Indigenous advocate gets national nod

A LOCAL advocate for Indigenous health is one of one-hundred-and-thirty Australians to be recognised in the 2023 Australian of the Year Awards process.

Gunaikurnai man Darcy McGauley-Bartlett has been active in the Aboriginal community for the past decade and was awarded Victorian Young Australian of the Year this week.

Bendigo born and bred, Mr McGauley-Bartlett said he “lives, breathes and works” for his Aboriginal community.

“My whole career has been based around making sure our voice is heard, especially healthcare. It’s one of the major areas where we’re overrepresented,” he said.

“I’ve really been advocating from the inside and gaining prisoners’ voice and putting that at the forefront of our quality improvement.”

Mr McGauley-Bartlett worked as an Aboriginal community liason for Victoria Police where he ran intervention programs with the aim of fostering a holistic approach to Indigenous rehabilitation.

For the past two years, he’s been working with the Department of Justice’s Justice Health unit advocating for a stronger institutional response to Aboriginal healthcare and establishing the first Aboriginal custodial health team in Victoria.

His first job was as a youth strategy advisor for the City of Greater Bendigo, and he said his family life influenced passion for making a difference.

“I grew up in kinship placement with my grandmother. My mum was in and out of jail,” he said.

“It’s one thing to see how the system has failed so many, but there’s the ripple effect on community and families.

“I’ve felt it myself with mum, where I wanted to be that advocate for change. If people really want to change, they will.”

Mr McGauley-Bartlett said he feels privileged to be acknowledged.

“It doesn’t feel real. I feel honoured that my community believed I was worth this kind of award,” he said.

“Those sleepless nights and hours you sit there trying to communicate hasn’t gone unrecognised and that hits me right in the heart.”