15 Facts About Margaret Gardner

Margaret Gardner was previously the vice-chancellor of Monash University from 2014 to 2023 and the president and vice-chancellor of RMIT University from 2005 to 2014.

Margaret Gardner has authored, co-authored and edited a number of texts in the fields of industrial relations and human resource management.

Between 1998 and 2002, as chair of two major Queensland Government taskforces, Margaret Gardner authored three government reviews: Queensland Industrial Relations Legislation, Pathways Articulation Through the Post-Compulsory Years of School to Further Education Training and Labour Market Participation.

Margaret Gardner served in executive positions with Deakin University, Griffith University and the Queensland University of Technology.

Margaret Gardner was the deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland.

Margaret Gardner was appointed vice-chancellor of RMIT University on 4 April 2005, taking over from care-taker vice-chancellor Chris Whitaker.

Margaret Gardner was the 9th vice-chancellor of Monash University from September 2014 until August 2023 when she was appointed as Governor of Victoria.

At the time of her retirement from Monash University, Margaret Gardner was Australia's highest-paid vice-chancellor, earning nearly $1.6 million, an increase of $190K from the previous year.

Margaret Gardner was the chair of Universities Australia from 2017 to 2019, Chair of the Group of Eight from 2020 to 2023, president of RMIT International University Holdings Pty.

On 5 June 2023, it was announced that Margaret Gardner would become the next governor of the state of Victoria, commencing on 9 August.

In 2011 whilst vice-chancellor of RMIT, Margaret Gardner overturned the findings of an internal RMIT redundancy review committee and unlawfully terminated the employment of social sciences professor Judith Bessant.

In deciding the case, Gray said he took into consideration the "apparent determination" by Margaret Gardner to "ignore her knowledge of Professor Hayward's animosity towards Professor Bessant".

Margaret Gardner found that Gardner displayed a lack of contrition for what the court found to be a blatant contravention of workplace laws.

At the time of her retirement from Monash University, Margaret Gardner was Australia's highest paid vice-chancellor on nearly $1.6 million, up $190K on the year before.

Margaret Gardner is married to Glyn Davis who is the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in the Albanese government and was previously vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne.