Diane Alley OBE

Diane was the daughter of Dr Frederick Duke, and his wife Eva (Collins). Dr Duke practiced in Holbrook, but died in 1932 at the age of 34, when Diane was four. Her mother was left a widow at the height of the Depression. Diane attended school at Clarendon PLC, Ballarat while living with her aunt. She then attended MLC in Melbourne, and after her mother re-married, Girton CEGGS in Bendigo.

Diane continued on to the University of Melbourne and received a BA Honours in English Language and Literature. There she met Stephen Alley, a law student, whom she married in 1949, and they had four children. Stephen became a judge as Deputy President of the Australian Conciliation and Arbitration Commission.

After her marriage Diane did not re-enter the paid workforce, but applied herself to voluntary work. This work has included lead roles in the National Council of Women in Victoria and Australia. From 1986-94, she was International Convenor of the Child and Family Standing Committee of the International Council of Women, and Chairperson of the Victorian Consultative Committee on Social Development, 1985-86. She was a member of the Victorian Premier's Equal Opportunity Advisory Council 1978-82, the Federal Government's National Women's Consultative Council 1984-86, and the National Advisory Council on Social Welfare 1983-85.

Diane was a Honorary Magistrate in the Children's Court 1972-84, a Member of Fairlea Women's Prison Council 1979-83, and she has been an Executive Member and an Organiser of three National Conferences for Status of Women Committee- UNAA- Women and Taxation, 1982; Women and Technological Change, 1983; and Women and the Year 2000, 1984. In 1993, Dianne received a Testimonial from the UN Co-ordinator for International Year of the Family (IYF), designating her an IYF Patron for exemplary support to the UN programme on IYF.

On retiring from the Children's Protection Society Board in 1999, Dianne was made the second only life Vice-President since its formation in 1986.