Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high achievers have been recognised at Blacktown City Council’s 2022 NAIDOC Awards ceremony, held at Nurragingy Reserve.
Recipients were recognised in three categories, including: Sports Person of the Year, Young Achiever of the Year and Citizen of the Year, which were presented to Lucy Doole-Dunham, Aaliyah Jane Thomas and Debra Hansel respectively.
In presenting the awards, Blacktown City Council’s Mayor, Tony Bleasdale OAM, said, “Blacktown City is home to thriving communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are making their mark in our City and beyond.
“Whether it be on stage, in the community or on the sporting field, Indigenous people contribute greatly to our community and we are proud to celebrate their successes through Council’s NAIDOC Awards.
“Celebrating the success and achievements of all the nominees and winners of these awards is one of the keys to achieving our shared goal of healing and reconciliation.
“I congratulate them all for their achievements and look forward to seeing what the future holds for them,” Mayor Bleasdale said.
Ms Hansel was named Citizen of the Year for her work with Indigenous people in Western Sydney over more than four decades.
Ms Hansel began her career mentoring youth in refuges and now works for the Red Cross, where she established ‘TeleYarn’.
The vital phone service connects volunteers with elders, who may be isolated and homebound, through a simple regular phone check-in.
Ms Hansel also founded the Wolkara Elders Group, based in Doonside, which brings together socially-isolated elders for a gathering once a week.
Her volunteer work includes visits to elders in hospital, nursing homes and their homes.
Ms Hansel has been credited with ‘changing lives’ by helping people find a safe, secure place to live and through her advocacy work in assisting people affected by elder abuse. She also fosters connections with Indigenous youth in the juvenile justice system.
Young Achiever of the Year was awarded to Ms Thomas for her incredible success in the area of dance.
The talented 16-year-old was recently selected as a member of the 2022 NSW Public Schools Aboriginal Dance Company.
Through this specialist program, Ms Thomas will work closely with choreographers from the internationally-renowned Bangarra Dance Theatre to perform a repertoire for the State Dance Festival and Schools Spectacular.
Ms Doole-Dunham was named Sports Person of the Year in recognition of her outstanding achievements on the footy field.
Ms Doole-Dunham has represented Penrith in both touch football and Oz tag at a state level for many years. This year, she was selected for the Sydney Mets touch football team.
Ms Doole-Dunham has also played in the ‘Oz tag 20’ Indigenous side in the Pacific Shield tournament, and has achieved success in schools touch footy, representing Werrington Zone and South West Metropolitan.
Council also recognised Ms Doole-Dunham with an Encouragement Award at the 2022 Blacktown City Sports Awards.
Featured image: Blacktown City Mayor, Tony Bleasdale OAM, with Blacktown City’s 2022 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Person of the Year Lucy Doole-Dunham and Citizen of the Year Debra Hansel at Council’s NAIDOC Awards. Image: Blacktown City Council.
