Photograph by Dieter Knierim 2015, inkjet on brushed aluminium 60cm x 40cm
Kamilaroi man from Moree, NSW
Private
8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Royal Australian Infantry Corps
Australian Army
Australian Service Medal with clasp SE Asia
Australian Sports Medal (Services to Indigenous school sport)
Australian Defence Medal
2019 NAIDOC Person of the Year
“Always be proud of your own achievements but remain humble and supportive so others can achieve their aspirations as well.”
I am a proud Aboriginal man of the Kamilaroi nation of North West New South Wales from Moree and I was awarded the 2019 National NAIDOC Person of the Year. I enlisted into the Australian Regular Army as a 17-year-old and was posted to the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment as an Infantry Rifleman. After serving on overseas deployment to Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia, I was then redeployed into Unit Intelligence. It was at this point I realised that without the opportunity for further field force deployments, my time in the military had come to its end. In the years following my army service, as an experienced leader with a strong business leadership acumen, I have extensive experience operating in both private and public sectors throughout Australia’s various States and Territories, and frequently operating in National roles.
I possess a strong community engagement philosophy which has allowed me to support and provide services to communities across the country. Throughout my career, the passion for which I seek is social equity and inclusion, that being always front of mind alongside my community-based memberships which include: Past President of the Lloyd McDermott Rugby Development Team (National Indigenous Rugby Program); Queensland Rugby Union (QRU) Indigenous Advisory Group; QRU Reconciliation Action Planning Committee; Rugby Australia Diversity Council Member; First Nations Rugby Committee – Rugby Australia; Board Director – Reconciliation Victoria; Board Director – Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation; Past Co-Chair – Victorian Mental Health Complaints Commission.
In my current role, as a highly experienced senior executive, I am able to bring my skillset to Joint Colleges Training Services as General Manager, working with both the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. This allows me to support the provision of Cultural Education Training to all GP’s nationally, whilst focusing on equality and diversity as well as a personal commitment to social justice.
