Sue Gordon
Encyclopedia
Dr. Sue Gordon, AM
, is a retired indigenous Australian
magistrate
from Western Australia
.
Born at Belele Station, near Meekatharra, Western Australia
in 1944, she was separated from her mother and family at the age of four and raised at Sister Kate's
home in Queens Park, Western Australia
. After leaving school, she joined the army as a full-time soldier and between 1961 and 1964 was a full-time member of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) based mostly in the eastern states.
Following her army career she worked in various administrative positions around Australia and, in the early 1970s, started a long association with the Pilbara region, working mostly in Aboriginal Affairs with both urban and traditional people. She was awarded the National Aboriginal Overseas Study Award to study employment programs with a number of American Indian communities in the United States
in 1977.
As a result of her work with Aboriginal people and community affairs, she received the Order of Australia
award in 1993.
She was appointed as Commissioner for Aboriginal Planning in 1986, becoming the first Aboriginal person to head a government department in Western Australia, and in 1988 was appointed as a magistrate in the Perth Children's Court, at which time she was the first full-time and first Aboriginal magistrate in the state's history.
In 1990, she was appointed as one of the first five commissioners of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
(ATSIC), for one year.
In 2002, she was appointed to head an inquiry into family violence and child abuse in Western Australian Aboriginal communities by the Premier of Western Australia
, Geoff Gallop
. The inquiry was known as the "Gordon Inquiry" and resulted in the closure of the controversial Swan Valley Noongar
Camp. The inquiry came about as a result of a November 2001 report by the State Coroner on the death of a teenage girl at the Swan Valley Camp. The coroner found that the girl had encountered "sexual violation, violence, and the ravages of alcohol and substance abuse. In desperation, and despite contact with several Government agencies, she died in tragic circumstances at the age of 15." The report by the inquiry ran to over 640 pages and made 197 findings and recommendations.
On 15 April 2004, Senator Amanda Vanstone
, Minister for Indigenous Affairs appointed her as head of the new National Indigenous Council
, an advisory body to the Federal Government, following the winding down of ATSIC. Following her appointment, she was interviewed and asked for her views on the Stolen Generation
, and whether she would seek an apology from Prime Minister
, John Howard
, to which she replied:
Other awards include the 'Aboriginal Development Commission Australia Day Council Award' in 1986, the 'Paul Harris Fellow' from the Rotary Club of Perth in 1994 and, in 2003, the 'Centenary Medal' for service to the community, particularly the Aboriginal community.
Gordon received an Honorary Degree
of Doctor of Letters (Hon.DLitt) from the University of Western Australia in 2003 and has a Bachelor of Laws
(LLB) from the University of Western Australia
.
In 2010 Dr Sue Gordon accepted the position of President of The Federation of Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres (WA PCYC), and still performs in the role. Sue is seeing PCYC undergo many changes in its structure and direction, while it continues to offer targeted and relevant youth activities.
She is widowed with two sons, one a lawyer and the other a civil engineer.
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"...
, is a retired indigenous Australian
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
from Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Born at Belele Station, near Meekatharra, Western Australia
Meekatharra, Western Australia
Meekatharra is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia. Meekatharra is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning 'place of little water'. At the 2006 census, Meekatharra had a population of 798, with 44.0% being Aboriginal....
in 1944, she was separated from her mother and family at the age of four and raised at Sister Kate's
Katherine Mary Clutterbuck
Katherine Mary Clutterbuck, MBE , usually known as Sister Kate, was an Anglican nun who pioneered a cottage home system for looking after orphan babies and children in Western Australia...
home in Queens Park, Western Australia
Queens Park, Western Australia
Queens Park is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Canning. Its postcode is 6107.-History:The suburb derives its name from the former Queens Park Road Board that was incorporated into the Canning and Belmont Road Boards....
. After leaving school, she joined the army as a full-time soldier and between 1961 and 1964 was a full-time member of the Women's Royal Australian Army Corps (WRAAC) based mostly in the eastern states.
Following her army career she worked in various administrative positions around Australia and, in the early 1970s, started a long association with the Pilbara region, working mostly in Aboriginal Affairs with both urban and traditional people. She was awarded the National Aboriginal Overseas Study Award to study employment programs with a number of American Indian communities in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1977.
As a result of her work with Aboriginal people and community affairs, she received the Order of Australia
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"...
award in 1993.
She was appointed as Commissioner for Aboriginal Planning in 1986, becoming the first Aboriginal person to head a government department in Western Australia, and in 1988 was appointed as a magistrate in the Perth Children's Court, at which time she was the first full-time and first Aboriginal magistrate in the state's history.
In 1990, she was appointed as one of the first five commissioners of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
(ATSIC), for one year.
In 2002, she was appointed to head an inquiry into family violence and child abuse in Western Australian Aboriginal communities by the Premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
, Geoff Gallop
Geoff Gallop
Geoffrey Ian Gallop, AC is an Australian academic and former politician. He was the Premier of Western Australia from 2001 to 2006. He currently resides in Sydney.-Early life and education:...
. The inquiry was known as the "Gordon Inquiry" and resulted in the closure of the controversial Swan Valley Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
Camp. The inquiry came about as a result of a November 2001 report by the State Coroner on the death of a teenage girl at the Swan Valley Camp. The coroner found that the girl had encountered "sexual violation, violence, and the ravages of alcohol and substance abuse. In desperation, and despite contact with several Government agencies, she died in tragic circumstances at the age of 15." The report by the inquiry ran to over 640 pages and made 197 findings and recommendations.
On 15 April 2004, Senator Amanda Vanstone
Amanda Vanstone
Amanda Eloise Vanstone is a former Australian politician and a former Ambassador to Italy. She was a Liberal Senator for South Australia from 1984 to 2007, and held several ministerial portfolios in the Howard Government. After her resignation from the Senate in 2007, she served as the Australian...
, Minister for Indigenous Affairs appointed her as head of the new National Indigenous Council
National Indigenous Council
The National Indigenous Council was an appointed advisory body to the Australian Government through the Ministerial Taskforce on Indigenous Affairs established in November 2004 and chaired by Dr Sue Gordon, a Western Australian Magistrate...
, an advisory body to the Federal Government, following the winding down of ATSIC. Following her appointment, she was interviewed and asked for her views on the Stolen Generation
Stolen Generation
The Stolen Generations were the children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State government agencies and church missions, under acts of their respective parliaments...
, and whether she would seek an apology from Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
, John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
, to which she replied:
"No. I personally didn't want an apology because it should have gone to my mother. But my mother's passed away now, so it's too late. And what's an apology going to achieve now?"
Other awards include the 'Aboriginal Development Commission Australia Day Council Award' in 1986, the 'Paul Harris Fellow' from the Rotary Club of Perth in 1994 and, in 2003, the 'Centenary Medal' for service to the community, particularly the Aboriginal community.
Gordon received an Honorary Degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of Letters (Hon.DLitt) from the University of Western Australia in 2003 and has a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LLB) from the University of Western Australia
University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
.
In 2010 Dr Sue Gordon accepted the position of President of The Federation of Western Australian Police and Community Youth Centres (WA PCYC), and still performs in the role. Sue is seeing PCYC undergo many changes in its structure and direction, while it continues to offer targeted and relevant youth activities.
She is widowed with two sons, one a lawyer and the other a civil engineer.