Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Heritage) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pay tribute to the life of George Burrarrawanga, who sadly passed away on Sunday, 10 June. I first met George more than 25 years ago and was immediately struck by this charismatic, highly charged young Aboriginal man singing in a band put together with the Butcher brothers, Sammy and Gordon Butcher, and schoolteacher Neil Murray, forming and playing and rehearsing their music in the Western Desert community of Papunya. And what a fine band they were. And what an extraordinary singer George was. I had the great privilege with my colleagues in Midnight Oil of later touring with the Warumpi Band on the Black Fella/White Fella tour through the Western Desert regions of the Northern Territory, some parts of Western Australia and the Top End. In all conditions—in all weather conditions and in all conditions of infrastructure: dilapidated school halls, on the back of flat-top trucks, in little gullies and hollows and in windrows—surrounded by the extraordinary landscape of outback Australia, he was a performer without parallel.

He danced, he used clap sticks, he sang in Aboriginal languages—he had a facility in a number of different languages. He was an intimate but powerful performer who engaged with his audiences at all times and in these extraordinary settings. He was an inspiration for countless numbers of young musicians who played in and around those communities.

We played with the Warumpi Band in the remote parts of Australia and they toured with us in the cities. Their first album, Big Name No Blankets, included one of the first Aboriginal-language rock songs recorded in Australia, Jailanguru Pakarnu‘Out from Jail’—and, of course, Blackfella/Whitefella, the great reconciliation anthem. Later on they recorded My Island Home, a signature song for many Australians, particularly from the Top End. George persevered with his music, including recording a solo album and putting on a one-person show, NERRPU, his story. He really made the most profound contribution to music and to Indigenous music in the Top End, around Australia and later on in Europe as well, when he toured there.

In the 2004 inaugural Northern Territory music awards he was recognised for his contribution to the music industry. He never lost his star quality. He dressed the part, attacked the stage and yet managed intimacy with people on the scale of a true performer. In the latter period of his life, before cancer got him, he was in good health. He was a mentor, known as ‘the messenger’, and he spoke of reconciliation and of his great love for his country and his people, on Elcho Island and around the Top End. By the time he passed away, he had become a most powerful and positive force, a truly great example to his people. He sang in language, he talked of reconciliation and healing for country. I send my condolences to his family, to his wife, Suzina, and to his children, Glenda, Lance, Marion, Loretta, Carlos and Gi, to all the community at Elcho, Galiwinku and across the Top End, to all his fans and to his band members. He will be sorely missed.