Geoff Shaw spent time in the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, 2nd Royal Australian Regiment and the 9th Battalion Royal Regiment in A Company. He did two tours of Vietnam.
After serving his country, Shaw held positions such as the General Manager for Tangentyere Council; Chair of the Institute for Aboriginal Development (IAD) and Central Australian Aboriginal Congress; Executive member for the Central Land Council, Aboriginal Legal Aid Service and the Aboriginal Benefits Trust Account; and Director of Aboriginal Hostels Ltd, and Centrecorp. Shaw also worked as the Commissioner for the Central Australian zone for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
