Biography: Dr Dawn Casey

Dr Dawn Casey is widely known nationally and internationally for her work as the Director of the National of the National Museum of Australia. She was responsible for the construction and development of the museum that opened as a Centenary of Federation project in 2001.

In a world first for the building construction industry Dr Casey used Alliancing, a new form of project delivery developed by BP for North Sea oil and gas projects. The Alliance contract promoted a ‘no dispute’ culture prohibiting litigation and avoided the traditional adversarial approaches. The museum was completed on time and on budget – a rare achievement for a major public sector building project.

In addition Dr Casey managed the transition of the museum from an organisation of some forty staff with an annual budget of $4million to a fully operational museum with 210 paid staff, 200 volunteers, an annual budget of $43million and approximately 2 million visitors within the first two and half years of opening.

Dr Casey’s other experience includes her major contribution to Indigenous policies and programs and Australia’s Cultural Heritage nationally. Her career includes the establishment of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and she initiated the joint Commonwealth/State response to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody as a senior executive in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

As Assistant Director General, AusAID, Dr Casey’s responsibilities included; Multilateral Development Banks, United Nation, World Health Organisation and other International programs.

Dr Casey has represented Australia internationally including: on the Development Board for Commonwealth Countries and the Global Environment Facility and on various United Nation Delegations.

Dr Casey is currently an Adjunct professor to the University of Queensland, Griffith University and University of Sunshine Coast and serves on a number of boards and committees. These include the University of Canberra Council, the Indigenous Education Advisory Committee at Charles Sturt University, three advisory bodies at the Australian National University and Chairs the Advisory Board for the Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation at the University of Melbourne and the ACT Cultural Council.

Dr Casey’s awards for achievement include:

• Honorary Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (FAHA)
• Honorary Doctorate of Arts, Charles Sturt University
• Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy, University of Queensland
• Australia Day Public Service Medal (PSM)
• Centenary of Federation Medal
• Centenary of the Australian Public Service Medal
• 3 Commonwealth Public Service Australia Day Medals (1985, 1988 and 1996)
• The Clem Cummings Award for the Royal Australian Institute of Architects