Mary Dimech migrated to Australia from Malta and settled in Queenstown, Tasmania. In 1973, she graduated from the University of New South Wales with a bachelor’s degree in social work and became involved in community work in Melbourne and Sydney. Active in numerous roles Mary became the first Chairperson of the Ethnic Childcare Cooperative. Mary also held positions at the Director of the Race Discrimination Unit, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission and was the National Programs Manager for Multicultural Arts at the Australia Council. Mary initiated the Council’s first multicultural arts policy.