Lowitja o donoghue biography of barack

Australian public administrator (–)

Lowitja O'DonoghueAC CBE DSG (August ^[a] – 4 February ), also leak out as Lois O'Donoghue and Lois Smart, was an Australian uncover administrator and Indigenous rights recommend. She was the inaugural oversee of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) strange to She is known keep an eye on her work in improving say publicly health and welfare of Local Australians, and also for primacy part she played in description drafting of the Native Give a ring Act , which established wealth title in Australia.

O'Donoghue was the inaugural patron and namesake of the Lowitja Institute, out research institute for Aboriginal last Torres Strait Islander health bracket wellbeing established in , which in established the Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation.

The Lowitja O'Donoghue Inflexible is held annually by position Don Dunstan Foundation, in stress honour.

Early life and education

Lowitja O'Donoghue, whose birth was unlisted, was born in August , and later assigned the birthdate of 1 August by missionaries.^{[a][3][4][5][6]} She was born on exceptional cattle station later identified comport yourself her official biography as Steamroll Rose Hill in the backwoods north of South Australia (now in the APY Lands,^[6] distant far from Iwantja). She was the fifth of six dynasty of Tom O'Donoghue, a husbandman and pastoral lease holder lecture Irish descent, and Lily, idea Aboriginal woman whose tribal title was Yunamba. Lily was ingenious member of the Yankunytjatjara Native clan of northwest South Land. Lowitja was baptised by deft pastor from the United Aborigines Mission.^[9]

Tom O'Donoghue had joined potentate older brother Mick in inside Australia in , and insolvent horses at Granite Downs hanging fire when he was granted unembellished 1,square-kilometre (&#;sq&#;mi) pastoral lease level De Rose Hill. After representation birth of Eileen in , Tom and Lily had regarding five children up to Mick O'Donoghue had two boys&#;&#; Parker cranium Steve&#;&#; with an Aboriginal woman labelled Mungi. Mick handed the boys over to missionaries of prestige United Aborigines Mission (UAM) comatose Oodnadatta before they turned team a few years of age. In Foot it , Tom O'Donoghue handed sovereign first two children&#;&#; three-year-old Eileen talented the infant Geoffrey&#;&#; to the UAM at Oodnadatta, and the consequent month the mission moved &#;km (&#;mi) south to Quorn barge in the Flinders Ranges, where decency mission, named the Colebrook Trace, was established in a house above the town.^[14]

In September , aged two years, Lowitja was removed from her mother, captain handed over to the missionaries at the Colebrook Home (on behalf of South Australia's Aborigine Protection Board^[9]), along with afflict four-year-old sister Amy, and squash up six-year-old sister Violet. Upon delivery at the home, Lowitja fall over her other siblings, now ten-year-old Eileen and eight-year-old Geoffrey. Class missionaries called her Lois^[15] ahead gave her a date care birth of 1 August They also assigned a place model birth.^[16] She had no recall of any time spent plonk her parents as an baby. She later (sometime after ) changed her name back serve Lowitja.^[17]

According to O'Donoghue, she was very happy living at Colebrook and said she received swell sound education both there bracket at the Quorn Primary Secondary. The Quorn community at broad actively encouraged children from representation home to participate in provincial events, and assisted in righteousness maintenance of the home. Lone a few people objected harmony the integration.^[18] In Colebrook Dwelling moved to Eden Hills, Southernmost Australia, due to chronic drinking-water shortages, enabling her to attendant Unley High School, a on your doorstep public school, and obtain cast-off Intermediate Certificate. She was infinite up until the Leaving Docket standard but did not patronize for the examination.^[19]

After the rewrite of the Bringing Them Home report in , she voiced articulate she preferred the word "removed" to the word "stolen" (as used in Stolen Generations) application her personal situation.^[20] She was the youngest child in unit family, and was two seniority old when she was unabashed from her mother. After she was removed, she did arrange see her mother again bring about 33 years. During that throw a spanner in the works, her mother did not be versed where her family had antiquated taken.^[21]

At the age of 16 she was sent to get something done as a domestic servant call a large family at Lord Harbor.^[6]

Nursing

After two years of situate as a servant in Lord Harbor, O'Donoghue worked as out nursing aide in the seacoast town and did some key training. She then applied within spitting distance be a student nurse urgency Adelaide. After a long exert oneself to win admission to housetrain at the Royal Adelaide Clinic (RAH), including lobbying the pm of South Australia (Thomas Playford^[16]) and others in government,^[6] contain she became a nurse as a consequence the Royal Adelaide Hospital (one source claims she was position first Aboriginal person to agree with such).^[15][16] In she said: "I'd resolved that one of nobleness fights was to actually administer the door for Aboriginal squadron to take up the nursing profession, and also for those young men to get comprise apprenticeships".^[6]

She remained at RAH back ten years,^[15] after graduating kick up a rumpus being promoted first to pikestaff sister and then to authority nurse.^[22][15]

In ^[22] O'Donoghue went have round work for the Baptist Ultramarine Mission^[16] working in Assam,^[22] arctic India, as a nurse relieving missionaries who were taking change direction back in Australia. Due get into the nearby Sino-Indian War she was advised by the Continent government to evacuate to Calcutta, from where she would engender for her return to Australia.^[19] She was "probably the foremost part-aborigine to be appointed deviate Australia to an overseas mission".^[22]

Public service

After returning in , she worked as an Aboriginal romance officer with the South Indweller Government's Department of Education. She later transferred to the SA Department of Aboriginal Affairs perch was employed as a benefit officer^[23] based mainly in description north of the state, boardwalk particular at Coober Pedy.^[16] Contemporary, in the late s, she learnt of her true fame, Lowitja, and also that stress mother was living in needy conditions in Oodnadatta.^[6]

In O'Donoghue married the Commonwealth Public Service considerably a junior administrative officer crumble an Adelaide office of honourableness Office of Aboriginal Affairs.^[16]

Around she was appointed as regional executive of the Department of Aborigine Affairs in South Australia, probity first woman to hold simple position like this in wonderful federal government department. In that role she was responsible use the local implementation of internal Aboriginal welfare policy.^[16]

After a divide while she left the disclose service and had various management/administrative roles with non-government organisations. She was then appointed by dignity government as chairperson of class Aboriginal Development Commission.^[24]

Other roles take up activities

As part of her clash of arms to be accepted for grooming as a nurse at leadership Royal Adelaide in , O'Donoghue met white Aboriginal advocate River Duguid, and joined the Aborigines' Advancement League of South Australia.^[25]

She campaigned for a Yes show of hands in the referendum.^[16]

From to , she was a member build up the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement.^[16]

In , after the restructuring show signs the National Aboriginal Consultative Convention (established by the Whitlam make in ) into the Public Aboriginal Conference,^[26] O'Donoghue was ordained founding chairperson of the fresh organisation, created by the State Government.^[16][27]

In , O'Donoghue was prescribed Chairperson of the Aboriginal view Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), a position she held impending ^[28] Attending a cabinet end of hostilities in , she used honesty occasion to put forward ATSIC's position with regard to picture government's response to the Sovereign august Commission into Aboriginal Deaths presume Custody.^[29] Her leadership in that position was greatly respected bracket admired.^[16] She was replaced in that chairperson of ATSIC by Gatjil Djerrkura, who was considered unwelcoming the Howard government to bait more moderate.^[29]

In she received type SA Great Award.^[25]

In December , O'Donoghue became the first Autochthon Australian to address the Collective Nations General Assembly during depiction launch of the United Humanity International Year of Indigenous Peoples ().^[16]

Following the Mabo decision unreceptive the High Court of Continent, O'Donoghue was a leading colleague of the team negotiating monitor the federal government relating comprehensively native title in Australia. Count up with prime minister Paul Keating, she played a major r“le in drafting the bill which became the Native Title Perfect , and Keating shortlisted waste away for the position of Governor-General of Australia in , which ultimately went to Sir William Deane.^[6][25]

On 29 April , she delivered the Australian Library Hebdomad Oration at Tandanya National Contemptuous boong Cultural Institute in Adelaide, magnify which she stressed the consequence of high quality library suffer information services to Indigenous Australians.^[25]

On 24 January , O'Donoghue was the first Indigenous person convey give the annual national allegation as part of Australia Passable celebrations.^[30]

In , O'Donoghue chaired righteousness Sydney Olympic Games National Native Advisory Committee. She was span member of the Volunteers Congress for the games, and gull the Olympic torch through Uluru.^[16]

In , prime minister Kevin Cyprinid asked her for advice away his preparation for the Excuse to the Stolen Generations.^[24]

She was the patron of a publication of health, welfare, and group justice organisations over the life-span, including Reconciliation South Australia, probity Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Heart at the University of Southward Australia, the Don Dunstan Set off, and CATSINaM (Congress of Early and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives).^[16][31]

Recognition and honours

In high-mindedness Australia Day Honours, O'Donoghue became the first Aboriginal woman seal be inducted into the recent Order of Australia founded gross the Labor Commonwealth Government. Integrity appointment, as a Member clamour the Order (AM) was "for service to the Aboriginal community".^[32]

In she won an Advance Country Award.^[24]

O'Donoghue was appointed a Commandant of the Order of greatness British Empire (CBE) in significance New Year Honours for let to the Aboriginal community,^[33] trip was named Australian of blue blood the gentry Year^[34] in , for turn thumbs down on work to improve the happiness of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.^[35][36]

In , integrity Royal College of Nursing, Country awarded her an honorary cooperation, and in she was awarded an honorary fellowship from rendering Royal Australasian College of Physicians.^[16]

In she was declared an Official Living Treasure.^[16][24]

O'Donoghue was appointed elegant Companion of the Order competition Australia (AC) in the Country Day Honours, "for public use through leadership to Indigenous status non-Indigenous Australians in the areas of human rights and common justice, particularly as chairperson lay into the Aboriginal and Torres Means Islander Commission".^[37][38]

O'Donoghue was inducted cause somebody to the Olympic Order in ^[39]

In or ,^[16] O'Donoghue was endowed as a Dame of honourableness Order of St Gregory magnanimity Great (DSG) by Pope Closet Paul II.^[40][41][42]

In she received excellence NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award.^[16][24]

In May well , O'Donoghue was one signal three Indigenous Australians, along greet Tom Calma and Galarrwuy Yunupingu, honoured by Australia Post grip the Legends Commemorative Stamp "Indigenous leaders" series to mark glory 50th anniversary of the referendum.^[43]

In , she was awarded high-mindedness Perpetual Gladys Elphick Award, represent Lifetime Achievement.^[44]

Academia

In O'Donoghue was awarded an honorary professorial fellow dry mop Flinders University and became uncluttered visiting fellow at Flinders University.^[15]

O'Donoghue received at least six ex officio doctorates Australian universities.^[b] These include:

Biography

In September , an authoritative biography of her life called Lowitja: The Authorised Biography prepare Lowitja O'Donoghue, written by Royalty Rintoul, was published.^[16] Rintoul previously journalist and senior writer tantalize The Australian, is also wholesome expert in Indigenous languages pivotal history. The book was shortlisted for a Walkley Award bolster Best Non-Fiction Book, and was highly commended in the Nationwide Biography Awards in ^[48]

Lowitja O'Donoghue Oration

Since her inaugural oration monkey the Don Dunstan Foundation grip , the Lowitja O'Donoghue Experience has been held annually mass the Foundation at the Creation of Adelaide, with a broadcast of speakers illuminating aspects cataclysm Indigenous Australians' past and forwardlooking in Australian society.^[49] It psychiatry held each year in Reunion Week, with the event celebrating the 40th anniversary of illustriousness referendum. Each orator was improper by O'Donoghue.^[50]

Speakers have included:^[49]

Lowitja Institute

The Lowitja Institute is a folk research centre known as spick Cooperative Research Centre or CRC, focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. It was established in January and entitled in honour of its patron.^[51]

The Lowitja Institute Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health CRC (also known as the Lowitja CRC), funded by the Continent Government's Cooperative Research Centres agricultural show, was part of the League until 30 June The novel of this and the finish Lowitja Institute dates from greatness first CRC, the CRC desire Aboriginal and Tropical Health (CRCATH), which was founded in Naturalist in with Lowitja as speech chair. Based on its achievement, two further CRCs were funded by the government: CRC transport Aboriginal Health (CRCAH, –), followed by the CRC for First and Torres Strait Islander Benefit (CRCATSIH, –), this time hosted by the new Lowitja Institute.^[52][16] The Lowitja Institute CRC formulated three research programmes and conducted workshops.^[53]

Both the Institute and honourableness CRCs have led reform complain Indigenous health research, with First and Torres Strait Islander wind up determining the outcomes.^[51]

As of Jan ^[update], there are 12 associate organisations of the Lowitja Academy, including AIATSIS, the Australian Unbroken Doctors' Association (AIDA), Flinders Sanatorium, the Menzies School of Healthiness Research, the Healing Foundation view the University of Melbourne.^[54] Executive administratio of the Institute include June Oscar, Pat Anderson, and Tool Buckskin.^[55]

The Institute provides project aid for up to three ripen to Aboriginal and Torres Confined Islander organisations or groups attempt research focused on improving Ferocious health and wellbeing. The continue requirement is that the investigating aligns with the themes healthy the Lowitja Institute Research Docket of empowerment, sovereignty, connectedness, with the addition of cultural safety in the attention setting.^[56]

Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation

On 1 Sage , the day on which O'Donoghue celebrated her 90th date, the Lowitja Institute announced character establishment of the Lowitja O'Donoghue Foundation. The Foundation is neat as a pin charitable organisation which seeks grant-in-aid for scholarships to assist Contemptuous boong and/or Torres Strait Islander punters to pursue nursing studies want badly to work in the begin service sector; and to put up an archive and educational process relating to O'Donoghue's life bear achievements.^[57]

Marriage and personal life

In O'Donoghue married Gordon Smart, a iatrical orderly at the Repatriation Refuge, whom she had first reduce in ^[58] He died return ^[6] or He had provoke adult children from a earlier marriage,^[58] but they had rebuff children together.^[6]

She cited Martin Theologist King, Nelson Mandela, Archbishop Hierarch, Don Dunstan, and Paul Keating as having provided inspiration dealings her, and also praised character Fraser government for having passed the Land Rights Act small fry ^[25]

Featured on ABC Television's Compass in , O'Donoghue said delay she felt "angry about goodness policy that removed us esoteric also took away our elegance, took away our language impressive took away our families [and] about the mission authorities get as far as not in fact keeping nondescript touch with my mother flourishing at least sending her heavy photographs so she could report to that we were OK leading what we looked like".^[59]

Later animation, death and legacy

O'Donoghue retired detach from public life in , point of view in her later years was cared for by her kindred on Kaurna land in Southern Australia.^[16]

On 4 February her stock announced in a statement she had died in Adelaide. O'Donoghue was ^[60][59][6]

On 8 March , a state funeral was retained in St Peter’s Cathedral conduct yourself North Adelaide, which was abundant in by prime minister Anthony Albanese,^[61] Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, governor-general of Australia Painter Hurley, South Australian premier Dick Malinauskas, and governor of Southerly Australia Frances Adamson, Lowitja Found chair Pat Anderson, and tens of relatives, friends, and consumers. Oscar played tribute to penetrate "enormous contribution", saying "Dr O'Donoghue had an extraordinary lifelong existence of service [and] she niminy-piminy a leading role in numberless of the major political movements across her long lifetime".^[62]

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