Patrick Dodson

For the baseball player, see Pat Dodson (baseball).

Patrick Dodson (born 1948) is a Yawuru man from Broome, Western Australia, he is a former Chairman of the "Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation", a former Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and former Roman Catholic priest. He was the winner of the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize. His brother is Mick Dodson, also a national Indigenous Australian leader.

The Dodson children were orphaned at the death of their father in 1960. He and his brother Mick were made wards of the state, but their sisters decided they should accept a scholarship to study at Monivae College in Hamilton, Victoria.

He lives in Broome where he is also involved in matters relating to the preservation and enhancement of indigenous rights and culture.

On 10 November 2008, Dodson visited St Cronan's Boys National School in Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Currently Dodson works as a consultant, advising government, industry and community groups: he is

• Chairperson, Kimberley Development Commission (his term expires in November 2010)
• Chairman of the Lingiari Foundation, an Indigenous non government advocacy and research Foundation.
• Inaugural Director of the Indigenous Policy, Dialogue and Research Unit (IPDRU) at the University of New South Wales
• Chairman of the Yawuru Native Title Holders Body Corporate

Past roles and activities include:

• Former Director of the Central Land Council and the Kimberley Land Council
• Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, 1989
• Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (1991-1997) (This body was replaced by Reconciliation Australia). He retired stating "I fear for the spirit of this country".
• He was the first Indigenous Australian Roman Catholic priest, reasons for leaving the priesthood in the early 1980s included Dodson's understanding that traditional Aboriginal ceremonies and Christianity can be reconciled and his rejection of clergy celibacy.

In 2012 he gave the inaugural Gandhi Oration at the University of New South Wales.

References

• Kevin Keeffe, (2003) Paddy's Road: Life Stories of Patrick Dodson" Aboriginal Studies Press, Canberra ISBN 0-85575-448-6

External links

• Patrick Dodson - A Life Story Local ABC NSW Tuesday, 2 September 2003 [Accessed 10 February 2006]
• Bio at Kimberley Development Commission website
• Heroes: Pat Dodson at Universal Rights Network
• Bio at The University of New South Wales