About Jane

Jane Lomax-Smith is Chair of the South Australian Museum Board and a Director of Adelaide’s iconic Jam Factory Centre for Contemporary Craft and Design.

She is a member of the Advisory Board, University College London (Aus) for its Graduate School of Energy and Resources based in Adelaide, South Australia.

Jane recently completed her roles as Chair of the Higher Education Base Funding Review for the Australian Government and as Acting Director of the Royal Institution of Australia (RiAus), the only international affiliate of London’s Royal Institution (GB), operating as a centre of national science outreach.

In 2002 Jane was elected to the South Australian Parliament as Member for Adelaide and was a Minister in several portfolios including Education and Tourism for eight years until March 2010. Before entering Parliament, Jane served the community in Local Government as an Adelaide City Councillor for three terms and as Lord Mayor of Adelaide for two terms.

Born in the East End of London, she attended the local Grammar School and studied at the London Hospital Medical School in Whitechapel.  She became a clinical pathologist, medical researcher and teacher in London, Boston and Adelaide. In Adelaide, Jane established and ran her own pathology practice for several years.

Jane and her family live in the south-west corner of the City of Adelaide, which has been their home for more than 20 years.

Among Jane’s many local activities, such as being convenor for the Cooks Society in Adelaide, President of the Friends of the Barr Smith library and a supporter of local history groups, she has for many years also been Patron of a number of community organisations, including the Adelaide Poultry Club Inc.; Callisthenic Association of SA (Joint Patron); Adelaide Turf Cricket Umpires Association and Restless Dance Theatre.

In 2013, Jane was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the Parliament and the community of South Australia.