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The Smith Family announces the Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) as its inaugural Patron

Media releases

04 May 2021

The Smith Family is delighted to announce that the Governor General, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), has agreed to be its inaugural Patron.

Governor General Hurley brings decades of leadership experience after a 42-year career in the Army and a five-year term as NSW Governor.

“Experience has taught me that education is essential to allow children and young people flourish. And it is even more important for children who are living with disadvantage, if they are to truly fulfil their potential,” Governor General Hurley said.

“It is a privilege to be patron of an organisation that has such a long history of helping those in need. For the last 30 years, The Smith Family’s learning and mentoring programs have been helping young Australians to create better educational and life outcomes for themselves. And with thanks to The Smith Family’s supporters – sponsors, donors, partners, volunteers and VIEW Clubs of Australia – a life-changing difference is being made possible.”

The Smith Family’s Acting CEO, Judy Barraclough, said The Smith Family is thrilled to have the support of the Governor General.

"His Excellency has a long history of commitment to providing leadership and helping building communities," she said.

“His engagement will inspire our students and families and help spread the word about how education can help young people break the cycle of disadvantage and make better lives for themselves.”

The Smith Family is a national children's charity which has helped disadvantaged Australians for almost 100 years. For the last 30 years its mission has been to help children break the cycle of disadvantage by supporting their education.

The Smith Family works in partnership with 740 schools in communities across Australia. Last year it supported over 170,000 children and young people, 57,000 of those through its flagship Learning for Life sponsorship program which provides a combination of financial, personal and tailored out-of-school academic support for their education.

With one in six Australian children living in poverty, Governor General Hurley’s patronage will help shine a spotlight on this critical national issue, The Smith Family’s evidence-based solutions, and how Australians can help.

The Smith Family also looks forward to working with His Excellency throughout 2022, as it celebrates its centenary.

Video of Governor General Hurley and Mrs Hurley available here.

Media Enquiries:

Michael Tarquinio, Senior Media Advisor | Ph. 0481 903 439 michael.tarquinio@thesmithfamily.com.au
Caitlin Dickson, Media Advisor | Ph. 0466 955 633 caitlin.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au

Media contacts:

Andrew Dickson | National Media Manager (National) - 0421 285 529 | andrew.dickson@thesmithfamily.com.au
Carla Horton | Senior Media Advisor (QLD & WA) - 0423 618 776 | carla.horton@thesmithfamily.com.au
Reid Jermyn | Media Advisor (VIC, SA & NT) - 0412 803 566 | reid.jermyn@thesmithfamily.com.au
Ben Chenoweth | Senior Media Advisor (NSW, ACT & TAS) - 0413 346 934 | ben.chenoweth@thesmithfamily.com.au

The Smith Family is a national children’s education charity that helps young Australians experiencing disadvantage to create better futures for themselves through harnessing the power of education. We partner with around 800 Australian schools and work with over 162,000 children and young people experiencing disadvantage access our education support programs to help them overcome . For more information, visit thesmithfamily.com.au