Leonie Ebert activist in South Australian education and broad areas of social justice with a world view
Leonie Ebert, a South Australian activist in education and other areas with an international focus, had her mother's role at Therese's School, in Adelaide's Colonel Light Gardens, as an early formative teacher of Australian trade minister Don Farrell, highlighted by Indian president Narendra Modi in 2023.
Leonie Ebert became one of South Australia’s strongest social justice activists over broad areas including education as the first woman president from 1982-83 of the South Australian Institute of Teachers formed in 1951 from the reuniting of the Public Teachers Union and the Women Teachers Guild.
Born in Ceylon in 1937, the daughter of railways chief inspector and activist Eric Neville Ebert and teacher Amybelle Fredrica, Ebert came to Australia from Goa, India, in 1952. Educated at home by her mother until she was eight, Ebert, in Adelaide, attended Cabra College, and Adelaide University where she gained a science degree.
Ebert, also holding a masters of educational administration from the New England University, taught at several Adelaide and country high schools and was among the first female principals at Kadina Memorial, Port Adelaide and Christies Beach. Ebert was active in South Australian Institute of Teachers (SAIT) from 1961, especially relating to service conditions. She quickly joined the SAIT state council and state executive. She spoke at her first public meeting in 1969 on the quality of education and fought for a women’s officer to be created.
During the 1960s, Ebert met another South Australia progressive education activist, Graham Smith, whom she later married. As a workplace delegate, Ebert led the first strike of school assistants to get them accepted into the public service association in 1973. Founding chair of the SAIT status of women committee, she set up many seminars and suggested special 10 days training for women.
In 1975, Ebert spoke at the world confederation of teaching professionals at Berlin and was delegate to the International Labor Organisation for SAIT and became its first woman president in 1983/83. Ebert also was the first woman to chair the Australian national curriculum studies association, founded in 1983, when she also was appointed a UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) education commissioner.
Ebert set up the Graham Smith Peace Trust after her husband died in 1989 and worked as full time convenor of the trust. Her range of activities continued as president of the Australia Cuba Friendship Society and as an initiator of the Migration Museum and the Philosophers café. She helped to research and write the history of SAIT.
A long-term active member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom Australia, Ebert was awarded the chancellor’s medal from Flinders University for outstanding achievement in 1994, and made life member of Australia Curriculum Studies Association for outstanding service in 1997. Ebert was a city of Adelaide councillor from 1997-1998 when she initiated the youth ambassadors programme. Ebert was honoured with the centenary of federation medal in 2001.