Dr. Dinesh Palipana OAM is a medical doctor, lawyer, researcher, and disability advocate with a distinguished record of leadership and service. He is currently an emergency department doctor at Gold Coast University Hospital and a senior lecturer at Griffith University, where he also co-leads the BioSpine research program focused on spinal cord injury.
Dinesh holds a Doctor of Medicine from Griffith University, a Bachelor of Laws from QUT, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He brings a unique perspective to governance through his lived experience as Queensland’s first quadriplegic medical intern and his ongoing work in health, law, and disability inclusion.
He has served as a senior advisor to the Disability Royal Commission, is an ambassador for the Human Rights Commission’s Includeability program, and is a founding member of Doctors with Disabilities Australia. Dinesh also contributes as a board member of the Housing Hub and as an independent non-executive director of George Steuart & Co, one of the world’s oldest companies.
His contributions have been recognised with numerous honours, including the Medal of the Order of Australia, Queensland Australian of the Year (2021), and the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. His memoir, Stronger, was published in 2022.
