Marion Lau OAM
Williamstown Ambassador
Marion is a Director of her own management consultancy, and with focus on aged care, ethnic aged and migrant women’s health and well-being, as well as small business counselling and mentoring. In recent time, she has also provided a service to selected international students in the area of social and emotional support, as well as general mentoring and conversational English tutoring.
Marion has special interest and commitment to advocate for the principles of Access & Equity and Social Justice and their application to migrants, especially women & children, and the aged from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds.
As a female small business owner, she is concerned that small businesses have the support to understand and comply with relevant legislations, especially business owners from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds, as well as develop strategies to ensure their continuing financial sustainability and profitability. She is a volunteer with the Small Business Mentoring Service, and mentors many small business owners.
She has spoken at many seminars and conducted workshops and lectured to student nurses and multi-disciplinary members of aged care teams on caring for patients from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds and the Ethnic Aged. As an Aged Care Consultant, she works with residential aged care providers to assist them comply with Commonwealth & State regulations.
Marion was awarded the Order of Australia in 1996 for her work with older Australians and those from Chinese backgrounds, and a Centenary Medal in 2003 for her work in promoting multiculturism. She is also a Justice of the Peace in Victoria.
Marion’s many community activities include:-
Past Chair & Current Deputy Chair - Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Chair- Aged Care Policy Committee- Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria
Immediate Past President - Chinese Health Foundation of Australia
Past President - Chinese Community Society of Victoria
Director - Doutta Gala Aged Care Services Inc
Member – RDNS Ethics & Research Committee
Board Member – Royal Children’s Hospital – Children’s Bioethics Centre
Past President & Current Vice -President – Victorian Elderly Chinese Welfare Society Inc
Secretary – Order of Australia Association – Victorian Branch
Charter Member & President 2009/10 - Rotary Club of Elsternwick, Victoria
Member – Previous Victorian Ministerial Small Business Advisory Council
Member – Previous Victorian Multicultural Business Advisory Council
Mentor – Small Business Mentoring Service
Marion recently retired from the Board of RDNS after serving on that Board for 15years, and also from the RDNS Clinical Governance Committee.
As part of International Women's Day 2011 celebrations, Marion was inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and in April, 2011, her name was inscribed on the 4th Shilling Wall of the Queen Victorian Women's Centre, as a fund raising initiative.