An inspirational partnership
As part of our 50 Years, 50 Lives series, honouring people who’ve contributed to NSA, we acknowledge the late former CEO, David Deans, and his wife, Sandy.
Celebrating 50 Years, 50 Lives
In the lead-up to National Seniors Australia's 50th anniversary in 2026, Connect is sharing the stories of 50 people who have made contributions to the organisation over those years.
David Deans spent 15 years of his working life fighting for older Australians as the chief executive of National Seniors Australia (NSA).
He was often in Canberra, lobbying politicians and other decision-makers, and he attended meetings around Australia and abroad.
His wife Sandy, herself a busy business executive, was often by his side. She has especially fond memories of those times and remains proud of the couple’s long links to National Seniors.
Before his involvement with NSA, David was an active fundraiser. In the mid-1960s, he joined Bert Martin and other senior Rotarians to build International House, a residential college at the University of Queensland that continues to serve students from around the world.
He was also there when Bert, Everald Compton, and others formed Later Years, the forerunner to NSA, in 1976.
In 2006, at a morning tea in Adelaide to celebrate the 30th anniversary, he reminded guests that the organisation had begun in Brisbane with just 160 members and had grown exponentially.
David presided over that expansion and, while there were a few speed bumps along the way, he helped realise the dream of establishing a national organisation that represented older Australians.
NSA lobbied on seniors’ behalf in Canberra, becoming the largest and most influential organisation of its kind, and it offered tangible benefits to its members, from discounted travel to insurance and financial information.
David was an advocate for important issues such as access to healthcare and seniors’ right to work beyond the then pension age of 65.
When he retired as CEO in 2006 at the age of 67 after an illness, he was quick to point out that it only meant he was leaving full-time work with NSA.
He said, “Retirement - what does that mean? I’m just retiring from this position; I’m not retiring from life.”
He told The Australian not long before, “A lot of people who retire are now choosing to get back into the workforce because they miss the social contact they had with people when they were working.”
His aim was to play more golf, spend more time with Sandy, and to continue working worldwide on ageing issues “in some form”.
Sadly, illness took its toll, and he passed away in 2013.
At the time, Everald noted that David had achieved “tremendous things” in his time at the helm of National Seniors, involving improvements in pensions, superannuation, aged care, discrimination, and mature age employment.
Everald wrote, “David died knowing that National Seniors remains a powerful institution of Australian life which will be serving the nation a century from now.
“He had given it his best shot and was leaving a legacy that he could look upon with pride. We can all remember him as a good bloke and an outstanding Australian.”
Everald also noted the “extraordinarily loving support” David had received from Sandy “who backed him unstintingly through all the crises of his life and career”.
Speaking this month, Sandy said of her late husband, “He was a real gentleman, a kind soul, and a good advocate.”
Sandy also spoke about her continuing commitment to NSA as a life member and active supporter.
With age comes wisdom and the more years lived means more experience gained. At every stage of our life, whether we’re benefiting from experience being shared or benefiting from sharing our experience, Experience Matters.
