Ken Wyatt
Encyclopedia
Kenneth George Wyatt AM
(born 4 August 1952) is a member of the Australian House of Representatives
representing the electoral division of Hasluck
in Western Australia
for the Liberal Party of Australia
. He is of Indigenous Australian (Noongar
, Yamatji
and Wangai
), Indian, English and Irish descent, and is the first self-identifying Indigenous Australian member of the House of Representatives.
His nephew is Ben Wyatt
who is an Australian Labor Party
member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
and Shadow Treasurer.
, a former home for young indigenous children removed from their families. His mother, Mona, was one of the "Stolen Generations" of Aboriginal children removed from their parents and relocated to Roelands, where she met her husband Don. Wyatt's father's heritage included Yamatji
, Wangai
and Nyoongar and some Irish
ancestry. His mother's family heritage included Wongi and Nyoongar ancestry.
In 1996 Wyatt was made a Member of the Order of Australia
for services to Aboriginal health. He received the Centenary Medal
in 2001.
Wyatt stood for the Liberal Party
in the seat of Hasluck
in the 2010 election, defeating Labor
incumbent Sharryn Jackson
. He won the seat with a 1.4% swing, and became the first self-identifying Indigenous Australian elected to the Australian House of Representatives, and the third elected to the Parliament (behind Neville Bonner
and Aden Ridgeway
, both Senators). Mal Brough
is of aboriginal descent but does not identify himself as such.
On 28 September 2010, Wyatt attended the Opening of the 43rd Australian Parliament to take up his seat as Member for Hasluck. He wore a kangaroo skin coat with feathers from a red tailed black cockatoo
, signifying a leadership role in Noongar culture. The cloak had been presented to him by Noongar
elders. He made his maiden speech to the Parliament on 29 September and received a standing ovation from both the Government
and Opposition benches as well as from the public galleries.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 4 August 1952) is a member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
representing the electoral division of Hasluck
Division of Hasluck
The Division of Hasluck is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia.The division was created in 2001 and is named for Sir Paul Hasluck, who was Governor-General of Australia 1969-74, and for his wife, Dame Alexandra Hasluck, a prominent author...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
for the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
. He is of Indigenous Australian (Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
, Yamatji
Yamatji
Yamatji is a name commonly used by Aboriginal people in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia to refer to themselves, and sometimes also to Aboriginal people generally, when speaking English. The word comes from the Wajarri language where it has the meaning 'man' or 'human being'...
and Wangai
Wangai
Wangai, Wongai or Wankai is the name given by themselves to the 26 Aboriginal groups of the Goldfields of Western Australia. It comes from the word meaning "Speaker"...
), Indian, English and Irish descent, and is the first self-identifying Indigenous Australian member of the House of Representatives.
His nephew is Ben Wyatt
Ben Wyatt
Benjamin Sana Wyatt is an Indigenous Australian politician. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly since March 2006, representing the electorate of Victoria Park.-Early life and education:...
who is an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
and Shadow Treasurer.
Early life
Ken Wyatt was born at Roelands Mission farm, near Bunbury south of Perth in Western AustraliaWestern Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, a former home for young indigenous children removed from their families. His mother, Mona, was one of the "Stolen Generations" of Aboriginal children removed from their parents and relocated to Roelands, where she met her husband Don. Wyatt's father's heritage included Yamatji
Yamatji
Yamatji is a name commonly used by Aboriginal people in the Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia to refer to themselves, and sometimes also to Aboriginal people generally, when speaking English. The word comes from the Wajarri language where it has the meaning 'man' or 'human being'...
, Wangai
Wangai
Wangai, Wongai or Wankai is the name given by themselves to the 26 Aboriginal groups of the Goldfields of Western Australia. It comes from the word meaning "Speaker"...
and Nyoongar and some Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry. His mother's family heritage included Wongi and Nyoongar ancestry.
In 1996 Wyatt was made a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for services to Aboriginal health. He received the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
in 2001.
Career
Prior to entering Parliament, Wyatt served as senior public servant in the fields of Indigenous health and education. He has held positions as Director of the WA Office of Aboriginal Health as well as a similar post with NSW Health. He was also previously Director of Aboriginal Education with the WA Department of Education.Wyatt stood for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in the seat of Hasluck
Division of Hasluck
The Division of Hasluck is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia.The division was created in 2001 and is named for Sir Paul Hasluck, who was Governor-General of Australia 1969-74, and for his wife, Dame Alexandra Hasluck, a prominent author...
in the 2010 election, defeating Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
incumbent Sharryn Jackson
Sharryn Jackson
Sharryn Maree Jackson , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives. She served one term from 2001 representing the Division of Hasluck before losing the seat at the 2004 federal election...
. He won the seat with a 1.4% swing, and became the first self-identifying Indigenous Australian elected to the Australian House of Representatives, and the third elected to the Parliament (behind Neville Bonner
Neville Bonner
Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...
and Aden Ridgeway
Aden Ridgeway
Aden Derek Ridgeway , Australian politician, was a member of the Australian Senate for New South Wales, from 1999 to 2005, representing the Australian Democrats. During his term he was the only Aboriginal member of the Australian Parliament.-Early history:Ridgeway was born in Macksville, New South...
, both Senators). Mal Brough
Mal Brough
Malcolm Thomas "Mal" Brough is a former Australian politician and Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 to November 2007, representing the Division of Longman, Queensland...
is of aboriginal descent but does not identify himself as such.
On 28 September 2010, Wyatt attended the Opening of the 43rd Australian Parliament to take up his seat as Member for Hasluck. He wore a kangaroo skin coat with feathers from a red tailed black cockatoo
Black cockatoo
Black cockatoo is general descriptive term for cockatoos that are mainly black and may include:*Palm Cockatoo, Probosciger aterrimus, also called Great Black Cockatoo*Species of the genus Calyptorhynchus:...
, signifying a leadership role in Noongar culture. The cloak had been presented to him by Noongar
Noongar
The Noongar are an indigenous Australian people who live in the south-west corner of Western Australia from Geraldton on the west coast to Esperance on the south coast...
elders. He made his maiden speech to the Parliament on 29 September and received a standing ovation from both the Government
Gillard Government
The Gillard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia, which is led by the Prime Minister of Australia Julia Gillard. Julia Gillard became Prime Minister on the 24th of June 2010 after challenging her predecessor, Kevin Rudd for the position of leader of the parliamentary...
and Opposition benches as well as from the public galleries.