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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Bendigo born and bred, Mr McGauley-Bartlett said he \u201clives, breathes and works\u201d for his Aboriginal community.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy whole career has been based around making sure our voice is heard, especially healthcare. It\u2019s one of the major areas where we\u2019re overrepresented,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve really been advocating from the inside and gaining prisoners\u2019 voice and putting that at the forefront of our quality improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
For the past two years, he\u2019s been working with the Department of Justice\u2019s Justice Health unit advocating for a stronger institutional response to Aboriginal healthcare and establishing the first Aboriginal custodial health team in Victoria.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI grew up in kinship placement with my grandmother. My mum was in and out of jail,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s one thing to see how the system has failed so many, but there\u2019s the ripple effect on community and families.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve felt it myself with mum, where I wanted to be that advocate for change. If people really want to change, they will.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr McGauley-Bartlett said he feels privileged to be acknowledged.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel real. I feel honoured that my community believed I was worth this kind of award,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose sleepless nights and hours you sit there trying to communicate hasn\u2019t gone unrecognised and that hits me right in the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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 […]<\/p>\n