2020 Carey Medallist
Guardian of the charities John Calwell (1974) Chair, The Carey Medal Committee
It is with great pleasure that we announce that the Carey Medal recipient for 2020 is Murray Baird.
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he Carey Medal recognises outstanding service to the community and, in Murray’s case, this service has been for the benefit of charities and not-for-profits across the country. Through this award, we acknowledge the work Murray has done by dedicating his legal career to working for the not-for-profit sector and developing the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) in spite of many challenges and lack of support from the government. Murray and his team persisted in creating a regulatory body, which is now in its ninth year of assisting charities with their legal obligations and helping the public to better understand the charities they are contributing to. Murray is passionate about charity and the not-for-profit sector because he believes in their role in making the world a better place.
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urray was a student at Carey from 1966–71. He was Captain of Hickman House, a School Prefect and represented the School in hockey, athletics and public speaking. He was also involved in the performing arts: the School history By Courage and Faith by Stuart Sayers refers to the dedication of time, thought and energy by Murray Baird in the main role of the School’s production of Shakespeare’s Richard III, a demanding part with more than 1000 lines to memorise. Murray’s older brother, Allen, also attended Carey, as did Murray’s sons, Cameron and Stuart. Murray’s father, Brian, was a staff member at the School for over 30 years. 38 | Torch
Murray graduated from Monash University with an Arts/Law degree and followed this with the Leo Cussen Practical Legal Training Course in 1977. He had worked at Moores legal practice part-time while at university and his career saw him return to Moores, where he became a partner and saw the firm grow to become a substantial Melbourne law firm. Murray was considered a generous and wise mentor of new intakes of law graduates, and he found a niche in not-for-profit law and governance.
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any lawyers make admirable contributions to the not-for-profit sector in a pro bono capacity in their spare time, but Murray chose to make it his main job. Much of his public legal work assisted in defining the boundaries of charity through litigation. One significant case that had implications for the law of charities across the world was the Commissioner of Taxation v Word Investments Ltd. decision of the High Court that allowed charities to be involved in commercial activities. He has also since assisted governments around the world with advice on the regulation and support of the charity sector. Murray has held many roles on various not-for-profit boards, contributing pragmatic suggestions, strategic insights and his deep understanding of governance responsibilities and duties. These roles are almost always unpaid and often low profile, which reflects Murray’s commitment to advancing the work of others, and not himself. Later in his career, Murray left Moores and helped set up and actively lead the ACNC as its inaugural Assistant
‘Murray has held many roles on various not-forprofit boards [...] These roles are almost always unpaid and often low profile, which reflects Murray’s commitment to advancing the work of others, and not that of himself.’
