Our Corporate Governance
Open Family Australia is incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee and is governed by a Board of Directors. It is registered with the Australian Taxation Office as a Public Benevolent Institution and has Deductible Gift Recipient status.
Board of Directors
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Chairman MR DAVID EVANS Managing Director Evans and Partners
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Deputy Chairman DR JUDITH PAPHAZY Consulting Psychologist
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Treasurer MS MARIE BIGAIGNON
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| Members | ||
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MR PHIL RUTHVEN Executive Chairman IBIS World
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MS AILEEN BERRY Business Development Manager Herald & Weekly Times
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MR STEVE TAYLOR Chief Executive Officer Programmed Facility Management
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MS LEONIE HEMINGWAY Managing Director Leonie Burke Pty Ltd
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MR PETER DOHRMANN Neurosurgeon Epworth Centre
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CHIEF JUSTICE TERRY HIGGINS ACT Supreme Court & Federal Court Judge
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MR STEFFEN BOOTS Senior Consultant Primary Asset Consulting
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MR STEVEN CHAUR
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Ex Officio
Sue Renkin
Chief Executive Officer



Mum and I were fighting all the time and it wasn’t a happy place for me anymore. I had told Mum that one of her relatives had sexually abused me. I don’t know why but she didn’t believe me. I think that is what hurt me the most – I’m her daughter and she is supposed to protect me but when I finally got up the courage to tell her what had been going on, she turned her back on me.
The Melbourne Chatterbox operates three nights a week in Melbourne's CBD and inner suburbs. The service is manned by a team of volunteers headed up by Open Family Australia's Volunteer Coordinator and Chatterbox Volunteer Committee. The service has been operational in Melbourne since 2002 and is proudly supported by Cabrini Health, the Tattersalls Foundation and PFD Foods.
Our recycled boutique stocks a large range of quality women's, men's and children's clothing and accessories as well as books and bric 'a' brac.
Open Family Australia works in Victoria and NSW, providing Outreach support to young people at risk in these communities.
Assertive Outreach is a model that offers youth focused services to street frequenting young people in the environments where they congregate. This model of providing comprehensive ongoing support in all aspects of a young person’s life, rather than just concentrating on one issue is successful, as it provides the young person with support from a worker who is available for all their needs and who also works to integrate them into mainstream society.