A FORMER deputy mayor of Dubbo has received an Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.
Nyunggai Warren Mundine was named an Officer in the General Division (AO) for distinguished service to the community as a leader in Indigenous affairs and advocate for enhancing economic and social public policy outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Mr Mundine, played a significant role in the Dubbo community between 1992 and 2004. He now lives at Roseville Chase in the upper north shore of Sydney.
His list of state and national achievements runs to multiple pages and includes notable positions with business, political, employment, educational, cultural, economic development, native title and land council groups and organisations.
Mr Mundine has been chairman of the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council since 2013 and is now working with his fifth prime minister.
He also chairs the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation which has raised more than $108 million for student scholarships since 2008.
Mr Mundine runs his own business advisory company and sits on the board of two American companies and the University of Technology Sydney Australia-China Relationship Institute.
"My work keeps me busy but I have never set out to win awards," he said.
"I am humbled and honoured to be recognised in this way.
"Dubbo played an important role in my life and I will never forget the city and its amazing people."
Mr Mundine was born in Grafton and thrived on the freedom offered by the north coast of NSW.
He wasn't impressed when his parents moved to Sydney to give their 11 children more opportunities.
"At the time I hated it," Mr Mundine said.
"I liked being in the bush, hunting and fishing."
Mr Mundine was enrolled in a multi-cultural Catholic school in western Sydney.
"There were 39 kids in my class and they represented about 39 different nationalities," he said.
"Some of the kids were just off the boat and couldn't speak English. There were punch ups in the school yard just about every day but we forged wonderful friendships that are still strong.
"Those school mates opened up my world and when I look back now I realise my parents did the right thing bringing us to Sydney."
After leaving school Mr Mundine went to work in factories as an apprentice fitter and turner. He worked hard at labouring jobs and after studying at TAFE gained employment with the Australian Taxation Office and the South Australian Institute of Technology.
"That changed my life and I was able to move into management," he said.
"Some people say that my life has been privileged but I started out as an apprentice earning $30 a week.
"I dug sewer lines because I had a family to feed. To me, there is no such thing as a bad job. Any job is good as long as you are willing to work hard and move ahead.
"As a young man I didn't set out to be a leader in Indigenous affairs. I never thought about it and if I had told my parents that I would one day become the national president of the Australian Labor Party they would have put me in a mad house.
"I got involved in all sorts of things because they needed to be done.
"I am just as surprised as everyone else about where life has taken me. Sometimes I sit at home and think 'Oh God, the prime minister is listening to me'.
"I have met presidents, prime ministers and world business leaders. There have been many opportunities and blessings but it has all been about hard work and giving things a go."
Mr Mundine said for the first 13 years of his life he lived under the Aboriginal Welfare Act and his father was required to carry "dog tags" (to overcome poverty and gain access to work and education).
"Those things are long gone and opportunities exist for everyone to take control of their lives and make a difference," he said.
"I grew up with incredible parents, siblings, grandparents and cousins. We never accepted we were victims or any less than anyone else. We were people who wanted to help play a role and make life a little bit better for everyone."
Mr Mundine said commercially viable Indigenous companies were making a big difference in Australia and attention now needed to be turned to Indigenous youth issues and incarceration rates.
"We need to look at how to reduce crime and make communities safer," he said.
"We need to get kids and their parents educated and skilled so they can attract jobs and investment into communities.
"When they happens we can really close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We need to all be working together to build strong communities and socioeconomic futures."