Dick Estens
Encyclopedia
Richard Lucas "Dick" Estens AO
(born in 1949 in Gilgandra, New South Wales
) is an Australia
n cotton
farmer
and businessman
.
and was brought up on a property close to the town. He was educated at All Saints College
in Bathurst
. After leaving school early he became an aircraft pilot
.
.
that employment promotion committees be established across the country.
commissioned Estens to head the "Regional Telecommunications
Inquiry" into the proposed sale of Telstra
. In late 2002 he delivered what became known as the Estens Report to the government.
by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
Estens was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 2009.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born in 1949 in Gilgandra, New South Wales
Gilgandra, New South Wales
Gilgandra, is a town and Local Government Area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the junction of the Newell Highway, Oxley Highway and Castlereagh Highway. It can be reached in about six hours by car from Sydney. Like Coonabarabran, Gilgandra can be...
) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
and businessman
Businessperson
A businessperson is someone involved in a particular undertaking of activities for the purpose of generating revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business person...
.
Early life
Estens was born in GilgandraGilgandra, New South Wales
Gilgandra, is a town and Local Government Area in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the junction of the Newell Highway, Oxley Highway and Castlereagh Highway. It can be reached in about six hours by car from Sydney. Like Coonabarabran, Gilgandra can be...
and was brought up on a property close to the town. He was educated at All Saints College
All Saints College, Bathurst
All Saints' College is an independent, co-educational Christian college in the Anglican tradition. Located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia, the college caters for day students from Transition to Year 12 and boarders from Years 7 to 12....
in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
. After leaving school early he became an aircraft pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
.
Cotton farming
In 1981 Estens started farming cotton on a property near MoreeMoree, New South Wales
Moree is a large town in Moree Plains Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the banks of the Mehi River in the centre of the rich black-soil plains....
.
Aboriginal Employment Strategy
In 1997, with the support of the Gwydir Valley Cotton Growers Association, Estens established the Aboriginal Employment Strategy with the goal of providing support for Aboriginal people in Moree who were looking to enter the job market. One of the motivations behind the establishment of the AES was a recommendation from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in CustodyRoyal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody studied and reported on the high level of deaths of Aboriginal people whilst in custody after being arrested or convicted of committing crimes. This included suicide, natural causes, medical conditions and injuries caused by police...
that employment promotion committees be established across the country.
Estens Report
The Howard GovernmentHoward Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
commissioned Estens to head the "Regional Telecommunications
Inquiry" into the proposed sale of Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
. In late 2002 he delivered what became known as the Estens Report to the government.
Recognition
In 2004 Estens was awarded the Human Rights MedalHuman Rights Medal (Australia)
The Human Rights Medal is awarded by the Australian Human Rights Commission each year. It was established in 1987 by the then Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission to recognise the "contribution to Australian society of a wide variety of men and women committed to issues of human rights,...
by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
Estens was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 2009.