Linda Burney to deliver lecture at CDU

The Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians, the Hon Linda Burney MP, will deliver the 2019 HC Nugget Coombs Memorial Lecture at Charles Darwin University (CDU) next Thursday.

Ms Burney was elected federal member for Barton in 2016 after a 14-year career in the NSW Parliament as the Member for Canterbury. During her state political career, Ms Burney served as minister in senior portfolios including as minister for Community Services and later as Deputy Leader of the Opposition.

Following her election to the Federal House of Representatives she was immediately appointed as Shadow Minister for Human Services. She has since been appointed Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services and Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians.

As a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation, Linda was the first Aboriginal person to be elected to the NSW Parliament and the first Aboriginal woman to serve in the Australian House of Representatives. Her commitment to Indigenous issues spans more than 30 years.

The HC Nugget Coombs Memorial Lecture is presented by the Australian National University (ANU) and CDU. The lecture is named in honour of Dr Herbert Cole (H. C., better known as "Nugget") Coombs, born 24 February 1906 and died 29 October 1997.

Nugget Coombs was an Australian economist and public servant probably best known for his role as Governor of the Reserve Bank (appointed in 1960), and who, in his post-retirement years, made a significant contribution to enhancing the rights of Australia's Indigenous peoples, especially to land.

He was Chancellor of ANU from 1968-1976 and was a driving force for the University’s establishment of its North Australia Research Unit in Darwin in 1973.

The lecture will be delivered on Thursday, 3 October at 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm at the Mal Nairn Auditorium, Casuarina campus. The event is free and open to the public. Please register at W: eventbrite.com.au/e/hc-nugget-coombs-memorial-lecture-tickets-73232459257