MS TIERNEY (Western Victoria—Minister for Training and Skills, Minister for Higher Education) (13:08:21): I rise today to celebrate the achievements of two people whose work has impacted on the lives of western Victorians. I begin by congratulating Archie Roach, iconic musician and performer, who has been named the 2020 Victoria Australian of the Year. Archie Roach spent part of his childhood at the then Aboriginal mission Framlingham before being adopted. He is a member of the stolen generations, a tragedy that has deeply influenced his music, particularly the song Took the Children Away, which made him the voice for many, as one in three Indigenous people whose youth and lives were changed forever by being forcibly removed from their families. It has also guided his work as a campaigner for First Nations Australians’ rights. Already a Member of the Order of Australia, Archie Roach has won and been nominated for ARIA awards and National Indigenous Music Awards several times since the early 1990s.
Category: Parliament
Tags: Members Statement