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Draft Michael Mundine

Michael (also known as Mick) is a Bundjalung man and father of six children. Michael was born in Grafton on the North Coast of NSW Australia in 1947 and spent the better part of his youth roaming the missions up and down the NSW coast. On arrival to Sydney in 1965 he crossed paths with Koumajay Dr Charles Perkins. With the guidance of Uncle Charlie [as Mick referred to him], Michael began his involvement in the struggle for the betterment of Aboriginal people in Sydney's Redfern community, and specifically the Block.

In 1975 Michael was employed as a painter on the Block with the newly formed Redfern Aboriginal Housing Company (AHC). His tough and honest work ethic caught the eye of the Board of Directors of the Company and he was promoted to foreman. He was appointed office manager a few years later. In 1983 the then retiring Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Richard Pacey encouraged Michael to apply for the position. [1]

Since then Michael has also served as director of
• Redfern Aboriginal Medical Service
• Redfern Aboriginal Children's Service.
• Redfern Community Development Employment Program (CDEP).
• In 1994 he helped resurrect the new Redfern Aboriginal Legal Service as its chairperson, a position he still holds..

Michael has also been involved in many non-indigenous groups including:
• Redfern Waterloo Community Council which represents a wide cross section of local stakeholders advising the Premier of NSW;.
• Redfern Drug and Alcohol Task force and the Redfern Community Safety Taskforce;.
• Redfern Waterloo Chamber of Commerce; • Property Council of Australia. [2]

Michael is a keen sportsman with a particular affinity for rugby league football. In his youth he played with the Baryulgil Red Devils and the Woodenbong All Blacks. In Sydney he played with the Redfern All Blacks and in 1974 led the South Sydney Jr. league team to victory in the Grand Final. He played representative football for many years and in 1981 was with Zetland when they won the Grand Final, the Kentucky Cup and the Aboriginal Knockout all in the same year. Now retired from representative sport he coaches basketball and touch football every year and runs a women's circuit class three times a week at the Redfern Gym. [3]


‘The best way to describe Michael Mundine is that he is a people person with an abundance of common sense and a lot of love in his heart. His vision for Redfern is for a better future where the next generation, so Aboriginal people can share in the prosperity that all other Australians already enjoy’ [4]

References

See also

Draft Aboriginal Housing Company

Redevelopment of the Block

Research and planning

Working with NSW government

Geoff TO DO

Pemulwuy Project

Awards

References

More References

Further reading

Breaking the silence

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