Celebrating a New Legacy: The Launch of the Lesley Vick Sub-Fund
On Wednesday 17 June 2026, the Victorian Women’s Trust community gathered at our Clifton Hill office for a very special milestone: the launch of our 19th named Sub-Fund, The Lesley Vick Sub-Fund.
It was an afternoon filled with warmth, deep conversation, and a shared commitment to the future of reproductive health rights in Victoria. The Lesley Vick Sub-Fund embodies the progressive idealism shared by legal scholar Lesley Vick and her late partner, renowned economist and The Age writer Kenneth (Ken) Davidson (1938–2025).
In launching the Sub-Fund, Lesley was clear on the advocacy areas it must focus on: abortion access and bodily autonomy, law reform, and comprehensive sex education. “In my view, comprehensive sex education and people having access to it is as important as literacy and numeracy, in terms of preparedness for life,” said Lesley. In acknowledgement of the growing threats to reproductive rights across the country, Lesley was firm. “Vigilance needs to be maintained. And we have to confront our opponents.”
The Trust’s Executive Director, Dr Kirsten Abernethy, also celebrated the focus of the fund and its strong connection to the Victorian Women’s Trust.
“This is the first Sub-Fund that I’ve had the pleasure of launching,” said Kirsten. “It joins 18 other Sub-Funds, and 40 years of granting, which have enabled over 800 projects, which have helped Victorian women, girls, and gender diverse people to thrive. We could not do this work without the incredible generosity of people like Lesley.”
“What I really love about the Trust grant program is that it gives grassroots organisations the opportunity to seed new ideas, to innovate, and to take a risk to progress gender equality. And the Lesley Vick Sub-Fund will do just that. We are proud and grateful to both Lesley and her partner Ken.”
Meet the Founder: Lesley Vick (LLB, MA)
Lesley Vick is an Australian legal scholar, researcher, and policy adviser whose work has spent decades shaping the intersection of law, medicine, and women’s rights.
After completing her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Melbourne and a Master of Arts at La Trobe University, Lesley built a career that successfully combined academic rigour with sharp public policy impact. Notably, she served as a senior adviser to the leader of the Australian Democrats between 1985 and 1992, and as Chief of Staff from 1986—positioning her at the absolute centre of national legislative debates around gender equality and healthcare.
As a specialist in medico-legal ethics, Lesley’s research has consistently concentrated on personal autonomy and the legal status of healthcare decision-making. Her voice has been instrumental in public debates advocating for the decriminalisation of abortion, greater respect for women’s agency, and structural law reform. This commitment to secular, evidence-based policy was further reflected in her 12-year tenure as President of the Rationalist Society of Australia (1986 to 1998).
A Lifetime of Leadership
Lesley’s sustained contribution to Australian public life spans roles across some of the country’s most influential reproductive health and civil equality organisations:
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Sexual Health Victoria (formerly the Family Planning Association of Victoria): Contributing directly to governance and policy development.
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Abortion Law Repeal Association: Serving as President during pivotal advocacy efforts to reform restrictive jurisdiction laws.
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Australian Reproductive Health Alliance: Leading the sector nationally as President for seven years.
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Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) & Reproductive Choice Australia: Advancing women’s political representation and bodily choices through community advocacy.
A Partnership of Progressive Ideas
Beyond her formal legal and policy roles, Lesley co-edited and published the public policy magazine D!SSENT alongside her partner, Kenneth Davidson. The publication served as a vital forum for critical, progressive debate on the economic and social issues facing Australia. Ken, a highly respected journalist and economist, was a significant intellectual partner and an enduring personal and professional support to Lesley throughout her career.
How You Can Support the Fund
The Lesley Vick Sub-Fund operates as a permanent endowment within the Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust. Each year, 80% of the interest earned is distributed directly as grants to circuit-breaking projects, while 20% is reinvested so that the fund’s impact continues to grow year after year.
Mary Crooks AO, former Executive Director of the Victorian Women’s Trust, also spoke at the launch, encouraging attendees and anyone passionate about the cause to make a contribution of their own to the Lesley Vick Sub-Fund.
“The more money that grows in the Lesley Vick Sub-Fund, the more money is available for grants each year. It’s as simple as that,” said Mary. “And it’s always going to grow. It’s going to be there in perpetuity with Lesley’s name attached to it when she’s long gone, when women are still requiring support around these issues.”
Leena van Deventer, Deputy Chair of the Trust, echoed Mary’s sentiments. “This Sub-Fund symbolises our choice to walk together into the future, and fills me with confidence that donations to the Trust will still be helping women and girls another 40 years from now.”
We welcome contributions from anyone who shares Lesley’s vision for a fairer, more autonomous future. Every donation directly builds the financial pool for high-impact grants in reproductive education, healthcare access, and legal reform.