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Professor Peter Buckskin PSM FACE
Co-Chair, Reconciliation SA

Peter is the Dean and Head of School of the David Unaipon College of Indigenous Education and Research (DUCIER) within the Division of Education, Arts and Social Sciences, University of South Australia. Peter has been a teacher and professional bureaucrat for 30 years, with a burning passion for the pursuit of educational excellence for Aboriginal students.

He has worked as a classroom teacher in Western Australia and South Australia, Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education Consultative Committee, Ministerial Adviser, Superintendent of Schools, and a Senior Executive at both State and Federal level. For over a decade he worked as an officer in the Commonwealth's Senior Executive Service, where he occupied a number of strategic positions in the portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs, Employment, Education and Training. He also served one term as a Commissioner of the Australian Commission to UNESCO.

In recognition of his contribution to Aboriginal Education he has received numerous awards and honours. In the 2001 Australia Day Honours, he was awarded the Commonwealth Public Service Medal (PSM) in recognition of his outstanding public service in pursuing equality in education for Australia's Indigenous peoples. In 2002 he become a patron of Principals Australia’s, Dare to Lead Program, which encourages and supports Australian school Principals in improving Indigenous education outcomes and working for Reconciliation in their schools. In 2003, the International Council on Education for Teaching (ICET) awarded him the annual Frank H Klassen Award for his leadership and contribution to Teacher Education. In September 2005, he won the Commonwealth's Department of Education, Science and Training Award for Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education at the National Deadly Awards held in Sydney. In 2006 he was invited by his peers to become a Member of the Australian College of Educators and was nominated as a Fellow of the Academy in 2007 for his continuing contribution to education. He has recently taken up the Chair of the National Indigenous Higher Education Network and Co-Chair of the South Australian Aboriginal Education and Training Consultative Body.

Visit Peter's homepage.

Jan Chorley
Co-Chair, Reconciliation SA

Jan is currently Co-Chair of Reconciliation SA and has taken on leadership roles in the Reconciliation process in Australia . She is passionate about driving a community engagement strategy respecting the ‘sense of urgency’ to greatly improve relationships between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians for the benefit of all Australians. She has a strong background in community engagement and change management and is currently managing family and support services for Uniting Care Wesley in South Australia . In various capacities, Jan has undertaken a broad range of leadership roles in the facilitation of National Reconciliation processes, National Crime Prevention strategies to leading and managing Community and Cultural Development Strategies for state and local government. She has also undertaken the executive direction of several of South Australia’s major projects, including the State Bi-Centenary of Flinders and Baudin, the Adelaide Festival of Arts in 2002 and executive leadership in driving the South Australian governments agenda in “Social Inclusion and the Arts” strategy. A central part of her current role is in the delivering of the national agenda on Early Childhood, Stronger Families Strategy within the Adelaide metropolitan area.

Jan's greatest interest is in cultural integration and she has been a contributor to national, state and local symbolic events and ceremonies that are focused around places of meaning and that build social and cultural cohesiveness.

Cr Simon Brewer

Simon Brewer has been the Mayor of Campbelltown since 2006. Campbelltown City Council had been minor participants in reconciliation initiatives up until that point, but have been far more aggressive since then with the active support of Mayor Brewer.

Some of the initiatives Campbelltown has introduced in that time are a Reconciliation Statement in March 2007, support of the annual ACFIA Reconciliation Week BBQ at Thorndon Park, co-naming of some local features, introduction of a NAIDOC Youth Award, interpretive signage of all streets with Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander names, Aboriginal cultural awareness training for staff and the introduction of Indigenous Cadetships to Council staff. Several more initiatives are in progress.

Simon is a professional IT Manager who spent many years in the manufacturing sector, but now works in the Aged Care sector. He has a passion for community issues and sees a vital role for local government in the delivery of practical reconciliation initiatives, particularly in the area of community education, preservation of heritage and the promotion of language and culture

Brian Butler AM

William Brian Butler

Product of the Stolen Generation Lifelong advocate for the human rights of Australia’s first nations Aboriginal peoples.

Founding member and chairman of Secretariat National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care Inc.

Foundation member and chairmen of South Australian Aboriginal Housing Board.

Zone Commissioner of ATSIC, for South Australia.

Currently the Aboriginal Advocate for South Australia in the Aged Rights Advocacy Service.

Brian subscribes to zero tolerance to racism.

Early childhood education is paramount for the success in all children reaching their full potential.

Brian fights for justice for the aged Aboriginal community and a return of total respect to Elders.

Brian’s concept of reconciliation is that Aboriginal groups and individuals must deal with our differences amongst each other and then work towards creating harmony with the outside world.

Greg Clark SM

Bill Denny AM

Bill Denny AM is a Ministerial Adviser to the Hon Michael Atkinson MP and was recently appointed acting Director, Veterans’ Affairs for South Australia.

He is Chair of the ANZAC Day Committee, the ANZAC Day Commemoration Council and the ANZAC Eve Youth Vigil Committee. He is also Co-Chair of the Vietnam War Memorial Committee, and a committee member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial Committee.

Bill was a member of the Australian Army for 21 years and served in the United Kingdom, Germany and Papua New Guinea. He also saw active service in South Vietnam
During his military service he was appointed as aide-de camp to the Governor-General and was in Government House when the Governor-General dismissed the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam on 11 November 1975.

Upon resignation from the Army Bill worked in the manufacturing industry, real estate and the retirement village sector. He was also a State Manager of a division of TNT and later held a managerial position with the Toll Express transport.

Bill has a strong sense of social justice and a passion for Aboriginal equality. This prompted him to undertake a Law degree as a mature age student and he  graduated with Honours in 2007. Bill fervently believes that as a nation we cannot hold our heads high on the world stage until all our Aboriginal brothers and sisters enjoy precisely the same opportunities and their non-Aboriginal counterparts.   

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Ivan Copley

Ivan Copley is committed to assisting our disadvantaged youth and Indigenous people. He established the Uniting Church Indigenous Employment Strategy, which for six years provided work related training, career development, and ultimately, employment for Indigenous people. Ivan also founded Turkindi, a group which brought together all the various groups working with Indigenous people. Ivan is also a creative artist whose designs are used on booklets, posters and other publications. Ivan is devoted to reconciliation through delivering cross-cultural awareness training, visiting schools to talk to them on reconciliation and the stolen generations, and his involvement in Sorry Day. A friend and mentor to many Australians, Ivan's untiring efforts and dedication and commitment to our disadvantaged young Indigenous people is outstanding. Sourced from http://www.australianoftheyear.gov.au/pages/bio.asp?pID=170

Ivan is the South Australian Finalist for the Australian of the Year in 2008.

Ivan is also the Chairperson of Turkindi (the Indigenous Information Network of SA Inc), and works with the Australian Bureau of Statistics as the Indigenous Engagement Manager of SA.

"I believe Reconciliation is about Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander peoples and all other Australians resolving the problems of the past, developing and implementing Reconciliation Action Plans and participating in physical interaction. Establishing National Engagement Protocols and setting common pathways into the future for a harmonious Multicultural Society."

Neil Gillespie

Neil Gillespie is the Chief Executive Officer of South Australia’s Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement.

He holds a Bachelor of Business and Masters in Business Administration. He holds Professional Membership at fellow level with the Australian Institute of Management, Australian Society of CPSs and the Australian Institute of Banking and Finance.

He has been a National Director Continuing Professional Development (CPD) with the Australian Taxation Office where he ran a national CPD program in addition to managing the ATAX program delivered by the University of NSW to ATO staff (and the private sector).

Mr Gillespie has also been a TAFE NSW lecturer in accounting, auditing, economics and business law

He is also experienced in Aboriginal Board Membership as he is a Board Member on Reconciliation SA and Tauondi College. He is also a Committee Member on a number of other Aboriginal organisations. He understands and can appreciate the politics within Nunga organisations and the problems with ineffective governance, and more importantly how to improve governance.

Bill Hignett

Bill Hignett is the Coordinator of the Organisers Group at the Australian Education Union in South Australia. As the Coordinator he manages the Organisers Group, the legal defence fund for members and the workers compensation function at the AEU.

Prior to taking up his position in the AEU, Bill was a teacher in South Australian country schools. In 1970 he was called up for National Service and saw action in Vietnam. He was the last Australian teacher to return from active duty in Vietnam.

He was instrumental in developing the Aboriginal Education Workers Award in 1987 which was the first culturally based award in Australia. In 1982 he worked with Peter and Pat Buckskin to negotiate with the ALP to include the appointment of Aboriginal Education Teachers in their election platform prior to winning government. In 1994 he also worked with Pat Buckskin on a Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Project to develop appropriate career structures for Aboriginal non teaching school and pre-school positions in schools and preschools in Australia.

In addition to his responsibilities at the AEU, Bill is President of the South Australian Government Superannuation Federation, a board member of Reconciliation South Australia, a member of the South Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander War Memorial Committee and a member of the RSL project team providing support and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and their families.

Chris Keating

Dr Duncan McFetridge MP

Dr Duncan McFetridge, MP, (Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs) has held the seat of Morphett for the Liberal Party since elected to Parliament in 2002. Prior to entering Parliament, Duncan worked as a veterinary surgeon. Before going back to study veterinary science, Duncan was a woodwork and metalwork teacher at Port Augusta High School (3 years) and Minlaton High School (1 year). Duncan has also completed a two week intensive Pitjantjatjara language course at University of South Australia.

“When we talk of reconciling things we need to look at past events and see what the current position is.  This may be in accounting terms or in social attitudes.  The bottom line is that we reconcile to see if we are heading in the right direction.  In Aboriginal Affairs, this is recognising the past for all its elements and ensuring we now progress to modern acceptable attitudes.”

Lindsay Simmons MP

After studying at both Cambridge and London Universities in the UK, Lindsay worked as a teacher for the Inner London Education Authority, before moving back to Cambridge to take up the position of Headmistress at St Mary’s Convent School.  Lindsay and her family came out to Australia in 1986. Having worked as a senior adviser in both the Hawke and Keating Federal Governments, Lindsay decided to utilize her Psychology and Counselling qualifications by moving into the disability sector. Since living in Adelaide she has held the positions of CEO to the Blind Welfare Association, Cystic Fibrosis SA and the Autism Association of SA. 

Lindsay was Chief of Staff to the Minister for Education in SA before taking up her role as State Policy Manager at Council on the Ageing.  As well as being involved in various State Boards and Committees, relating to Health Reform, SA Energy Council, Housing and Welfare issues, Lindsay has represented SA on various National committees, most significantly the National Women’s Consultative Committee, The National Committee for International Year of the Family and the National ACROD Committee on Ageing and Disability.  In 2004 Lindsay was appointed as a Commissioner to the Equal Opportunity Tribunal.

Lindsay was elected as the State Member for Morialta in March 2006. Among her duties she is chair of the Parliamentary Health Caucus and the Parliamentary representative on the Board of Reconciliation SA. In 2007 Lindsay was made an Ambassador and the Government liaison MP for the South Australian Business Ambassadors Network (SABAN).

Lindsay has a strong commitment to social justice issues with a particular interest in multicultural affairs. Morialta has a large multicultural population with 27% of Italian extraction as well as a large Greek and Vietnamese population. Currently, over 52 nations are represented in the electorate, with many being new migrants from the African countries.

Klynton Wanganeen

Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement

Klynton Wanganeen was recently appointed the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement and has taken leave from his position as Director of the Aboriginal Education Employment Policy Co-ordination Directorate of the South Australian Department of Further Education Employment Science and Technology (DFEEST). Klynton also acts as a consultant to DFEEST’s, Aboriginal Policy Co-ordination and is currently the Chair of the Narungga Nations Aboriginal Corporation, Chair SA Congress of Native Title Committees and member National VET Indigenous Task force.

Mr Klynton Wanganeen is a descendant of the Narungga and Ngarrindjeri nations and many of you will know him as the former South Australian Zone Commissioner for ATSIC, responsible for Land, Water and Development, Economic and Social participation.

Klynton Wanganeen has a bachelor of Teaching (Adult Education), Graduate Certificate in Management; Advanced Diploma in Community Services Management and a Trade Certificate in Welding.

He has an intimate knowledge of the Aboriginal community of South Australia, and knowledge of state and national Aboriginal issues, especially through his involvement and participation on regional, state and national bodies.

Sharron Williams

Is a Narungga/Kaurna woman; who has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Family Support Services in Adelaide for ten years. Sharron’s experience has included 15 years with Correctional Services through a range of strategic and policy development positions which included being the first Indigenous Public Relations Officer within the Correctional Services System within SA. The Aboriginal Family Support Services Inc (AFSS) was established in 1978 as the SA Aboriginal Child Care Agency Forum Inc (ACCA) in order to have an Aboriginal organisation involved in matters relating to child welfare. Prior to 1978, Aboriginal children were often being removed from their families and communities without the consent or even consultation with extended family members.