Career
In 1984 she became the first director of the Queensland Women's Information Service under the umbrella of the Office of the Status of Women,and was appointed as the "women's representative on the National Committee on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation". Then in 1987 she became the Queensland director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
Over a five-year period (1988–1993) Bryce served as Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Labor. The period was also noted as being one of "galloping legal reform" for the rights of women, yet, as Sandra McLean described it, Bryce kept a firm grip on the "reins of change" during this time. Nevertheless concerns were raised when in 1990 Alexander Proudfoot formally complained that the women's health centres in the Australian Capital Territory.This culminated in 1994 when Bryce faced an HREOC hearing after being accused of discriminating against Proudfoot – and ended when the commission found in Bryce's favour and dismissed the complaint, stating that the behaviour in question "did not reflect on the way Ms Bryce discharged her duties".
After finishing her time as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Quentin Bryce became the founding chair and chief executive officer within the University of Sydney.The move was said to have "stunned her political and legal acquaintances", but Bryce saw it as bringing "together all the life skills and attributes" that she had acquired, as well as providing an opportunity to have an influence on the students' futures.
In other roles, Bryce has been the chair of the National Breast Cancer Advisory Council and sat on the Australian Women's Cricket Board, and has been a member of organisations such as the YWCA and the Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital. Bryce was also a US State Department Visitor in 1978 and a Member of the Australian Delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland from 1989 to 1991.
In 2003, on the recommendation of the Premier, Elizabeth II, the second woman to occupy the position. Once Bryce's nomination had been accepted by the Queen, Beattie opened it up for debate in the Legislative Assembly. Nevertheless, the outcome was never in doubt, as Beattie had a majority in the Legislative Assembly and had "cleared the vote with the National leaders" prior to the debate.
Bryce's stint at Government House stated in 2008 that the staff disputes were "with the management as a whole, but there wasn't anything specific against the Governor". Staff at Queensland Government House had not been enthusiastic about Bryce as Queensland Governor. A former staff member described Bryce as a "control freak".
In January 2008 it was announced her initial 5-year term, due to end in late July 2008, was to be extended to cover the period of Queensland's sesquicentennial celebrations in 2009. In making the announcement, Labor Premier Anna Bligh.
On 13 April 2008 it was announced that, on the recommendation of Labor Prime Minister, the Queen had approved her appointment as the next Governor-General of Australia, and the leader of the Australian Greens, spoke in favour of the decision. Patricia Edgar in the Herald Sun stated that the decision signalled "an important about face for Australia" There was some opposition to the appointment, in particular from columnist who argued that she would bring a "fair bit of baggage" to the role (in reference to the controversies surrounding her time as the Governor of Queensland), and that she had failed to live up to her promise to be outspoken during her time at Government House. Concerns were also raised in August 2008, when it was revealed that Bryce intended to replace Malcolm Hazell for both Major General Michael Jeffery, with Stephen Brady.