Rosemary Kayess’ 5-year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner began on Monday 29 January 2024.

Ms Kayess holds a Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws and an Honorary Doctorate in Law. She is a Senior Lecturer with the Faculty of Law at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the Vice Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Ms Kayess also holds the roles of Senior Research Fellow, Social Policy Research Centre, UNSW and Visiting Professor, Centre for Disability, Law and Policy, University of Galway.

Ms Kayess is a current and former member of a number of disability focused councils and committees. Current memberships include the Chair of the Australian Centre of the Disability Law; Expert Member, NSW Aging and Disability Commission Advisory Board and Member, Australian Discrimination Law Experts Group. Former memberships include the Strategic Engagement Reference Group for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.