Pat Dodson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patrick Dodson
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Dodson in New York City in 2022
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| Senator for Western Australia | |
| In office 2 May 2016 – 26 January 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Joe Bullock |
| Succeeded by | Varun Ghosh |
| Special Envoy for Reconciliation and Implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart | |
| In office 1 June 2022 – 26 January 2024 |
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| Preceded by | (position established) |
| Succeeded by | (position terminated) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Patrick Lionel Djargun Dodson
29 January 1948 Broome, Western Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Mick Dodson (brother) |
| Alma mater | Corpus Christi College, Melbourne |
Patrick Lionel Djargun Dodson (born 29 January 1948) is an Australian leader. He is known for working to improve the rights of Indigenous Australians. From 2016 to 2024, he was a Senator for Western Australia. He was part of the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
Dodson is a Yawuru elder from Broome, Western Australia. He led the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. He also helped investigate deaths of Aboriginal people in custody. He was a Roman Catholic priest for a short time. He won the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize. In 2009, he received the John Curtin Medal. His brother is Mick Dodson, who is also a well-known Indigenous leader.
In 2016, Dodson became a Labor senator for Western Australia. He took over after Joe Bullock resigned. The Parliament of Western Australia officially appointed him on 2 May 2016. On 28 November 2023, Dodson said he would retire from the Senate. His retirement happened on 26 January 2024. He was getting treatment for cancer at that time.
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Early Life and Education
Dodson was born on 29 January 1948 in Broome. His father, John "Snowy" Dodson, was from Launceston, Tasmania. His mother, Patricia, was an Indigenous Australian. When Pat was two, his family moved to Katherine. They moved to escape Western Australian laws that banned families of different races.
Both of Dodson's parents died in 1960, only three months apart. He and his brother Mick became "wards of the state." This meant the government was legally responsible for them. However, their aunt and uncle helped them get scholarships. They went to Monivae College in Hamilton, Victoria. There, Dodson became head prefect and captain of the football team.
Catholic Priesthood
After finishing school, Dodson decided to study to become a priest. He went to Corpus Christi College, Melbourne. In May 1975, he became a priest in the order of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart. He was the first Aboriginal person to become a Catholic priest in Australia.
In the early 1980s, he left the priesthood. This was because of differences between his Catholic faith and his Aboriginal spiritual beliefs.
Working for Indigenous Rights
Dodson lives in Broome. He has spent much of his life working on issues important to Indigenous rights and culture. He has held many important roles:
- He was a director for the Central Land Council in 1985. He also directed the Kimberley Land Council in 1991. These groups help Aboriginal people manage their traditional lands.
- In 1989, he was a Commissioner for the inquiry into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. This was a major investigation.
- He was Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation from 1991 to 1997. This group worked to bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians closer. He left, saying he was worried about the country's future.
- He was a special professor at the University of Notre Dame Australia.
- He also chaired the Kimberley Development Commission.
- He led the Lingiari Foundation. This group works to support Indigenous people.
- He was the first director of a special unit at the University of New South Wales. This unit focused on Indigenous policy and research.
- He chaired the Yawuru Native Title Holders Body Corporate from 2010 to 2013. He also chaired Nyamba Buru Yawuru Ltd until 2015. These groups manage land rights for the Yawuru people.
Political Career
On 2 May 2016, the Parliament of Western Australia appointed Dodson to the Australian Senate. He filled a spot that became empty when Labor senator Joe Bullock resigned. He was sworn in as a senator on the same day. He kept his seat in the 2016 federal election. He served on several Senate committees. He was a joint chair of a committee looking at recognizing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution.
In May 2016, Dodson joined the shadow ministry. This is the team of spokespeople for the opposition party. He was first a shadow parliamentary secretary. In July 2016, he became shadow assistant minister for Indigenous affairs. The then-Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Dodson would be Minister for Indigenous Affairs if Labor won the 2019 federal election. This did not happen. Dodson was re-elected to the Senate but did not join the frontbench again.
As the shadow assistant minister for reconciliation, Dodson strongly supported the Uluru Statement from the Heart. This statement asks for a Voice to Parliament and a treaty for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Dodson also served on an inquiry. This inquiry looked into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at Juukan Gorge in Western Australia.
After Labor won the 2022 federal election, Dodson received a new role. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appointed him Special Envoy for Reconciliation. He also worked on putting the Uluru Statement from the Heart into action.
Retirement from Politics
On 28 November 2023, Dodson announced he would resign as a Senator. His resignation took effect on 26 January 2024. He explained that he could not continue to serve because he was being treated for cancer.
Personal Life
Dodson has a daughter named Grace. Her mother is Annunciata Dartinga. Grace is an artist who lives in Peppimenarti, Northern Territory.
In early 2023, Dodson was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer. He also had an infection of his oesophagus and shingles. He received chemotherapy treatment. He returned from medical leave to support the "Yes" vote in the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.
Awards and Recognition
Dodson has received special degrees from universities. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Melbourne. He also has an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of New South Wales.
In 2012, he gave the first Gandhi Oration at the University of New South Wales.
Images for kids
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Dodson in New York City in 2022
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Dodson with Attorney-General George Brandis in 2015
