Rose Nairn was recently awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her outstanding service to the community. This national honour is a fitting tribute to a woman whose decades of voluntary work, leadership, and compassion have positively impacted countless lives across regional New South Wales and the ACT.
Rose is the wife of our late Chairman Gary and is a beloved and highly respected member of the Mulloon family.
In 2000, while managing Westpac in Bateman’s Bay, Rose founded Women in Business, which quickly became one of the most active industry groups in the region. As Chair until 2003, she led meetings, organised guest speakers and conferences, and mentored countless women starting businesses. Her efforts earned her the Bateman’s Bay Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year award in 2001.
Rose has always gone beyond her professional duties. She mentored high school students in business planning, chaired the local Salvation Army Red Shield Appeal, and was chosen to represent Westpac at the 2000 Sydney Olympics for her customer service excellence.
After moving to Canberra, Rose took on leadership roles supporting not-for-profit banking clients and community grant programs. She served on multiple boards including Karralika, L’Arche and the Montessori School Canberra, and volunteered for organisations such as Lifeline, Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, and Home in Queanbeyan.
Her many honours include Westpac’s Woman of Influence (2014), Local Hero Awards (2011, 2015, 2016), and the Spirit of Excellence award (2017).
Even in retirement, Rose continues to innovate. She founded Dwell for Australia, a shared equity housing model to help low-income earners enter the property market. That project is on pause as Rose now cares full-time for her young granddaughter – a testament to her enduring spirit of service.
Rose’s lifetime of action, advocacy, and compassion makes her truly worthy of her King’s Birthday Honour List award.