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Deakin University community mourns passing of Maxine Duke AM
Media release
3 March 2026
The Deakin University community has been greatly saddened by the death of Emeritus Professor Maxine Duke AM, a visionary academic leader whose six-decade career left an indelible legacy on the professions of nursing and midwifery.
Maxine served for many years as Deputy Executive Dean of Deakin’s Faculty of Health and led the Faculty as Acting Executive Dean before her retirement in 2019. Honoured as a Deakin Distinguished Professor, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2022 for significant service to education, nursing and professional associations.
Executive Dean of Health, Deakin Distinguished Professor Rachel Huxley said Maxine’s legacy would profoundly influence future generations of nurses, midwives and nursing educators.
‘As Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery from 2007 to 2018, Maxine oversaw a period of significant growth in domestic and international student enrolments and in the number and seniority of academic staff,’ Professor Huxley said.
‘She developed and enhanced a unique partnership model with six public and private Victorian health services enabling the building of extremely productive research teams in clinical settings, improving the quality and safety of patient care and building nursing research capacity.
‘Maxine consistently encouraged a strong focus on teaching innovation and quality, including the creation of innovative new courses such as the Bachelor of Nursing (Clinical Leadership). She oversaw several Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) course accreditations and under her leadership the School consistently exceeded national and state competitors in the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching and graduate employment outcomes. She served as Director of Deakin’s Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research (QPS).
‘Her work to grow Chairs in Nursing in health services was a major factor in the increased quantity and quality of nurse-led research in Victoria and nationally. This unique partnership model was recognised when Professor Duke and her team were awarded the national Business and Higher Education Round Table (BHERT) Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Higher Education and Training for 2019.
‘Maxine contributed to professional bodies and the nursing and midwifery professions as a member of the national Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery, ANMAC’s Nurse Practitioner Accreditation Committee, and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (Vic) committees over many years.
‘She will be deeply missed by colleagues here at Deakin and our many partner institutions,’ Professor Huxley said.
Honouring a trailblazer in nursing and midwifery education
Dean of Nursing and Midwifery, Professor Nikki Phillips said Maxine was a visionary who saw the value of nursing education at a degree level long before it cemented its place in university courses.
‘Maxine prioritised the growth of others and was fully committed to the nursing and midwifery professions and quality student education,’ Professor Phillips said.
‘Many of us worked with her over decades and, since retiring, she remained connected and continued to contribute to the School community, our health service partners and nursing and midwifery governing bodies and professional associations.
‘Maxine was wise, inspirational, savvy and had a calm presence. She was renowned for her impeccable dress sense, was witty, thoughtful, an avid reader and a staunch advocate for family.
‘I am personally incredibly grateful and cherish my memories and time spent with her over many years. Maxine was a mentor, trusted advisor and friend.’
Professor Phillips said news of Maxine’s death had prompted an outpouring of love as well as professional and personal tributes from University colleagues and beyond.
Adjunct Professor Shane Crowe, Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery at Western Health said Maxine was a strategic, considered and impactful nurse-leader who had made a tangible and lasting positive impact on the profession in Victoria.
‘Her passion for nurse-led research and collaboration between universities and health services was inspired and paved the way for all those that have benefited from her innovation,’ Adjunct Professor Crowe said.
Since her retirement, Maxine continued her significant contributions and was the current Chair of the Victorian Board of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, Board member of the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre and a Director of the Victorian Nurses and Midwives Trust. She formally mentored senior nurse leaders and remained supervising PhD students in the School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Maxine died suddenly on Thursday, 19 February 2026. She is survived by her husband Duncan, three children, Emma, Daniel and Michael and six grandchildren.