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Dropout to Harvard: First Nations Commissioner's Mission
29 Mar
Summary
- New First Nations Commissioner aims to hold governments accountable.
- Indigenous children are 12 times more likely to be in out-of-home care.
- Commissioner's ultimate goal is to make her office obsolete.
Sue-Anne Hunter, a Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman, has been appointed as the inaugural First Nations Children's Commissioner. Her work is deeply motivated by the systemic mistreatment of First Nations people, particularly the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care and youth detention.
Hunter, who overcame personal challenges including dropping out of high school due to dyslexia to study at Harvard, now uses her position to advocate for legislative change. She aims to ensure that the voices of vulnerable children are heard by policymakers and governments.
The statistics are stark: Indigenous children are up to 12 times more likely to be in out-of-home care and detained at 20 times the rate of non-Indigenous children. Hunter's work is fueled by the memory of those lost, including a boy she knew who died in custody.
Her long-term vision is for the commission to achieve its goal and render itself obsolete by ensuring all First Nations children are safe, supported, and thriving across Australia.
