Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to Faith Bandler, who passed away on 13 February at age 96. Faith was a woman of great courage, who was a fierce campaigner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and a tireless advocate for social justice. She was born in Tumbulgum in the Tweed Valley in Northern New South Wales, in my electorate of Richmond. Faith's extraordinary legacy lives on there and throughout our nation.

Faith's activism was initially shaped by her family's hardship and experiences of injustice. Her father, Peter Mussing, was taken from his home on Ambrym Island, Vanuatu, at the age of 13 and sent to Mackay to work in the sugarcane fields. He later escaped and married Faith's mother, Ida. They lived on the New South Wales North Coast, working on a banana farm, and Faith attended the local Murwillumbah High School.

During World War II, Faith worked in the Australian Women's Land Army, where the poor and inequitable pay conditions gave rise to her campaigning for equal rights. She became involved in the Aboriginal Australian Fellowship and the Federal Council for the advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders—both formed in 1957.

Her advocacy steered a course for the granting of citizenship for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, and her brave involvement in a Freedom Ride through segregated towns in 1965 created much positive momentum. Faith led the campaign for over 10 years for a constitutional referendum to remove discriminatory provisions from the Constitution. This campaign resulted in the 1967 referendum being put to the people. The referendum succeeded in all six states, attracting nearly 91 percent support across the country. This was due in large part to Faith's tireless efforts.

Following the success of this campaign Faith wrote a number of books and in 1974 decided to direct her energies to the plight of her own people, the 16,000 descendants of South Sea Islanders. She founded the National Commission for Australian South Sea Islanders and, in 1975, made her first emotional journey to her father's birthplace on Ambrym Island.

Amongst her many achievements, Faith Bandler was also a founding member of the Women's Electoral Lobby. Importantly, Faith's contribution to Australian history has been recognised through many awards, including an Order of Australia, the Human Rights Medal and, in 1997, being officially recognised as a Living National Treasure. Faith's contribution to human rights was also recognised in 2000 by Nelson Mandela, who awarded her a certificate of dedication. Faith's special links with the Tweed have been recorded by the erection of a plaque on the river bank at Tumbulgum. This riverside park is named in her honour—the Faith Bandler-Mussing Park.

In conclusion, I would like to repeat those words delivered by the Opposition Leader in the House on Monday in his condolence motion relating to Faith's passing. He said:

All of us in the Labor Party offer our heartfelt condolences to Faith Bandler's family and loved ones. Let us promise to honour her memory by carrying on her work. Let us vow not to rest until Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are honoured and recognised in our nation's founding document. Let us make Faith Bandler's lasting memorial a full life of equal opportunity for every Australian. In Faith's words, 'It would be a wonderful thing.' May she rest in eternal peace.