Even a few years ago, it would have been inconceivable that the head of the Australian army, traditionally one of the most male-dominated institutions in the country, would be a leading voice in the battle for women's equality and a staunch campaigner against domestic violence. 
But a fierce determination to change military culture in the wake of a string of Defence sex scandals shot then Lieutenant-General David Morrison (pictured) to national prominence in mid-2013, when he took to social media to address those in his ranks who had not got the message.
His stern warning via You Tube that there would be no safe haven inside Defence for those who demeaned, preyed on, or otherwise discriminated against women went viral, reverberating around the country, and then the world.
Change or "get out", he warned. "If you're not up to it, find something else to do with your life".
The fiery speech, written for him by the woman who is among the world's most senior trans-gender military officers, Group Captain Cate McGregor, was matched by action.
Morrison worked closely with then Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick to examine the Defence Force hierarchy top to bottom to enhance opportunities for women.
The exercise led him to see "issues that I hadn't seen as clearly as I needed to see - and once I saw them I couldn't unsee them."
After a lifetime career as a soldier, including four years as army chief, he stepped down in   May last year and became chairman of the Diversity Council Australia. He is also on the board of Our Watch, a White Ribbon Ambassador and part of the Male Champions for Change organisation.
In   November, the 59-year-old was named ACT Australian of the Year for leadership on gender equality and diversity, and says his mission now is to "make sure that everybody, irrespective of their gender or their race or the god they believe in, has the chance to reach their potential."
"I think there is a role for senior Anglo-Saxon, particularly male voices in this debate to point out that we can pride ourselves on our egalitarian nature in this country, but we still have a gender pay gap across all professions of nearly 18 per cent.
"We should pause, at times, all of us, and listen to the stories we are telling ourselves about ourselves, because they define our values. And some of those are not as focused on equality and a fair go as they should be."
But he says tackling cultural change within defence was the best thing he had ever done. "I will never lose the passion for embracing true diversity in Australia and elsewhere, because that is the future of the planet".