SISTER Anne Gardiner FDNSC (Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart), sister congregation of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSC) is the winner of the 2017 Senior Australian of the Year. She has spent over 50 of her 63 years as a Religious working for the Tiwi people on and around Bathurst Island. She is now 85 years young and used her acceptance speech to call for greater recognition of Australia’s indigenous peoples.
She regrets that many Australians do not find ways to accommodate cultures like those of the Tiwi people. “My hope is that this will be redressed in my lifetime.” “It is of paramount importance that those responsible for policy development consult with the relevant persons and groups among our First People, so that policies may recognise and appropriately include their language and cultures, particularly in areas such as leadership, education and employment.”
Sister has done this since arriving on Bathurst Island in 1953. It is an honour to be associated with Sister Anne and to be so close to her through the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart as an MSC myself. Congratulations Anne.