Moira Emilie Rayner (née Stockwell, born 10 November 1948), is a New Zealand-born, Australian-based barrister and human rights advocate. In 1986, she was appointed a Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia, a position she held until 1990. In 1990 she was appointed the third Commissioner for Equal Opportunity appointed by the Government of Victoria under the Equal Opportunity Act 1984, an office which she held until 1994. In this position she was responsible for monitoring the Equal Opportunity Act; the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986, and the Commonwealth legislated Sex Discrimination Act 1984. In 1994 the Australian Federal Government appointed her to the Institute of Family Studies to undertake a special project to fight child abuse. In 2000 Rayner became the first Director of the office of Children's Rights Commissioner for the city of London, UK. Rayner used her time in her official positions, and as an author and activist, to address issues and support campaigns for the rights of women in society and the rights of children in the legal system. Many of her activities in these spheres have been innovative and thus publicly and politically controversial. Early life and education Rayner is a great granddaughter of the New Zealand politician and Minister for Native Affairs, John Bryce. She was born in Dunedin, New Zealand into an observant Protestant family, the second of three children. She completed her primary and secondary education at Columba College, Dunedin, and at the age of sixteen her family moved to Western Australia, where she began her study of law. Having graduated with honours in law from the University of Western Australia, Rayner was admitted to the Bar in 1972 and, at age 27, established her own legal firm. She also practised as a solicitor advocate in Perth from 1975. As a barrister she joined the Independent Western Australian Bar Association in 1985. Career In 1986 she was appointed a Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia a position she held until 1990. In 1987 she completed a Churchill Fellowship on the rights of children in the legal system of the United Kingdom. In 1988 she was elected Chairman of the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia. From 1990 until 1994 Rayner held the office of Victorian Commissioner for Equal Opportunity in Victoria, the body responsible for monitoring the application of