Professor Jackie Huggins am Faha has been appointed ABC’s inaugural elderly in residence.
The role of older-in-residence was created last year in response to the Listen hard, trade strongly Report and is for a period of two years, with an option to renew.
Professor Huggins is a Bidjara and Birri-Gubba Juru-Vrouw and an eminent Australian with a major career that works in the community, the government and non-governmental sectors and as an author and historian. In 2001 she became a member of the Order of Australia for her work on reconciliation, social justice, literacy and women’s issues.
She also has a long history with the ABC, starting when she worked in the headquarters of Toowong, Brisbane when she was only 16.
In the role, she will support the employees of First Nations and offer cultural guidance to the management and leadership teams in the ABC.
Professor Huggins described being ABC’s older-in-residence as “one of my highest honorable baths” and said: “My new role is something that I never thought I would do when I started my work at the ABC when I was 16 years old.
“I have been a member of the public for a long time and have been contributing to the ABC. I look forward to deepening that connection by taking the position of the ABC’s inaugural older-in-residence and meeting and meeting with people about the divisions and offices of our national broadcaster.
“I am also looking forward to working with the strategy of the Director First Nations, the Bonner Committee and the ABC Leadership Team in setting the stepping stones for our work.”
ABC director Hugh Marks said: “With Professor Huggins, and led by acting director of First Nations strategy Kelly Williams – and with so many other contributors around the ABC – we are well placed to act strong
“We must take care of our approach to tackle racism issues and achieve any form of inequality to every part of the organization. This is a priority for me in my new role as director.”
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