The Council is responsible for the overall performance of the organisation and ensures the proper and efficient functioning of the museum.

The Council is the museum’s accountable authority. Council is responsible for the overall performance of the organisation and ensures the proper and efficient functioning of the museum. &nbsp;
The Council consists of the following members: &nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Museum Director</li>
<li>An officer of the Royal Australian Navy (appointed by the Chief of the Defence Force)</li>
<li>6-9 councillors (appointed by the Governor-General, including the Chairperson) &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Councillors are appointed for a term of up to three years. They can be appointed for up to three terms (not exceeding nine years).&nbsp;

Chairperson, Museum Council&nbsp; Term: 23 July 2025 – 22 July 2028
Hieu Van Le is a former Governor of South Australia who arrived in Australia from Vietnam as a refugee in 1977. In addition to an almost two- decade career at the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, his previous roles include member and Deputy Chair of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission (SAMEAC) 1995-2007, and Chair of SAMEAC from 2007 to 2014. In 2007 he was also appointed Lieutenant Governor of South Australia and held the position through to 2014 when he became Governor of South Australia until 2021. During 7 years in his Vice Regal role. Mr Le was the Patron of more than 230 charity and community organisations. Mr Le is currently serving in various roles with many public institutions, community based and not-for-profit organisations.

Chair – Hon Hieu Van Le AC

Director and CEO Museum Council&nbsp; Term: 17 June 2022 – 16 June 2027
ex-officio member National Maritime Museum Foundation Board
Daryl Karp has worked as a senior executive in the media and cultural industries for over 20 years. Prior to her appointment as Director and CEO of the Australian National Maritime Museum she was the Director of the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House from 2013–22. Ms Karp was the Chair of the Canberra Writers Festival and served as Chair of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors from 2017–21. She has previously held executive roles in broadcast media, independent production houses and the public sector. Previous roles include CEO and Managing Director of Film Australia, Head of Factual Programs (Television) at the ABC, and Non-Executive Director for SBS. She has also served on the boards of the Sydney Jewish Museum and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation.&nbsp;

Daryl Karp AM

Museum Council Member Term: 20 August 2023 – 21 August 2026
Padraig (Paddy) Crumlin is the National Secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia and the President of the International Transport Workers Federation (the ITF), representing 20 million transport workers across the globe and he Chairs the ITF Dockers’ Section. He is also the President of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union. &nbsp;Paddy also chairs a number of charitable and not-for-profit organisations. These include the Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation, Hunterlink and the International Transport Workers Federation Seafarers Trust. He represents workers at the International Labour Organisation on maritime related labour governance matters. In addition, Mr Crumlin is active in industry development and training, chairing Maritime Employee Training Limited and has served as Chair of the former Maritime Super and was a Director of Sydney Ports Corporation and a Councillor on the National Disability and Carer Council, which worked with government to formulate the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Padraig (Paddy) Crumlin 

Museum Council Member Term: 06 March 2025 - 05 March 2028
Dr Bulent (Hass) Dellal AO is the Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation, Former Executive Director of the Australian Multicultural Foundation (1989-2024), Former Chair of the Australian Multicultural Council, e former chair of SBS (Special Broadcasting Service), and served as the Panel Chair for the Commonwealth's Multicultural Framework Review, May 2023.
He has over 30 years of experience in multicultural affairs, policy development, international relations and philanthropy. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division for services to Multicultural Organisations, the Arts, and the Community on&nbsp;the Queen's Birthday Honours List 1997 and awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal in 2003. He was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate in Social Sciences by RMIT University on 13 December 2006. In 2015, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the multicultural community through leadership and advisory roles, to the advancement of inclusiveness and social harmony, to youth and to the broadcast media.
Appointed as Adjunct Professor, Alfred Deakin Institutes, faculty of Arts and Education,&nbsp;Deakin University on 13th May 2020.

Dr Bülent (Hass) Dellal AO

Museum Council Member Term: 23 February 2025 – 22 February 2028
Nataliya Dikovskaya is a financial services professional with over 17 years of experience in governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. She is currently a Senior Adviser at Minchin Moore Private Wealth and the Director of NASHAUS Consulting, where she provides strategic advisory support to financial professionals. With deep expertise in financial stewardship, compliance, and risk management, she brings valuable insights to the governance of the Australian National Maritime Museum (ANMM).
Beyond the financial sector, Nataliya is a passionate advocate for the arts and cultural sector, holding several leadership roles across Australia’s creative industries. She is a member of the Finance, Risk, and Audit Committee for the State Theatre Company of South Australia and an active member of the Contemporary Collectors Committee at the Art Gallery of South Australia. She has also served as Chair of the Adelaide Park Lands Art Prize (2023) and as a board member of the Helpmann Academy Foundation, supporting pathways for emerging creatives in the performing and visual arts.
Nataliya holds a Master of Applied Finance and is a Certified Financial Planner through the Financial Advice Association Australia.
The Australian National Maritime Museum plays a crucial role in exploring Australia’s maritime history, migration, archaeology, ocean science, commerce, culture, and lifestyle, while also honouring the enduring connection of First Nations peoples to their ancestral waters. With extensive experience in financial governance and cultural philanthropy, Nataliya is committed to supporting the Museum’s mission to preserve and share these stories for future generations.

Nataliya Dikovskaya

Museum Council Member Term: 06 March 2025 - 05 March 2028
Dr Kevin Fewster CBE AM FRSA has held a number of senior maritime heritage sector positions since 1984, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom. He was previously Director of Royal Museums Greenwich (2007-2019), the Powerhouse Museum (2000-2007), the Australian National Maritime Museum (1989-2000) and the South Australian Maritime Museum (1984-1988). &nbsp;He is currently Patron of the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network &nbsp;and a Board member of The Mariners’ Museum in Newport News, Virginia. &nbsp;Dr Fewster twice served as President of the International Congress of Maritime Museums, the world peak body for maritime museums, as well as a former Chairman of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors. &nbsp;Dr Fewster was awarded a British CBE and made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to museum administration and the preservation of maritime history.&nbsp;

Dr Kevin Fewster CBE AM FRSA

Museum Council Member Term: 20 February 2025 - 19 February 2028
Don Harwin has over 25 years of experience in public service. He served in the NSW Legislative Council for 23 years, with 6 years as President and 5 years as Leader of the Government. As a minister, he had portfolio responsibility for energy, resources, water utilities, industrial relations, the Public Service, arts, heritage, aboriginal affairs and as Special Minister of State (electoral matters, integrity agencies) at various times. He was also Vice President of the Executive Council.
As Arts Minister he secured over $2.5 billion in funding enabling over 150 cultural infrastructure projects around NSW, secured the future of the National Arts School and re-opened the Theatre Royal.
He has had wide experience on boards, committees and councils, serving as NSW Representative on the COAG Energy Council, Co-Chair of the NSW Council on Closing the Gap and Chair of the Australasian Cultural Ministers Council. He has also served as Board Member of the Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia), the NSW State Records Authority and currently serves as Chairman of Music in the Regions Ltd. He is a Sydney Dance Company Ambassador, a former Patron of the La Perouse Museum and has authored chapters in several books on NSW history.

Hon Don Harwin 

Museum Council Member Term: 12 April 2024 – 13 April 2027
Leo McLeay lives in Sydney. He was the Chair of the Catholic Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust and Deputy Chair of the of the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust. He has served on a number of not-for-profit Boards and committees. &nbsp;Leo was a Member of the House of Representatives from 1979 to 2004 where he served as Speaker from 1989 to 1993. He has always had a deep interest in Australia's maritime history and the significance of Australia in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hon Leo McLeay

Museum Council Member Term: 12 August 2017 – 28 March 2026
First Nations Advisory Committee
Alison Page is a descendant of the Dharawal and Yuin people whose career began in the late 90’s working in architecture and interior design and expanded to urban design, sculpture and film. She is currently Associate Dean (Indigenous Leadership and Engagement) at UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture &amp; Building, and a member of several cultural boards including the National Australia Day Council, Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, and Aboriginal Hostels Ltd. She is the founder of the National Aboriginal Design Agency and in 2015 she was inducted into the Design Institute of Australia Hall of Fame and in 2022 was the Interior Design Excellence Awards Gold Medal winner. Alison was a panellist for eight years on the ABC television program The New Inventors, which showcased Australian innovation.

Alison Page

Museum Council Member Term: from 16 December 2022
Rear Admiral Christopher Smith assumed the role of Commander Australian Fleet on 16 December 2022. He joined the Royal Australian Naval College in 1989. His seagoing appointments have included HMA Ships Stalwart, Parramatta (III), Brunei, Perth (II), Ipswich, Geraldton, Canberra (II), Anzac and Command of HMA Ships Gladstone, Darwin and Canberra (III). His shore appointments have included staff officer to the Chief of Defence Force, Deputy Director of Sailors’ Career Management, Director Navy Warfare Professional Requirements, 2015 Force Structure Review team, Commander Surface Force, Director General Littoral and most recently Deputy Chief of Navy. His operational deployments have included Operation Helpem Fren in 2003, Operation Catalyst as the Australian Liaison Officer to the US Central Command Forward Headquarters in 2008 and the inaugural LHD operational deployment in Canberra (III) providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in support of Operation Fiji Assist 2016.
Rear Admiral Smith completed the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2004 and the US Naval War College in 2013. He holds a Masters of Management in Defence Studies, a Masters in Maritime Studies and a Masters of Arts (International Relations).

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