Aunty Pat Turner and Rhoda Roberts AO Honoured at 2026 National NAIDOC Awards

MPARNTWE (ALICE SPRINGS) — The 2026 National NAIDOC Awards, held on 15 August in Mparntwe, celebrated the brilliance and tenacity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders. As reported by Jillian Mundy for the Koori Mail, the ceremony’s highest accolades were awarded to two powerhouse women: Aunty Pat Turner AO and the late Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO. Aunty Pat Turner, an Arrernte and Gurdanji woman, was named Person of the Year. With a career spanning over 50 years, Turner made history as the first Aboriginal woman to lead a Commonwealth government department as CEO of ATSIC. More recently, she led the Coalition of Peaks in negotiating the National Agreement on Closing the Gap. Dr Josie Douglas of the Central Land Council accepted the award on Turner’s behalf, describing her as an "institution builder" who has spent her life ensuring First Nations voices have power and control over their own lives. The Lifetime Achievement award was posthumously awarded to Aunty Rhoda Roberts AO, a Widjabul Wia-bal woman of the Bundjalung nation. Roberts was a prolific actor, producer, and artistic director who shaped the Australian cultural landscape, opening enduring doors for First Nations people in the arts. Other notable winners included Mrs Christine Corby AM, named Female Elder of the Year, and Dr Stephen Hagan, who received Male Elder of the Year. The Sportsperson of the Year title went to Ms Caitlyn Costello, while Mr Tyson Neal-Edwards was named Youth of the Year. The ceremony also served as a moment of community unity, opening with a tribute to Kumanjayi Little Baby following a period of mourning in Alice Springs. Organisers confirmed that the 2027 NAIDOC Awards ceremony will be held on Gadigal Country in Sydney.