Tauto Sansbury

Tauto Sansbury is an Australian Aboriginal Narungga man from the Yorke Peninsula of South Australia. He was the recipient of the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 NAIDOC Week celebrations.^[1] Sansbury was born and raised on an Aboriginal reserve but has dedicated his life to advocacy for Indigenous Australians.

Early life

Tauto was born on Point Pearce Mission on the Yorke Peninsula, South Australia.^[2] He also has Kaurna and Wirangu heritage.^[3]

Career

As State Chairperson of the South Australian Aboriginal Justice Advocacy Committee and Chairperson of the National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee for over 10 years, Tauto fought to improve the conditions of Aboriginal people in the criminal justice system.

He has served in numerous official and voluntary positions, including chairperson of the South Australian Aboriginal Coalition for Social justice.^[2]

He was consultant to the Social Inclusion Unit undertaking community consultations on the so-called ‘Gang of 49’ for the Breaking the Cycle Report. More recently he has been employed as CEO and General Manager in health and Aboriginal employment. He now runs his own Aboriginal consultancy, Garridja.

In 2014 Sansbury launched a national advocacy movement for Indigenous people - the Freedom Movement.^{[4] [5]}

Sansbury was a long term member of the Australian Labor Party and stood in elections but in 2013 resigned from the Party stating that the Party whether in Opposition or as Government does not help Aboriginal people.^[6]

Awards

• 1996: Aboriginal of the Year, National NAIDOC Awards
• 2003: Australian Centenary medal in recognition of work as Director of the Aboriginal Justice Advocacy Committee and the National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee.^[2]
• 2014: Male Elder of the Year SA NAIDOC Awards
• 2015: NAIDOC Week National NAIDOC Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2015 National Indigenous Human Rights Awards Dr Yunupingu Award for Human Rights

References