Well the pundits were right. Professor Mick Dodson has been named the 2009 Australian of the Year. Born on 10 April 1950, in Katherine, Northern Territory, he graduated from Melbourne’s Monash University in 1978.
A vigorous defender of human rights, Professor Dodson was Australia’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. In 2002 he was appointed the first Indigenous Chair at the Australian National University.
We would like to congratulate Professor Dodson on being named Australian of the Year and for his efforts in pursing indigenous rights in this country and world-wide.
The other finalists for this Australia Day award were:
- Glenn McGrath AM (Fundraiser)
- Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (Indigenous Singer/Songwriter)
- Ivan Copley (Indigenous Community Worker)
- Peter Cundall AM (Gardening Expert)
- Dr Berhan Ahmed (African-Australian Community Leader)
- Dr Penny Flett (Geriatrics Specialist)
- Bronwyn Sheehan (Literacy Advocate)
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