Allegra Spender (Wentworth, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to honour the life and legacy of Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO, whose contribution to Australia's cultural life was profound and enduring. Across the arts, media and creative industries, Rhoda Roberts was a trailblazer. She reshaped institutions that had long excluded First Nations voices and insisted, often courageously, that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture belonged at the very centre of our national story. She was a guiding force in Australia's arts and cultural landscape and a creative leader whose influence extended far beyond any single role or title.

Rhoda took her responsibility as an Indigenous leader deeply and seriously. She understood leadership as stewardship, carrying culture with care, protecting it with integrity and passing it on strengthened for future generations. She spoke of obligation to country and community, and that sense of responsibility shaped every space she entered and every institution she helped to transform. Her legacy is also felt strongly in the electorate I represent. Through her leadership at the Sydney Opera House, one of our nation's most significant cultural institutions, she ensured that First Nations culture was not peripheral but central, visible, respected and embedded in the life of the city. That work resonated throughout Sydney's creative and business communities, including in Wentworth, where culture, enterprise and public life intersect every day.

Rhoda was instrumental in opening doors. She was the first Aboriginal person to host a primetime current affairs program on Australian television. She co-founded Australia's first national Aboriginal theatre company, founded major cultural festivals and played a pivotal role in shaping the cultural vision of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, sharing Indigenous country with the world at a moment when the world was watching. But what stands out most strongly in her remarkable life is her generosity. Rhoda shared knowledge freely. She mentored emerging artists, journalists and leaders. She created space for others, often quietly, without expectation of recognition. She inspired so many because she believed in people and because she led with warmth, humour and conviction. On a personal note, people across my electorate recall that Rhoda also had a wicked sense of humour and was a lot of fun to be around—a reminder that, alongside her gravitas and leadership, she brought joy, laughter and humanity into the spaces she occupied.

As has been said in tribute, her generosity enriched Australians' lives, and her wisdom enlarged our nation's understanding. For every step she took, she brought others with her, leaving a legacy not just of work but of people empowered to continue it. I extend my deepest condolences to Rhoda's family, her community and all who mourn her loss. May her memory continue to guide us, and may we honour her best by carrying forward the standard she set and the pathways she opened.

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