List of Indigenous Australians in politics and public service

Name Contribution Refs Harry Allie Inaugural Indigenous Elder of the Australian Air Force ^[13] Ian Anderson AO, Former Deputy Secretary for Indigenous Affairs PM&C Pat Anderson AO, Human rights advocate, Chair – Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education Robert Anderson OAM, Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board 1999–2003 Ross Andrews NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and Mayor of Yarrabah Aboriginal Shire Council ^[14] Deborah Booker Indigenous Elder of the Australian Air Force, and Board of the Institute for Aboriginal Development ^[15] Bridget Brennan Indigenous Affairs Editor – Australian Broadcasting Corporation ^[16] Jody Broun CEO – National Indigenous Australians Agency ^[17] Peter Buckskin PSM FACE, Commonwealth Senior Executive Service, Commissioner to UNESCO, ARC Advisory Council, Chair-NATSIHEC ^[18] Geoff Clark Led the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Ken Colbung AM, MBE, Chair of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) 1984–1990 ^[19] Edwina Crawford Director – Aboriginal Services Branch, Dept of Communities and Justice NSW ^[20] Tanya Denning-Orman Director–Indigenous Content NITV ^[21] Michelle Deshong Council Member – Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ^[22] Rodney Dillon Led ATSIC ^[23] Gatjil Djerrkura OAM, Led ATSIC Marcia Ella-Duncan OAM, NIAA Senior Advisory Group, and ATSIC ^[24] Duane Fraser Council of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ^[25] Mick Gooda Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Steve Gordon Ombudsman and (ATSIC) commissioner ^[26] John Gorrie First Aboriginal male awarded a Public Service Medal, for his contribution to public service Stan Grant Snr AM for service to Indigenous education and language Jim Hagan Chair National Aboriginal Conference and UN rep; first Aboriginal person to address the UN and Australian Cabinet ^[27][28] Ruby Hammond PSM, Equal opportunity achievement, Customary law and Sovereignty advocate Lorraine Hatton OAM, Indigenous Elder of the Australian Army ^[29] Leonard Hill COO and Deputy CEO of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) ^[30] Letitia Hope Deputy Chief Executive Office for Operations and Delivery at NIAA ^[31] Paul House NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and Ngambri traditional owner Canberra ^[32] Jackie Huggins AM, FAHA, Key figure in reconciliation as well as literacy Steve Larkin Chair – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Advisory Council (ATSIHEAC) 2009–2012, NATSIHEC, NIRAKN, CEO, Batchelor Institute Council^{[when?] [33]} Catherine Liddle Served in Northern Territory Education Department, ABC, NITV/SBS ^[34] Jamie Lowe CEO – National Native Title Council ^[35] Getano Lui Jnr AM, NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, Inaugural Chair Torres Strait Regional Authority ^[36] Shireen Malamoo ATSIC Commissioner 1991–1993, NSW Parole Board 1994–2003 ^[37] Vonda Malone NIAA Senior Advisory Group, and Mayor of the Torres Shire Council ^[38] Henrietta Marrie AM, Council of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ^[39] Tony McAvoy SC, Acting Part–Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court 2011 and 2013, Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner 8 December 2021 to 30 June 2022 ^[40] Damien Miller First Indigenous person appointed to head an Australian overseas mission – appointed Ambassador to Denmark, Norway and Iceland in 2013 ^[41] Warren Mundine Deputy Mayor of Dubbo City, CEO of the New South Wales Native Title Service, and President of the Australian Labor Party 2006–2007 Roy Mundine Inaugural Indigenous Elder of the Australian Army ^[42] Big Bill Neidjie OAM, Eminent Gaagudju speaker and central figure in the foundation of Kakadu National Park Donna Odegaard AM, Indigenous leader – business, trade and economic development, Indigenous media, National Co design group NIAA ^[43] Vicki O’Donnell OAM, NIAA Local & Regional Co-design Group, and WA Aboriginal Advisory Council ^[44] Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG, Inaugural Chairperson ATSIC June Oscar AO, Commissioner Australian Human Rights Commission Kirstie Parker Director of Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Government of South Australia Noel Pearson Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government Charles Perkins AO – services to aboriginal welfare, named a National Living Treasure (Australia) in 2007 Alitya Rigney AO, PSM, pioneering contribution to Aboriginal education Lester Rigney UN rep, Australian Ambassador for Aboriginal Education, SA Depts DEEWR; NCVER; AIATSIS; DPC; DECS, ATSIC Research Advisory Committee, ACARA Curriculum Reference Group, Co Chair Ethics council NCAFP ^[45] Sally Riley PSM – Head of Scripted Production at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Craig Ritchie CEO of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) ^[46] Benson Saulo Australian Consul-General to the USA (Houston) & Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner at Austrade ^[47] Murray Saylor Council of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ^[48] Marion Scrymgour NIAA Local and Regional Co-design Group, and CEO of the Northern Land Council ^[49] Jodie Sizer Chair at Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Council ^[50] Sydney Sparrow Chair – State Aboriginal Heritage Committee South Australia 2010–2020, Ngarrindjeri Dictionary coauthor ^[51] Sonja Stewart Served as Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Public Service Commission and Deputy Secretary NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet ^[52] Russell Taylor AM, Twice Principal at Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Senior Executive Service APS, Deputy Chair Batchelor Institute Council, 2018 NAIDOC Male Elder of the Year ^[53] Brendan Thomas CEO – Legal Aid NSW, and Former Deputy Secretary of the NSW Department of Communities and Justice ^[54] Roger Thomas South Australian Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, and NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award ^[55] Pat Turner AM, Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government, CEO of ATSIC 1994–1998 Ash Walker Council of Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ^[56] Eric Willmot AM, Principal of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies 1981–1984 Galarrwuy Yunupingu AM, Senior Advisory Group Indigenous voice to government Mandawuy Yunupingu Centenary Medal, Order of Australia … advancement of education and social justice for Indigenous people …