Kathy Mills
| Kathy Mills | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Kathleen Mary McGuinness 1936 Katherine in Northern Territory |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) | David Mills |
| Occupation | Community organiser, Activist |
Kathy Mills (born 1936) is a community leader, singer, Aboriginal elder and activist from the Top End of the Northern Territory.
Early life
Born in Katherine in 1936, Kathy was taken away from her family as child during the era of the Stolen Generations.[1] She was sent to live with other Aboriginal children at the Kahlin Compound in Darwin. She grew up in Darwin and married David Mills. Among their children are the members of musical group the Mills Sisters, who are well known for their 1986 recording of Kathy’s song "Arafura Pearl".
She was the first woman to be elected to the Northern Land Council.
Later life
Kathy became a strong advocate for services addressing alcohol policy and alcoholism. She was a key figure in the establishment of the FORWAARD alcohol rehabilitation centre in Darwin.
Among other accolades she was named the 1986 NAIDOC national and Northern Territory Aborigine of the Year at that year's NAIDOC Awards.
She was appointed as a co-commissioner for the NT to the panel of the Stolen Generations Inquiry,[2] which produced the Bringing Them Home report and was a major factor in getting the Stolen Generation issue recognised at a national level.
References
- ↑ Maza, Rachael (24 October 2003). "Arafura Pearl". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Message Stick. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
- ↑ "National Inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families". The Age of Inquiry: A global mapping of institutional abuse inquiries. La Trobe University. Retrieved 5 July 2017.