AMS Redfern - 50th Anniversary Gala Dinner

CONTENT WARNING: This page may contain voices, images or names of people who have died.

The Aboriginal Medical Service Co-operative Ltd Redfern gala dinner will celebrate more

than 50 years of Aboriginal Leadership and outstanding contributions made by Aboriginal

Community Controlled Health Services.

Enjoy an evening to remember as we celebrate our unique history. The evening will feature

a formal dinner and specular entertainment showcasing traditional and contemporary

performers.

Read More: From struggle to triumph: iconic Redfern AMS marks 50 years

Event Details

Time: 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Date: Saturday 26th November 2022

Place: ICC Sydney, 14 Darling Dr, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia

Lineup

Live Set by Jarrod Hickling

@jarrod_hickling_music

Jarrod is a Strong Young Man from the Githabul Tribe located in Muli Muli, New South Wales. Growing up in a Gospel home with strong ties to the church, music has always been a powerful influence in Jarrod Hickling’s life. His sound is a mix of country and gospel and Jarrod is a dynamic artist who is one to watch set the country music scene on fire!

Welcome To Country by Uncle Allen Madden

Uncle Allen is a Gadigal man from the Eora nation, born in Redfern NSW in 1949. He attended Redfern Public School, which is now reformed NTO National CIE, Narwee Boys High School, Newtown Technology High School. At the age of 14, Uncle Allen started working at Ingham Chicken, Shelly soft drinks, City of Sydney Council, Aboriginal Medical Service, Aboriginal Children’s Service, Aboriginal Legal Service and New Careers for Aboriginal People Employment.

Live Performance by The Donovan Band

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The Donovan’s musical legacy is legendary. Michael Donovan grew up in Macksville, NSW surrounded by the country sounds of his parents, the late Mick and Aileen Donovan. He was playing guitar by the age of six and credits his mum and dad as being his greatest inspiration.

Today the Donovans comprise mainstay Michael, brother Ashley and any number of guest family members including his daughters and niece Emma Donovan, formerly of Stiff Gins.

In 2000 Michael was runner-up at the Queensland Champion of Champions. In 2001 he was musical director of and featured artist at the Aboriginal Showcases at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. He was also musical director and leader of the house band at last year’s Deadlys.

Live Performance by Brolga Dance Academy

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Brolga Dance Academy are excited to be in the heart of Redfern, providing a cultural dance learning  to the local and surrounding communities.  Specialising in Aboriginal Contemporary and Traditional  classes. Our students will discover culture through body movement as a tool to discover the intricacies on words and language of the Aboriginal people.

Live Performance by Kebi Kub Dancers

Baring roots from the Eastern Islands of the Torres Strait, Darley Island (Erub Ailan) and Murray Island (Mer Ailan). Kebi Kub Dancer's core is grounded by family and the passion of gifting cultural knowledge to our next generations and the world through storytelling, art, song and dance.

Address by Edie Coe, Chair of the Board and Hon. Linda Burney MP

Hon Linda Burney MP

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 House of Representatives. Linda’s commitment to Indigenous issues spans more than 30 years.

She began her career as a teacher in western Sydney and then as an education bureaucrat before being appointed Director General of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 2000. Charles Sturt University awarded her- its first Aboriginal graduate- an Honorary Doctorate in Education in 2002.

Linda has a long held commitment to the prevention of domestic violence and family violence and has detailed publicly her personal experience with it. Linda has held senior positions in the non-government sector serving on a number of Boards including the SBS, the NSW Anti-Discrimination Board, and the NSW Board of Studies.

Address by Ricky Lyons, AMS Redfern Board Member

Bachelor Community management. Macquarie University, Associate Diploma Aboriginal Health and Community Management, Sydney Uni. Aboriginal Health Worker Certificate, AMS Redfern. Ricky Lyons has over 35 years of experience working within Aboriginal health settings and has been a proud member of the AMS Redfern Board for 25 years.

Keynote Speech by Associate Professor Kelvin Kong

Professor Kelvin hails from the Worimi people of Port Stephens, north of Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Being surrounded by health, he has always championed for the improvement of health and education. Complementing his practice as a surgeon, he is kept grounded by his family, who are the strength and inspiration to him, remaining involved in numerous projects and committees to help give back to the community. 

AMS Redfern CEO LaVerne Bellear and Aunty Dulcie

LaVerne Bellear

LaVerne Bellear is from the Bundjalung Nation (North Coast NSW) where she grew up in and around the Minjungbal region before moving to Sydney. Strongly believes that empowering Aboriginal people will create opportunity to make better informed decisions and choices regarding personal management of health care, ultimately resulting in better health outcomes. LaVerne’s background involves management and strategic planning, currently, Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Medical Service Cooperative Limited, Redfern.

Aunty Dulcie Flower

Aunty Dulcie Flower is a Meriam woman whose family is from Erub (Darnley Island), Torres Strait. She was born in Cairns and trained as a nurse at the Cairns Base Hospital before moving to Sydney, where she gained registration as a midwife, operating theatre nurse and diabetes educator. She later became actively involved in the education and training of Indigenous health workers. Dulcie was also a founding member of the Aboriginal Medical Service, dedicating her work to the improvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health and wellbeing. She was appointed to Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2019 “for significant service to the Indigenous community, and to the 1967 Referendum Campaign”.

Tribute to Sol Bellear

Sol was a Bundjalung man born in 1950 in Mullumbimby, NSW and he passed away in 2017. Sol served his community in a social, political and legal capacity for many years. His activism and desire to serve the community began as a teenager when he moved to Redfern following the 1967 Referendum. Sol was the person who introduced then-Prime Minister Paul Keating onto the stage at Redfern Park in 1992, where Keating delivered his famous “Redfern Park” speech.

Sol held many different roles during his life. He was the Chairperson for the Aboriginal Medical Service, a Board Member of the South Sydney Rugby League Football Club, the Chairperson for Tranby Aboriginal College and the Redfern Aboriginal Authority.

Sol was awarded the Order of Australia (AO) in 1999 for services to the Aboriginal community, particularly in relation to the administration and development of health policies.

In the months before he passed, Sol was a delegate at the historic constitutional convention at Uluru, which resulted in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.