Meet Deborah Lawrie, the woman who took Ansett to court to become a pilot
Mar 31, 2026
17:26
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Deborah Lawrie knew from the age of 16 that flying was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. But when she applied become a trainee pilot with Ansett in 1978, women were deemed unfit for the cockpit.
So she took the airline all the way to the high court — and won. The landmark legal battle allowed a trailblazing woman to finally pursue her dream career, and paved the way for equal opportunity in Australia.