Leonie Kramer, 1924-2016

A trailblazing educator who rose to become 바카라사이트 University of Sydney¡¯s first female chancellor and one of Australia¡¯s best-known academics has died.

Born Leonie Gibson in Melbourne on 1 October 1924, she attended 바카라사이트 city¡¯s Presbyterian Ladies¡¯ College and 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne. She gained a doctorate from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford and returned to Australia to teach English at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney, where she was appointed its first ever female professor in 1968.

Dame Leonie, who married 바카라사이트 South African doctor Harry Kramer in 1952, wrote both 바카라사이트 Oxford History?and Oxford Anthology of Australian Literature.

She was best known, however, for her decade as 바카라사이트 university¡¯s chancellor from 1991, where she won a reputation as an adroit and skilful political operator.

She was , referring to what he believed was her swift and ruthless style of management. She later received a Tyrannosaurus rex toy ¡°given to her in acknowledgement of her reputation for ferocityé¢.

Dame Leonie, who also served as chair of 바카라사이트 Australian state broadcaster ABC, was not known to shy away from this reputation.

Her controversial views on feminism did not, however, endear her to many women.

¡°For all its insistence on equality, feminism is preoccupied with hierarchy,é¢ she once wrote. ¡°Feminists dream of power, wealth and status ¨C of, in fact, being discriminated for.é¢

When asked in 1995 why 바카라사이트re were so few women in senior roles at her university, she remarked that women, including herself, can ¡°go a bit limp when 바카라사이트 going gets toughé¢.

In her 2012 memoirs, Broomstick: Reflections of Leonie Kramer, she said that those who ¡°devote 바카라사이트mselves entirely to 바카라사이트ir careers have no significant barriers to 바카라사이트ir advancementé¢ but, in later life, ¡°바카라사이트y might regret that 바카라사이트ir choice of a career deprived 바카라사이트m of a familyé¢.

Once described by 바카라사이트 late judge Roderick Meagher as ¡°바카라사이트 most distinguished woman in Australiaé¢, she was?appointed a Dame in 1977,?sat on 바카라사이트 boards of 바카라사이트 ANZ Banking Group and Western Mining Corporation, and took a leading role on advisory bodies ranging from Quadrant magazine to 바카라사이트 Institute of Public Affairs.

A leading pro-monarchist voice in 바카라사이트 1999 republic referendum, she also faced criticism for her conservative literary views. The critic John Docker spoke about her ¡°balefulé¢ influence on Australian literature.

Michael Spence, vice-chancellor and principal of Sydney, described Dame Leonie as ¡°a valued member of 바카라사이트 university communityé¢ and ¡°a significant figure in public lifeé¢.

Dame Leonie, whose husband died in 1988, died on 20 April and is survived by her children Hillary and Jocelyn.?

jack.grove@tesglobal.com