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Professor Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE

Born in 1932, in Indulkana, South Australia, Pitjantjatjara woman Lowita O'Donoghue was separated from her family at the age of two. She was taken by missionaries to the Colebrook Children's home and brought up, by the name of Lois, under the white education system. O'Donoghue attended Unley General Technical High School, then trained as a nurse at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. She worked as a nurse from 1961-1972, partly among Aboriginal communities in northern South Australia. She was a member of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement (1970-1972), and later regional director of the Adelaide Department of Aboriginal Affairs (1975-1976). O'Donoghue has since worked in various capacities in the areas of health, housing, community development, Aboriginal and Islander studies, Native Title and the Sydney Olympics.

O'Donoghue has received many awards and accolades for her work, including being named Australian of the Year (1984), a National Living Treasure (1998), wining the Advance Australia award in 1982 and being appointed a member of the Order of Australia in 1977, a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1983, and a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1999. O'Donoghue was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians (1998) and the Royal College of Nursing. She also holds an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the Australian National University and Notre Dame University, and is a Doctor of Flinders University, as well as the Australian National University (ANU), University of South Australia and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She has been a Professorial Fellow at Flinders University since 2000.

She was interviewed for Film Australia's Australian Biography series in 1994.

Women and Politics in South Australia, State Library of South Australia

Elliott Johnston QC AO

Elliott Johnston AO, QC, LLB Adel, LLD headed the National Commission of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody that reported in April 1991.

He is widely celebrated for the contribution that he has made in Australia to the pursuit of justice for all under the law, and to achieving equality for all before the law.

During his lifetime in the law, as a practitioner, as a judge, and as a former judge, Elliott Johnston has striven to realise the aspiration and value that is expressed in the judicial oath to do right to all manner of people according to law, without fear or affection, favour or ill will. He is and has been recognised as a leader in this respect. He has led by unassuming but powerful example. The example was given by his determination and commitment, by sheer hard work, and by the values that he espoused (in actions more than in words).

People like Elliott Johnston are few and far between. They leave their mark in what they do. But, more importantly, and certainly in Elliott Johnston's case, they leave their mark by the impact that they have on those whom they may encounter along the way. Elliott Johnston's example has encouraged many lawyers...to strive to implement the values that he espoused. It may be that this is his real gift to us the influence that his example has had on others, encouraging them to follow in his path.

(Excerpt from the dedication provided by The Hon John Doyle AC Chief Justice of South Australia at the 2007 Adelaide Festival of Ideas)