(10 May 1954 – 17 February 2016)

Dominica Whelan was a Judge of the Federal Circuit Court, former Commissioner of Fair Work Australia, and former industrial officer. ‘Equitable access to justice’ was a passionate lifelong commitment for Dominica.

Dominica completed a Bachelor of Arts and Law Degree at the University of New South Wales, being one of only three women in her law school class.

She was known for being hard-working and knowledgeable, and inspired confidence in those who appeared before her. She served as a member of the Policy Advisory Committee, and also as a member of the Indigenous Access Committee, being a strong supporter of the Court’s Reconciliation Action Plan aimed at improving access to justice for Indigenous people.

The Dominica Whelan Endowment, administered under the auspices of Victoria University, was established in her memory to support the delivery of accessible, affordable legal services to disadvantaged women, particularly Indigenous women.