2013 Whitlam Oration delivered by Noel Pearson

Noel Pearson and Eric Sidoti, Director of the Whitlam Institute at the 2013 Whitlam Oration 

Respected Indigenous leader, lawyer and land-rights activist Noel Pearson delivered the 2013 Gough Whitlam Oration on 13 November:

The Reward for Public Life is Public Progress: An appreciation of the public life of The Hon. E. G. Whitlam AC QC Prime Minister 1972-1975 (full text)

The annual Gough Whitlam Oration, presented by the Whitlam Institute within the University of Western Sydney, provides the public a unique opportunity to hear, first-hand, from those who are instrumental in shaping our society.

Noel Pearson, who comes from the Guugu Yimidhirr community of Hopevale on South Eastern Cape York Peninsula, is Chair of the Cape York Group. He has been strongly involved in campaigning for the rights of Cape York Aboriginal people and played a pivotal role in establishing the Cape York Land Council in 1990.

 He has earned a national reputation for his advocacy on Native Title cases including the historic WIK decision. The resulting High Court decision is recognised as one of the most important Native Title cases in Australian history.

The 2013 Whitlam Oration will be broadcast on Television Sydney (TVS) at 7pm on Tuesday 26 November on free to air digital 44. It will repeat at 2pm on 27 November, and 5pm on 28 November.  

Ends 

14 November 2013

Photos: Sally Tsoutas 

Media contact: Paul Grocott, Senior Media Officer