable Member of the Order of Australia in 2014. She was also Australian of the Year for Queensland, has been inducted into Logan’s Wall of Acclaim and the Australian Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame.

Having spoken with audiences across all levels of government, including at the Australian Federal Police’s International Virtual Global Taskforce Conference, Hetty Johnston is a highly sought after keynote speaker thanks to her insightful expertise on child protection in Australia.