Edmund Rice Centre for Justice & Community Education Awareness  Advocacy  A c t i o n

MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday, 2nd March 2016 Pat Dodson: a much-needed addition to ’s Parliament

The nomination of respected Yawuru elder Patrick Dodson to the Senate is “a much-needed addition to Australia’s Parliament”, according to the Director of the Edmund Rice Centre, Phil Glendenning.

Mr Glendenning, who has been working with Pat Dodson for nearly 20 years, has welcomed Federal Labor Leader ’s announcement that Mr Dodson will be preselected to fill the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of West Australian Senator .

“Pat Dodson is a much-needed addition to Australia's Parliament. At a time when Australians are becoming increasingly cynical about politics and politicians, Pat will bring a new approach that focuses on bringing people together in the spirit of reconciliation and unity,” Mr Glendenning said.

“As I have said before, Pat is a great communicator, a significant leader and the nearest Australia has to Nelson Mandela.”

“The political debate in this country has been toxic for far too long and that’s why today’s announcement is so important. As the father of Reconciliation, Pat is exactly who we need in Parliament at this time.”

“Pat will be able to continue championing the cause of reconciliation, recognition and equality between Indigenous and non-.”

“I have been working with Pat since 1997. We worked closely together in the formation of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (“ANTaR”) in 1997 in response to the Howard Government’s plan to extinguish Native Title rights and staged the Sea of Hands across the country.”

“In recent years we have worked together to support the people of low-lying Pacific Islands under threat from rising sea levels caused by climate change.”

“The Edmund Rice Centre welcomes this announcement and congratulates Pat on this nomination, and we look forward to continuing our long relationship with him in his new role as a Senator,” Phil Glendenning concluded.

Contact: Phil Glendenning 0419 013 758 or Sean Cleary 0403-434-512

Edmund Rice Centre for Justice & Community Education ABN: 40 363 781 303 15 Henley Road (PO Box 2219) Phone: +61-2-8762-4200 Homebush West NSW 2140 Fax: +61-2-8762-4220 Email: [email protected] Website: www.erc.org.au