Club Otago lunch with Dame Susan Devoy

Our first Club Otago guest of 2016 will be New Zealand’s Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy DNZM CBE. Dame Susan will be with us on Wednesday, 6th April.

The four times winner of the World Open squash title (1985, 1987, 1990 & 1992) and eight times winner of the British Open, she surprisingly retired in 1992 while holding the Australian, British, French, Hong Kong, Irish, New Zealand, Scottish, Swedish and World titles. She was named New Zealand Sports Person and Sports Woman in 1985.

Noted for her charity work, Dame Susan is the Patron of the New Zealand Muscular Dystrophy Association. In 1988 she walked the length of New Zealand, over seven weeks, and raised $500,000 for that charity.

In 1998, she became a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, the youngest New Zealander since Sir Edmund Hillary to receive a knighthood.

Appointed as Race Relations Commissioner in March 2013, Dame Susan’s was a rocky introduction to the role – references were made to her criticism of Waitangi Day as a national holiday and those who wear burqas in New Zealand. Her profile is now strong: she has publicly challenged politicians from all parties to be better role models, to be well informed before making glib comments and to ensure accuracy in their statements about race and culture. She has also spoken out about every day racism in New Zealand.

Dame Susan will both address this Club Otago lunch and be the subject of a no-holds barred Q & A session. Her presence with us will be fascinating.