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List of Indigenous Australians in politics and public service

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Numerous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia have been notable for their contributions to politics, including participation in governments, and activism. Others are noted for their public service, generally and in specific areas like law and education. The lists of Indigenous Australians in public service, activism, law, education and humanities on this page, can never be complete and are fluid, but serve as a primer.

Politics and government

Summarize
Perspective

By 1962–65 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were granted universal suffrage. Specifically, the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 gave all Aboriginal people the option of enrolling to vote in federal elections,[1] whereas the previous Commonwealth Electoral Act 1949 gave Aboriginal people the right to vote in federal elections only if they were able to vote in their state elections. Even with the 1962 ruling, it was not until the Commonwealth Electoral Amendment Act 1983 that voting became compulsory for Aboriginal people, as it was for other Australians.[2][3]

Vice-regal

Sir Douglas Nicholls was the first and so far the only Indigenous Australian Governor of an Australian state (Governor of South Australia, 1976–1977).

Politicians

Main article: List of Indigenous Australian politicians

There have been 52 Indigenous members of the ten Australian legislatures. Of these, 23 have been elected to the Northern Territory assembly, ten to the Australian Federal Parliament, six to the parliament of Western Australia, five to the parliament of Queensland, two each to the parliaments of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales, and one each to the parliament of South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory assembly. Three have served in multiple parliaments.[4]

As of 2023, Indigenous Australian members of the Senate represented 10.5% of the 76 Senate seats, and 1.9% in the House. The total representation is, at 4.8%, proportionally far above the national population of 3.3%.[5]

Of the 52 Indigenous Australians elected to any Australian parliament, 23 have been women.

No-one of acknowledged Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander ancestry has yet been a member of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly. Norfolk Island is a part of Australia, formerly occupied briefly by Polynesian seafarers.[6][7]

Ernie Bridge was the first Indigenous Australian to become a minister in a government. Neville Bonner was the first Indigenous man to become a member of the Federal Parliament, when he was appointed to fill a casual Senate vacancy in 1971. In 1972 he was the first Indigenous man to (successfully) run for an election. Pat Eatock was the first known Indigenous woman to (unsuccessfully) run for a federal election, in 1972.[8]

Neville Perkins was the first Indigenous Leader of the Opposition in the Northern Territory, as the leader of the Labour Party from 1977–1981. Aden Ridgeway was elected to the Australian Senate in 1998 and served until 2005, and was the only First Nations person serving in Federal Parliament during this time, serving on a number of parliamentary and Senate committees.[9] He was the first Aboriginal person to be selected as deputy leader of the Australian Democrats, and was in this role from April 2001 – October 2002.[10] Ridgeway was the first Indigenous person to use an Indigenous language in Federal Parliament.[11] On 25 August in 1999 in his first speech to the Senate, he stated:

"On this special occasion, I make my presence known as an Aborigine and to this chamber I say, perhaps for the first time: Nyandi baaliga Jaingatti. Nyandi mimiga Gumbayynggir. Nya jawgar yaam Gumbayynggir. Translated, it means: My father is Dhunghutti. My mother is Gumbayynggir. And, therefore, I am Gumbayynggir."[12]

Marion Scrymgour was the first Indigenous woman to become a minister and has to date been the highest ranked Indigenous woman in a government, when she became Deputy Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 2007 until 2009. Adam Giles was the first Indigenous Australian to lead a government as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory in 2013. Indigenous minister Kyam Maher was appointed Attorney General of South Australia in March 2022.

Pat Dixon was the first Aboriginal woman elected to local government in Australia.[13]

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was elected Senator for NT in May 2022 and appointed Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians on 18 April 2023.[14]

Party leaders

This section only includes those who held party leadership positions outside of a parliament.

Warren Mundine was the first Indigenous Australian to become National President of the Australian Labor Party.

There have been various leaders of the Australia's First Nations Political Party, however no candidate from this party has been successful in an election.

Public servants

More information Name, Contribution ...
Name Contribution Refs
Harry AllieInaugural Indigenous Elder of the Australian Air Force[15]
Ian AndersonAO, Former Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Affairs PM&C
Pat AndersonAO, Human rights advocate, Chair – Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Robert AndersonOAM, Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board 1999–2003
Ross AndrewsNIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and Mayor of Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council[16]
Deborah BookerIndigenous Elder of the Australian Air Force, and Board of the Institute for Aboriginal Development[17]
Bridget BrennanIndigenous Affairs Editor – Australian Broadcasting Corporation[18]
Jody BrounCEO – National Indigenous Australians Agency[19]
Peter BuckskinPSM FACE, Commonwealth Senior Executive Service, Commissioner to UNESCO, ARC Advisory Council, Chair-NATSIHEC[20]
Geoff ClarkLed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)
Ken ColbungAM, MBE, Chair of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) 1984–1990[21]
Edwina CrawfordDirector – Aboriginal Services Branch, Dept of Communities and Justice NSW[22]
Tanya Denning-OrmanDirector–Indigenous Content NITV[23]
Michelle DeshongCouncil Member – Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies[24]
Rodney DillonLed ATSIC[25]
Gatjil DjerrkuraOAM, Led ATSIC
Marcia Ella-DuncanOAM, NIAA Senior Advisory Group, and ATSIC[26]
Duane FraserCouncil of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies[27]
Mick GoodaSenior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
Steve GordonOmbudsman and (ATSIC) commissioner[28]
John GorrieFirst Aboriginal male awarded a Public Service Medal, for his contribution to public service
Stan Grant SnrAM for service to Indigenous education and language
Jim HaganChair National Aboriginal Conference and UN rep; first Aboriginal person to address the UN and Australian Cabinet[29][30]
Ruby HammondPSM, Equal opportunity achievement, Customary law and Sovereignty advocate
Lorraine HattonOAM, Indigenous Elder of the Australian Army[31]
Leonard HillCOO and Deputy CEO of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)[32]
Letitia HopeDeputy Chief Executive Office for Operations and Delivery at NIAA[33]
Paul HouseNIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and Ngambri traditional owner Canberra[34]
Jackie HugginsAM, FAHA, Key figure in reconciliation as well as literacy
Steve LarkinChair – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Advisory Council (ATSIHEAC) 2009–2012, NATSIHEC, NIRAKN, CEO, Batchelor Institute Council[when?][35]
Catherine LiddleServed in Northern Territory Education Department, ABC, NITV/SBS[36]
Jamie LoweCEO – National Native Title Council[37]
Getano Lui JnrAM, NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, Inaugural Chair Torres Strait Regional Authority[38]
Shireen MalamooATSIC Commissioner 1991–1993, NSW Parole Board 1994–2003[39]
Vonda MaloneNIAA Senior Advisory Group, and Mayor of the Torres Shire Council[40]
Henrietta MarrieAM, Council of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies[41]
Tony McAvoySC, Acting Part–Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court 2011 and 2013, Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner 8 December 2021 to 30 June 2022[42]
Damien MillerFirst Indigenous person appointed to head an Australian overseas mission – appointed Ambassador to Denmark, Norway and Iceland in 2013[43]
Warren MundineDeputy Mayor of Dubbo City, CEO of the New South Wales Native Title Service, and President of the Australian Labor Party 2006–2007
Roy MundineInaugural Indigenous Elder of the Australian Army[44]
Big Bill NeidjieOAM, Eminent Gaagudju speaker and central figure in the foundation of Kakadu National Park
Donna OdegaardAM, Indigenous leader – business, trade and economic development, Indigenous media, National Co design group NIAA[45]
Vicki O'DonnellOAM, NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and WA Aboriginal Advisory Council[46]
Lowitja O'DonoghueAC CBE DSG, Inaugural Chairperson ATSIC
June OscarAO, Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission
Kirstie ParkerDirector of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Government of South Australia
Noel PearsonSenior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government
Charles PerkinsAO – services to aboriginal welfare, named a National Living Treasure (Australia) in 2007
Alitya RigneyAO, PSM, pioneering contribution to Aboriginal education
Lester RigneyUN rep, Australian Ambassador for Aboriginal Education, SA Depts DEEWR; NCVER; AIATSIS; DPC; DECS, ATSIC Research Advisory Committee, ACARA Curriculum Reference Group, Co Chair Ethics council NCAFP[47]
Sally RileyPSM – Head of Scripted Production at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Craig RitchieCEO of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)[48]
Benson SauloAustralian Consul-General to the USA (Houston) & Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner at Austrade[49]
Murray SaylorCouncil of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies[50]
Marion ScrymgourNIAA Local and Regional Co-design Group, and CEO of the Northern Land Council[51]
Jodie SizerChair at Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Council[52]
Sydney SparrowChair – State Aboriginal Heritage Committee South Australia 2010–2020, Ngarrindjeri Dictionary coauthor[53]
Sonja StewartServed as Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Public Service Commission and Deputy Secretary NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet[54]
Russell TaylorAM, Twice Principal at Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Senior Executive Service APS, Deputy Chair Batchelor Institute Council, 2018 NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year[55]
Brendan ThomasCEO – Legal Aid NSW, and Former Deputy Secretary of the NSW Department of Communities and Justice[56]
Roger ThomasSouth Australian Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, and NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award[57]
Pat TurnerAM, Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government, CEO of ATSIC 1994–1998
Ash WalkerCouncil of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies[58]
Eric WillmotAM, Principal of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies 1981–1984
Galarrwuy YunupinguAM, Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government
Mandawuy YunupinguCentenary Medal, Order of Australia ... advancement of education and social justice for Indigenous people ...
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Activists

Educators

Lawyers and judges

Humanities

See also

References

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