Australian First | Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO

No Limitations

In Episode 132 of the No Limitations podcast Australian First, Blenheim Partners’ Gregory Robinson speaks to the Director, Indigenous Forum at the Centre for Independent Studies, Nyunggai Warren Mundine AO.

In an inspiring discussion, Warren describes his start in life as one of eleven children in a poor household in regional New South Wales. His family then relocated to Sydney where he attended the local Catholic school. Despite leaving school early to work as a trolley boy and as a barman, Warren later completed his Higher School Certificate through night school. He then moved to Adelaide to study at the South Australian Institute of Technology, now called the University of South Australia

. A common thread throughout the conversation is Warren’s belief in the importance of education and its unrivalled ability to uplift the disadvantaged, whether Aboriginal or otherwise. Warren asserts that Australia is the greatest nation on earth, free from discrimination and institutionalised racism, and he expresses pride in his dual Aboriginal and Irish lineage.

Warren offers an appraisal of the Voice and the path forward for the nation. He also covers a range of engaging topics including four year federal parliamentary terms, nuclear power, and the defence of Israel. Lastly, Warren explains his disillusionment with the Labor Party and his decision to join the Liberal Party, referring to Robert Menzies’ founding vision of freedom, equality before the law, and prosperity.

Warren started his political career as an independent candidate for the city of Dubbo where he was the first Aboriginal person to serve on the council. He ran as a candidate for the Labor Party in the 1999 New South Wales election and as a candidate for the Senate in the 2001 Federal election. In 2006, Warren became President of the Labor Party and was the first Aboriginal Australian to serve as president of an Australian political party.

Later, Warren joined the Liberal Party and served as the Chairman of Tony Abbott’s and Malcolm Turnbull’s Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council. Warren is Chair of the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and the Conservative Political Action Conference. Warren is also on the Boards of several business groups including Aura Energy Ltd, Fuse Minerals Ltd, and JobTrail. Warren frequently appears in the media and has published two books.

Please note: this episode was recorded on 16 April 2024.

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