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Rotary District 9750 Indigenous Australians Goodwill Committee Speakers |
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Rotary District 9750 Indigenous Australians Goodwill Committee Speakers |
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The committee provides excellent Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Guest Speakers who will address Clubs on a variety of subjects pertaining to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture including, history, kinship, philosophy, health, reconciliation, native title, spiritual beliefs, art, music, myths & legends.
Jack Beetson |
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JACK BEETSON is the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,
CO-OPERATIVE FOR ABORIGINES LTD., TRANBY ABORIGINAL COLLEGE,
GLEBE.
Jack Beetson was born of a Wongaibon mother and a Ngemba father, in Nyngan, New South Wales. He currently lives on the Mid North Coast of NSW at "Linga Longa" his property outside of Port Macquarie, where he conducts cultural workshops as well as pursuing his duties as Executive Director of the Co-operative for Aborigines Limited (Tranby Aboriginal College) at Glebe.
Jack has been associated with the Co-operative through his role as student, teacher, Director of Studies at Tranby Aboriginal College since the mid 1980s. During this time Jack has played a prominent part in achieving self-determination in education for Aboriginal people. Jack held the position of President of the Federation of Independant Aboriginal Education Providers from 1994 to 2000.
Jack is an excellent communicator with a depth of knowledge understanding and compassion which enables him to communicate readily across all imagined boundaries of class, gender and race. He has been a tireless worker for justice and self-determination for Aboriginal people and has travelled extensively campaigning for the rights of all Indigenous peoples.
Jack has served on many committees and delegations both within Australia and overseas. He has served as Chair of the Aboriginal First Aid Committee - a project of Tranby, the Rotary Club of Sydney CBD and Red Cross. He is the current Official Indigenous Consultant on the Rotary District 9750 Indigenous Australians Goodwill Committee and much sought after Speaker on the Rotary and many other Speaking Circuits.
He was awarded the Rotary Club of Sydney CBD Community Service Award in 1998, and at the Rotary District 9750 Conference 2001 he was congratulated and recognised with a certificate of acknowledgement for the Unsung Hero Award 2001 by the United Nations in the Year of Dialogue Among Civilizations, one of only 12 people throughout the world to receive such an award.
For Jack the struggle for rights is not just a matter of indigenous rights but for Human Rights. To find out more about the great work that Jack and his family and friends are undertaking check out the website for the Linga Longa Aboriginal Philosophy Farm at http://Go.to/LingaLonga
Yvonne is the Program Director at Tranby College in Glebe.
A member of the Wiradjuri nation, Linda Burney was born in Whitton, a small Riverina farming community and schooled at nearby Leeton. Completing senior school at Penrith High School, she won a government scholarship and was first Aboriginal person to gain a Diploma of Teaching at Mitchell College of Advanced Education (now Bathurst campus of Charles Sturt University).
In 1979 she began teaching at Lethbridge Park Public School in western Sydney, and became involved in the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG). From 1981 she worked with the Aboriginal Education Unit of NSW Department of Education on the NSW Aboriginal Education Policy, first such policy in Australia. In 1983 she was appointed Executive Officer of the NSW AECG, then elected President in 1987. During her Presidency, 1988-98: the AECG became incorporated; moved to its own offices, which it now owns; embedded the principle of negotiation with Aboriginal communities through the AECG on all Aboriginal education; Aboriginal Studies electives in Years 7-12, and core Aboriginal history and geography for all students in Years 7-10; added training to the AECG mandate; rewrote the Aboriginal Education Policy to apply to all students, all staff, all schools; was Principal Consultant to the national teacher education project 'Teaching the Teachers'; secured system action on the impact of Otitis Media (middle ear disease) on the education of Aboriginal children. She was appointed to the NSW Board of Studies and the NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training.
At the national level Linda Burney was a prime mover in forming the National Federation of AECGs and was Interim Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Training Advisory Council. In 1994 she was a member of the ATSIC national Social Justice Task Force which produced the report 'Recognition, Rights and Reform' on social justice reform in response to the Mabo judgement. She was a member of the Board of SBS 1994-98. 1994-97 Linda Burney was appointed to the national Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, member of Council Executive, chair of the Media, Education and Consultative Committee and of the Events sub-committee which co-ordinated the 1997 Australian Reconciliation Convention. In 1995 and 1998 she represented Aboriginal education at meetings in Geneva of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations; she was also involved in World Indigenous Peoples' Conferences: Education in 1990, 1993 and 1996.In 1998 she facilitated for ATSIC a national senior managers' workshop and western Queensland region housing workshop, and the National Indigenous Constitutional Convention.
Awards include the 1993 Department of School Education Director-General's Award for Outstanding Service to Public Schools, NSW TAFE Medal 1995, and Lipton's Australian Women's Quality of Life Award 1996. Linda Burney is currently Deputy Director General of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Chair of the NSW State Reconciliation Committee, member of the NSW Board of Vocational Education and Training, Historic Houses Trust, Centenary of Federation Council, Anti-Discrimination Board, University of Canberra Council, the Sydney Institute Council of NSW TAFE and a trustee of the Mick Young Memorial Scholarship Trust. Linda Burney has a high profile at state and national levels, both in education and training, and across Aboriginal affairs, and is widely known as an effective public speaker. She is also an experienced meeting facilitator and chair.
Footballer and Chief Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal Sports Corporation Australia (NASCA). NASCA was established in 1995 to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to excel in sport and to use this as the 'springboard' to greater success in education, employment and career development. Currently, NASCA in conjunction with it's many sponsors has developed programs for golf, football and netball. These include the "Hunting for an Australian Tiger" in golf; the "We'll Find You" Rugby League Aboriginal Junior Development Program a joint program with the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and "Casting the Net" program within the framework of Netball Australia.
Dr. R. V. (Bob) Morgan Ed.D, Grad Dip Tertiary Teaching. Dr. Morgan (Gumilaroi) is an Aboriginal educator/researcher who has worked in the field of Aboriginal education and training for over twenty-five (25) years working extensively throughout Australia and internationally. Dr. Morgan has an indivisible commitment to the principles of Aboriginal self-determination, social and restorative justice particularly the need for and the control of culturally contextual and affirming education. He has had extensive experience in the area of Indigenous education with involvement and leadership at the state, national and international levels of policy and programming development. Dr. Morgan is an experienced researcher and writer evidenced for example by the following:
At the beginning of 2000 following a distinguished career in Aboriginal education administration Dr. Morgan established Murri Consultants and Associates of which he is principal Director. Dr Morgan is involved with and contributes to a number of community based organisations and cites as his professional career highlights the following:
In 1997 in recognition of Dr. Morgan's contribution to Indigenous education internationally, he was appointed to the International Board of the Institute for Maori and Indigenous Education and Research, Auckland University, Auckland NZ.
Paul Knight |
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Paul Knight, aged 29 years, was born and grew up in Wollongong. Following various positions of employment he was accepted for Rotary Group Study Exchange to Denmark (1998) - Assisting with Dist 5760 RAWCS committee (Indigenous issues) Current Activities Undertaking a Arts/Law Degree at Uinversity of Wollongong Writing an Indigenous strategic employment plan for the Illawarra region. Assisting in the establishment of a Aboriginal community radio station focussed on youth Establishing a cultural tourism and training centre for the region. Working with the Premiers Department on developing Aboriginal Employment Co-ordinators Working with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs on developing a cultural tourism strategy for NSW including addressing social justice issues.
Aden was born in Macksville in northern New South Wales in 1962. He is a proud member of the Gumbayyngirr people. His life has seen him rise from the treadmill of poverty and of growing up on an Aboriginal reserve. His early experiences have resulted in strong family traditions and he is the very proud father of two adolescent sons.
Aden has developed his knowledge and skills from a broad range of organisational functions from responsibilities from administration and management, to policy development and leadership as well as corporate governance in a wide variety of New South Wales governmental departments. These include: Industrial Relations and Employment; National Parks & Wildlife Service; Minerals and Energy; Administrative Services; the Public Service Board; Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs and the Land and Environment Court. He has also participated on a number of New South Wales Government task forces and committees to address the critically important issues of environmental management, accountability, organisational reform and regional development. Aden's understanding of the need for community service has resulted in his experience as a Trust Member of the Australian Museum: serving as Chairperson of the Indigenous Issues Committee and a Member of the Committee for Public Programs; a Board Member of the Geographical Names Board; a Member of the Community Consultative Committee, Leichhardt Municipal Council; a Board Director of the New South Wales Public Service Board Staff Credit Union.
Additional community commitments in the past have included; member of the Sydney Regional ATSIC Council; Chairperson, Aboriginal Catholic Council, Sydney Diocese: and President of the Sydney University Sports Union - Little Athletics Centre. Along with understanding and accepting the central role of community service to promote quality neighbourhoods, Aden also places high value on people's need for participation in the cultural dimensions of a society. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Bangarra Dance Company.
Aden recently completed his five year term as Executive Director with the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council where he initiated and implemented a process of reform within the Land Council network. He has played a key role in the National Indigenous Working Group and has been described as a "skilled and resolute negotiator with political nous".
On the 1st of July 1999 Aden took up his position as Australian Democrats Senator for NSW. The Australian Democrats currently have the Balance of Power in the Senate and this will make for challenging times ahead. Aden is the spokes person for Industry, Arts, Tourism, Financial Services and Regulation, Centenary of Federation, and Reconciliation.
Aden is a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. Dovetailing this with his portfolio responsibility for reconciliation and his proven track record as an effective and politically savvy negotiator, there remains hope for reconciliation. These are some highlights of Aden's personal and professional experiences which equip him for the political responsibilities associated with our rapidly changing and interdependent world.
Les's career has seen him hold a variety of positions throughout his employment career, as well as operating his own tour guiding business. He has always chosen a career in which not only benefited himself, but rather Indigenous people. In 1992 he received the Australia Day Medal for community contribution and in 1995 he received the NSW Aboriginal Employment Achievement Award for his contribution towards employment of Indigenous peoples. He holds a Diploma in Social Welfare from Western Sydney University and has successfully completed several management/marketing programs at the Australian Institute of Management. Les is currently in his third year of a Community Management course at Macquarie University. Les's previous employment was with the Australian Electoral Commission as an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Electoral officer before commencing work with Tourism New South Wales as their Aboriginal Tourism Coordinator. He is now currently employed with Australian Tourist Commission as Product Manager for Indigenous Tourism His role is to:
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Updated: 30 January 2005
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