Service Above Self

On Wednesday evening, the Governor and Mrs Dawson attended the 2022 Sir Wallace Kyle Oration hosted by the McCusker Centre for Citizenship at the University of Western Australia. The Governor had the pleasure of introducing Ms June Oscar AO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to deliver this year’s oration on “Service Above Self”, something Ms Oscar lives in her every day life.

Ms Oscar is a proud Bunuba woman from Fitzroy Crossing, a remote town found in the Kimberley Region in the north of Western Australia. The Governor paid tribute to her leadership as a strong advocate for her people, speaking out loudly in support of Indigenous Australian languages, women’s issues and social justice. Ms Oscar continues to focus efforts on reducing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and drove campaigns for alcohol restrictions in Fitzroy Crossing that have had a transformative positive effect. She is also an international voice on the impacts of intergenerational trauma and the need to reconnect with culture and Country.

In delivering her powerful and poignant speech, Ms Oscar sought to inspire individuals to each play a role in making positive change, creating hope for healing, equality and walking together in the future in a spirit of genuine reconciliation.

She welcomed the recent election of 11 First Nations people to the Australian Parliament, the highest number ever, and called up on all Australians to be guided by the Uluru Statement from the Heart, “to rise above self and make a commitment about who we want to be and are prepared to become… a generous, courageous and truthful nation.”

In her own way, and with dignity and courage, she carries forward the spirit of Sir Wallace Kyle, former Governor of Western Australia, who Ms Oscar said fought valiantly to protect and uphold the values of liberal democracy.

“What causes a person and society at large, to think and act beyond individual impulses and goals?” – June Oscar AO

Ms Oscar’s full speech can be viewed here.

The Governor with Peter Kyle, son of the late Sir Wallace Kyle, Patricia Kyle and Commissioner June Oscar AO.

Images courtesy of Ammon Creative

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