Deborah Lawrie wanted to become a trainee airline pilot at a time when women were told they did not belong in the cockpit. This course tells the story of her extraordinary challenge to Ansett and the legal battle that helped change Australian aviation history. Beginning in 1978, the story includes an airline boycott, Australia’s first Equal Opportunity case, a landmark High Court battle and an unexpected intervention by Rupert Murdoch. More than four decades on, Lawrie’s achievement remains a powerful story of courage, persistence and change.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face to face
• Online

COURSE OUTLINE

• What were the hurdles Deborah Lawrie faced to become a commercial pilot in Australia?
• What were the grounds for Reg Ansett's opposition to women pilots?
• How did the Equal Opportunity Commission get 'baptised by fire' through the Lawrie v Ansett case?
• How did the case end up in the High Court and what was the outcome?
• What is the impact of Lawrie's High Court sex discrimination win?

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students should be able to:

• Know the hurdles Deborah Lawrie overcame to work as a commercial aviator.
• Paint a picture of the gender discrimination culture of the 1970s and 1980s
• Outline the key points in the legal case involving the Equal Opportunity Commission and the High Court.
• Reflect on the impact of Lawrie's High Court sex discrimination win.
• Consider other gender barriers that are yet to fall.

COURSE RESOURCES

• https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/22/a-trailblazer-how-deborah-lawrie-flew-the-standard-for-generations-of-australias-female-aviators
• https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/deborah-lawrie-first-commercial-airline-pilot-woman-in-australia/106517422
• Interview https://www.events.unsw.edu.au/article/deborah-lawrie-fight-fly
• https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/community-hub/deborahlawrie
• Touching the Sky, Deborah Lawrie, Harper Collins, 2026
• https://www.sydneyairport.com.au/corporate/media/corporate-newsroom/new-airport-flyover-named-after-aviation-trailblazer-deborah-lawrie
• https://australianaviation.com.au/2025/10/groundbreaking-pilots-story-goes-from-cockpit-to-stage/