By Michael Jones
01 September, 1994
By Ray Strange
18 August, 1994
By Erin Jonasson
01 May, 1994
By Erin Jonasson
01 January, 1994
By David Gray
01 January, 1994
By News Ltd
01 January, 1994
By Ray Strange
01 January, 1994
By News Ltd
01 November, 1993
By Ray Strange
01 November, 1993
By Michael Jones
19 October, 1993
By David Gray
19 October, 1993
By Tony Lewis
11 August, 1993
By David Gray
04 June, 1993
By Tony Lewis
30 April, 1993
By Michael Jones
24 June, 1992
By Chris Pavlich
26 May, 1992
By Chris Pavlich
26 May, 1992
By Chris Pavlich
20 May, 1992
By Michael Jones
31 March, 1992
By Michael Jones
31 March, 1992
By Greg Newington
15 November, 1990
By Greg Newington
15 November, 1990
By Alan Porritt
05 March, 1990
By Paul Johns
14 December, 1989
By Paul Johns
14 December, 1989
Lowitja O'Donoghue is an Aboriginal Australian retired public administrator, who served as chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). She was born Lois O'Donoghue on August 1, 1932 in the remote Aboriginal community of Indulkana. From 1950 to 1953 O'Donoghue worked as a nursing aide in Victor Harbor before applying to become a student nurse in Adelaide. In 1962, she worked as an Aboriginal Liaison Officer with the South Australian Department of Education. She later transferred to the SA Department of Aboriginal Affairs and was employed as a Welfare Officer based mainly in northern South Australia. In 1967 Lowitja O'Donoghue joined the Commonwealth Public Service as a junior administrative officer in the Adelaide office of the newly formed Department of Aboriginal Affairs. After eight years she became the Director of the Department's office in South Australia, a senior officer position, responsible for the local implementation of national Aboriginal welfare policy. After a short while she left the public service and had various management/administrative roles with non-government organisations. O'Donoghue was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1983, and was named Australian of the Year in 1984, for her work to improve the welfare of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In 1990 she was appointed Chairperson of the ATSIC. In December 1992, O'Donoghue became the first Aboriginal Australian to address the United Nations General Assembly during the launch of the United Nations International Year of Indigenous People. In 1996 she was replaced as Chairperson by Gatjil Djerrkura, who was considered by the Howard Government to be more moderate. Following her retirement, she formally added the name Lowitja to her existing legal name, Lois O'Donoghue Smart, to emphasise her Luritjan heritage. 


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