Alumni Profile

Stuart Kollmorgen OAM (1986)

As a student during the 1980s, thinking about how life would be for a gay teenager and man was challenging. There were few role models, and the topic was taboo apart from the ‘grim reaper’ campaign against the AIDS pandemic, scandals in the Truth newspaper, and tragic endings to Hollywood films. Homosexuality was still a mental disorder to be diagnosed according to the World Health Organisation until 1990.

While Camberwell Grammar was relatively enlightened, at that time, there was virtually no reference to homosexuality in class. Rather, there was derogatory comment in the schoolyard, which weighed heavily and made being honest and coming out in the school environment difficult.

I turned this into a challenge to be defeated, applying energy and tenacity with openness. In the end, those who have supported me unconditionally have been schoolmates. I should have been braver and confided in them earlier. I wasted some opportunities for great friendships.

On leaving school, I wanted to study industrial relations and human resources. My parents always brought home interesting stories of the workplace, in the public and private sectors. I liked the inherent controversy and friction between the interests and rights of employers, employees, contractors, and unions.

I realised that I could enjoy great opportunities through a legal lens, so I undertook a Law/Commerce combination at the University of Melbourne. I could easily have chosen labour economics or policy advice.

It was a great choice, as the area was really opening up. I worked as a solicitor in Melbourne for 20 years, of which 16 years were as a partner of a global firm. I had a fascinating period as a political adviser and played a small role in the national harmonisation of employment law and industrial relations regulation.

Whilst working as a solicitor, I took my opportunities fearlessly. I spent time volunteering and taking board roles in LGBTI organisations. I leveraged positions to provide pro bono legal advice to community organisations, culminating in leadership of the Victorian Pride Centre, which, completed in 2021, is the largest purpose-built pride centre in the world – offering support to the Victorian and Australian LGBTI community and beyond into the Asia-Pacific region. That task completed, I chair The Pride Fund, a fundraising charity for LGBTI causes.

In 2019, I was privileged to be awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to the LGBTI community and sporting organisations and also for pro bono legal work. It was the volunteering mindset instilled by parents and school that kicked things off.

I like the advice of the support team at Camberwell Grammar that students can and should ‘choose to be happy’ amongst the pressure and competing priorities. It makes things so much easier and simpler, both for us and the people around us!

The sporting, language, and music opportunities I enjoyed at school have been enduring and produced many joys in life. Take these! I continued my athletics and wider sporting interests that commenced at school. Not having kids, I was able to travel far and wide with sporting groups, and chose race walking, eventually becoming a four-time individual world champion for my age group. I also became a lawn bowls administrator with Bowls Victoria and enjoy playing for the OCGA team. I met really great friends studying at university, and this does not happen unless you join clubs and social groups. You get back what you put in.