Best of 2024 — Ken Wyatt

Reflecting on a year of phenomenal guests, we are bringing you a selection of the Best Conversations of 2024.

Ken Wyatt was the first Indigenous minister for Indigenous Affairs. When he made his first speech to parliament, he wore a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth and he shared with his government colleagues the extraordinary journey he took from a boy in a remote Western Australian settlement, to Canberra. 

Ken Wyatt has Yamatji, Wongi and Noongar ancestry. He came into the world as a premature baby on a mission south of Perth called Roelands Farm, run by the Protestant Church.

From 1938 to 1973, Roelands housed more than 500 forcibly removed Aboriginal children from all over Western Australia. One of those children was Ken's mother Mona, who was separated from family at just 4 years old.

Mona married Don and they built a life for themselves away from Roelands, in Nannine, a railway fettler's camp in remote WA. That's where Ken grew up, as one of 10 children.

Ken went on to enjoy a fulfilling life as a teacher, and he was in his fifties when he decided to have a tilt at politics.

He joined the Liberal Party, and in 2010 he was elected as the first Aboriginal member of the House of Representatives.

Wearing a kangaroo skin cloak given to him by Noongar elders in Perth, Ken made his first speech in Federal Parliament, about his extraordinary journey from Roelands to Canberra.

This episode of Conversations contains discussions about Indigenous peoples, Australian history, Aboriginal history, Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal Policy, Australian Politics, Indigenous Policy, Indigenous Affairs, Australian Government, federal ministers, Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Western Australia, racism, Aboriginal missions, school teachers, mentors, political campaigns, elections, Indigenous Voice to Parliament, referendum, retirement, marriage, families.