Helping others the backbone of an inspiring career: Getting to know Peter McMullin AM

In September 2021 Good Return was thrilled to partner with the Good Business Foundation. The Good Business Foundation shares Good Return’s mission to enable those living in poverty to achieve economic empowerment through responsible financial inclusion and capability development.  Together our aim is to build the existing capacity and investor readiness of SMEs in our region - with a focus on women-led SMEs - and increase their access to responsible local financial services and impact investment funds. In our latest blog update, we take the opportunity to get to know Peter McMullin AM, Chair and Co-Founder of the Good Business Foundation.

A prominent Australian businessman, lawyer, local politician as well as a noted philanthropist, Peter McMullin AM is a strong supporter of Good Return’s work in the Asia Pacific. Peter and his team have leveraged expertise, relationships and resources to further social and environmental good in countries most in need.

Together with his wife Ruth, Peter established the Centre for Statelessness within the Melbourne Law School through a generous philanthropic donation. It’s the only academic research centre dedicated to the issue in the world. The Centre undertakes research, teaching and engagement activities aimed at reducing statelessness and protecting the rights of stateless people in Australia, the Asia Pacific region, and more broadly. Statelessness is a major cause of reinforcing the cycle of poverty. 

Peter has also had a long association with East Timor and found that his early association with his family’s small business in Melbourne made him see the importance of helping others.

“The need in East Timor has become greater over the years with the situation worsening as a result of Covid and natural disasters. But I’ve seen how people in East Timor and other countries start small businesses to get a start in life and I’m moved by their resilience and courage. All they need is a helping hand” he says. 

Peter believes involving young people in fundraising for aid and charity work is a key to ending poverty.

“My eyes were opened when I went to Fitzroy as a teenager to give food and assistance to communities living in poverty. And I hope my eyes haven’t closed since. So I encourage young people to find those stories and see how they can help”.

Peter continues to urge people to seek out organisations such as Good Return to try to make a difference.

“The Good Business Foundation tries to fund groups that have runs on the board and who are connected in the communities in which they work and who develop partnerships locally to build capacity and resilience”.