Damian Beaufils

I am a Gundungurra man and I was born and raised off Country on the Dharawal lands of coastal Sydney. I am a father of three children.

I began my career in environmental engineering and graduated from the University of Wollongong in 2006, before studying law at the University of Sydney. After graduating in 2010, I joined NSW Legal Aid where I worked for four years as a solicitor. I have also worked for the Office of Environment and Heritage, where I conducted environmental prosecutions on behalf of the Environment Protection Authority and NSW National Parks.

I joined the NSW Bar in 2016 and have practised as a Barrister ever since. I am very proud, that in 2022, I became the first Aboriginal person to be appointed a Crown Prosecutor in NSW. I am committed to improving the experience of First Nations people in our criminal justice system.

In 2022, I was commissioned as a Reserve Legal Officer with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) as one of the first Aboriginal persons to be appointed to this position in NSW. I love connecting with other First Nations members, former and current, and I look forward to connecting with other members in the future. I believe that we are stronger together, and building relationships between members is something I am passionate about.

I was inspired to join the RAN by the experiences of people such as Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Bob Bellear and Rear Admiral (RADM) Michael Slattery. I heard stories from RADM Slattery about the respect that CPO Bob Bellear was shown by members of the RAN at a time when overt racism was the norm in this country. After hearing this, I knew that the RAN was the place for me. I hope to use my life experience to help other members on their journey, and I am excited about what the future holds.