Recipients of the Bennelong Medal

The 2009 Bennelong medal was presented to Bess Nungarrayi Price by the Hon. Dr Gary Johns on 3 December 2009 'for her forthright defence of the NT Intervention and her challenge to "white students and cranky Kooris and Murris from down south who know nothing about Aboriginal people and who hate whitefellas"'. Bess Price was born in Yuendumu, central Australia and chairs the NT Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council. The medal was presented at the Inaugural Howson Lecture.

The 2008 Bennelong medal was presented to The Hon Mal Brough on 19 June 2008 by Keith Windschuttle 'for bringing hope to the women and children living in remote Aboriginal communities, for a future free from violence and appalling abuse'. Mal Brough was the Minister for Indigenous Affairs in the Howard Government and initiated the Northern Territory Emergency Response. The medal was presented at Conference 2008.

The 2007 Bennelong Medal was presented to Louis Nowra on 31 August 2007 by John Reeves QC, a member of the NT Emergency Response Task Force, 'for his courage in writing about Aboriginal men's violence towards Aboriginal women' in his book, Bad Dreaming. Louis Nowra is a well respected and established Australian playwright. The medal was presented at Conference 2007. [Click here for a photo of the Bennelong Medal presentation at the Conference.]

The 2006 Bennelong Medal was presented to Dr Susan Gordon, AM, on 1 September 2006, by the Hon. Mal Brough, MP, 'for her devotion and commitment to the well-being of Aboriginal Australians'. Dr Gordon is Chair of the National Indigenous Council and a Western Australian magistrate. The medal was presented at Conference 2006.

Warren Mundine is vice-president of the Australian Labor Party. 'Warren has been a brave advocate for change. His proposal to change the way community owned land is controlled was aimed quite squarely at improving the wealth and well-being of his people.'

Presented in Melbourne by the Hon Kevin Andrews, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations at Conference 2005.

Pastor Paul Albrecht AM was Director of the Finke River (Hermannsburg) Mission 1970-1998. He was awarded the Bennelong Medal in recognition of his long and dedicated service as missionary and translator to the Aboriginal people of Central Australia, and as wise councillor to all Australians on Aboriginal Affairs.

Presented in Sydney by the Hon. Tony Abbott, Minister for Health and Ageing at Conference 2004.

Dulcie and Dorothy Wilson are upstanding members of the Ngarrindjeri community of South Australia and significant dissidents in the Hindmarsh Island 'secret womens' business' imbroglio. 'Hindmarsh Island is in the end a story of heroism. It is about the courage of the dissident women who saw their culture being abused and decided to do something about it.' (See Chris Kenny, 'The Hindmarsh Island Debate' at the 2003 conference.)

Presented in Canberra by the Hon Ian McLachlan AO at Conference 2003.

Professor Boni Robertson chaired the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence. Boni was the inaugural winner of the Bennelong Medal. It was awarded for her leadership in the difficult area of family violence and her courage in pursuing actions by both State and Federal governments to ameliorate this grave problem.

Presented in Brisbane by the Hon Philip Ruddock MP, Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs at Conference 2002.