Ash Barty named Person of the Year at NAIDOC Awards

Three-time tennis grand slam singles champion Ash Barty has been named Person of the Year at the 2022 National NAIDOC Week Awards in recognition for her contribution to youth sport and education.

Announced last night at a ceremony in Naarm, the 2022 National NAIDOC Week Awards marked the start of NAIDOC Week 2022, which runs until 10th July.

Barty, a member of the Ngarigo people, was celebrated for her sporting achievements and role as an ambassador who encourages Indigenous youth to get active, explore their passion and play tennis.

In 2018, Barty became the National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador at Tennis Australia.

She is also an ambassador for the State Library of Queensland, where she supports Indigenous education.

Stating that she was humbled to receive the award, Barty advised "I can't wait to continue my contribution to youth sport and education.

"Helping inspire kids to go after their dreams is something I am very passionate about and I am committed to giving back in this next chapter of my life."

Stanley Grant Senior, an Elder and warrior of the Wiradjuri people, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his work to reconstruct the Wiradjuri language.

Dr Grant, his late brother Pastor Cec Grant and Dr John Rudder have collaborated for more than 30 years to re-teach their language from a small base of anthropological records.

They produced language resources including a dictionary, children’s books, song books and university texts.

Lois Peeler, a Yorta Yorta and Wurundjeri woman, was named Female Elder of the year.

In the 1960s, Dr Peeler became Australia’s first Aboriginal model, before joining the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander singing group the Sapphires.

Committee Co-Chair Shannan Dodson said the returning annual awards showcase some of Australia's finest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievers, trailblazers and leaders, noting "after a two-year hiatus, it brought me immense joy to see so many well-deserving First Nations leaders who are recognised by their communities, now elevated onto the national stage.

"There is so much to be proud of in seeing this year's winners receive their accolades and I look forward to them being celebrated as a part of NAIDOC history," she said.

This year's NAIDOC Week theme is ‘Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!’, which celebrates the history of fighting for progress and urges all Australians to continue to push for systemic change.

Other award recipients include actor, musician and activist Uncle Jack Charles and two-time premiership-winning AFL player Lance Franklin.

NAIDOC Award winners 2022:

• Person of the Year - Ash Barty AO

• Lifetime Achievement Award - Dr Stanley Grant Snr AM

• Female Elder Award - Dr Lois Peeler AM

• Male Elder Award - Uncle Jack Charles

• Sportsperson Award - Buddy Franklin

• Youth Award - Elijah Manis

• Creative Talent Award - Lowell Hunter

• Caring for Country and Culture Award - Walter Jackson

• Education Award - Professor Bronwyn Fredericks

• Innovation Award - The Koori Mail newspaper

More than 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been honoured by the awards since its inception in 1985.