Margaret Borger, 77 - Community champion (Alice Springs)
Like many of her generation, Margaret Borger is endowed with a strong sense of community and social responsibility, perhaps born from Australia’s experiences during the war years and the hard work required to build a modern nation. Settling in theNorthern Territory as a young woman in the 1960s, Margaret supported the evolution of health, education, children’s and youth services in the small townships of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Nhulunbuy. Services then were basic or non-existent, but Margaret relished the opportunities to make a difference. During the 1980s and 1990s, when ‘grog strife’ had become the scourge of the community, Margaret became a leader in Alice Springs’ alcohol intervention activities, continuing to play a role today. In later years, the lack of opportunities for older Territorians has engaged Margaret’s attention and she is working towards a better future for seniors and their families. Her resilience in adversity, quest for knowledge, willingness to tackle difficult issues and her inclusiveness make her an inspiring role model for people of all ages.
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Veronica Dobson, 71 - Linguist and author (Alice Springs)
Preservation and documentation of the Arrernte language and culture has been a labour of love for Veronica Dobson. Despite being discouraged from speaking her own language as a child and receiving limited schooling, Veronica has dedicated much of her life to education and knowledge. Her deep understanding of the Arrernte lands and language led to a highly-respected career as an author, a translator, interpreter and linguist. Veronica helped to establish Arrernte as a written language, and developed educational materials – including co-authoring a 733 page dictionary – to support her work as a teacher. Through interpreting and translating, she has proudly served her community for many years. Country is Veronica’s other great love and understanding the Arrernte lands intimately, she has co-authored books on botany. As a classroom language and culture teacher, as a researcher and documenter of language and culture, and in later years as an artist, Veronica fosters traditional knowledge in her own community and shares the value and achievement of Arrernte culture with all Australians.
Reverend Rronang Garrawurra, 71 - Reconciliation champion (Nakara)
A Uniting Church minister in Arnhem Land, Reverend Rronang Garrawurra has spent many years building reconciliation between the First Peoples of Australia and the rest of the nation and to bring issues of injustice into the spotlight. Deeply immersed in the Liyakawumirr culture, Rronang shares his language with the wider community to foster understanding and respect. His enduring connection with the Nungalinya College spans time as a student, teacher and chair of the board. As the national Chairperson of the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress for three years, Rronang played a major role in convincing the Uniting Church to speak out against the Intervention in the Northern Territory and to hold a 'reconciliation and destiny together' worship service on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra in 2014. The subsequent media coverage gave him a chance to contribute to the national discussion on reconciliation. A thoughtful and inspirational person, Rronang works hard to build relationships and to help people understand the culture that enriches his life.
Bob Shewring, 69 - Repatriation campaigner (Howard Springs)
Twenty five Australian soldiers killed in the Vietnam War never returned home to Australia. Vietnam veteran, Bob Shewring has spent years lobbying governments to bring home the bodies of these soldiers buried overseas after they were killed in the line of duty. Bob established Operation “Bring Them Home” in 2014 and spent countless hours researching war history and legislation. He garnered more than 40,000 signatures through an online petition, before the Australian Government announced in May 2015 it would repatriate the bodies from cemeteries in Malaysia and Singapore back home to Australia, providing the next of kin’s agree. Until February 1966, the government required soldiers’ families to pay for their bodies to be repatriated back to Australia. For Bob, this campaign is personal. Twenty five of the 521 Australians killed in the Vietnam War didn’t make it home and Bob’s mate Reg Hillier is one of them. Bob is determined to see these soldiers finally welcomed home, receive full military honours at “one of the biggest ramp ceremonies in Australia’s history” and to right a terrible wrong from the Vietnam War.