Rosemary Kayess’ five-year term as Disability Discrimination Commissioner began on Monday 29 January 2024. Ms Kayess holds a Bachelor of Social Science, Bachelor of Laws and an Honorary Doctorate in Law. Previous to her appointment as Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Ms Kayess held senior academic roles with the Faculty of Law and Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and is a Visiting Professor, Centre for Disability, Law and Policy, University of Galway.

Ms Kayess was one of the drafters of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). She is serving her second term on the United Nations (UN) Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, as Vice-Chair. She was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights.

Ms Kayess is a current and former member of a number of disability focused councils and committees. Current memberships include the NDIA Independent Advisory Council and the Australian Discrimination Law Experts Group. Former memberships include the Strategic Engagement Reference Group for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability.