Keynote Speaker Aunty McRose Elu QLD Senior Australian of the Year 2021

Advocate for Torres Strait communities and a strong advocate for action on climate change, Torres Strait Island Elder McRose Elu addressed the Conference with a passion for her community in which she works tirelessly.

Aunty Rose talked about her unwavering vision to bring about change to better the lives of children and families by telling the story of her upbringing and being sent as a teenager from Torres Strait to a school in Melbourne, and she spoke about her commitment to reconciliation and sharing the traditional practices of her people at local, state and federal levels.

She was instrumental in negotiations to legally recognising the traditional customary adoption practices of Torres Strait Islander families which led to the introduction of a landmark Bill to the Queensland Parliament.

Since 1980, Aunty McRose has been drawing global attention to the impact of climate change on the Torres Strait, including speaking at the UN and to business and political leaders. As a member of the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARCC), she advocates for renewable energy and sustainable methods of production.

Aunty McRose has provides essential translation for Torres Strait Islander communities to help them access services and lobbies for funding to support community capacity building. She is also a First Nations Wellness worker with Relationships Australia.

Her address was inspiring in the diversity of opportunities she has taken up and the help she has delivered to the peoples of the Torres Strait and Australia in general in her pursuit of Climate Change action. Aunty McRose stayed around to talked to delegates after her address.

For more information about Aunty McRose please visit the Australian of the Year 2021 webpage here.