Verity Firth

Verity Firth is the Executive Director, Social Justice at the University of Technology Sydney, leading the university’s Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion.

Ms Firth has over fifteen years’ experience at the very highest levels of government and the not-for-profit sector in Australia. Over the last ten years, she has been working in the Australian education sector, first as Minister for Education and Training in New South Wales (2008-2011) and then as the Chief Executive of the Public Education Foundation. As Minister for Education and Training she focussed on equity in education, and how to best address educational disadvantage in low socio-economic communities, including rural and remote Indigenous communities.

As Chief Executive of the Public Education Foundation (2011-2014), Ms Firth led the Foundation's transformation from a fledgling organisation into a major provider of scholarships and support to public education.

Ms Firth was the Member for the state seat of Balmain from 2007 - 2011. Before her parliamentary career, Ms Firth worked as a lawyer and was Deputy Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney.