PM Julia Gillard, Ms Ronni Kahn (2010 Australian Local Hero), Mr Waleed Aly (Victoria Local Hero 2011), Mary Victor O’Reeri (WA Local Hero 2011), Sen Const Ian Edwards (Tasmania Local Hero 2011), Ms Djapirri Mununggirritj (NT Local Hero 2011) Forecourt, Parliament House - Canberra, 25 January 2011
Mary Victor O’Reeri lives in the Billard and Beagle Bay Aboriginal communities in the remote north-west Kimberley region of Western Australia.
In February-March 2010 Mary travelled to New York as part of the Australian Government delegation to the 54th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
In May 2010 Mary delivered a TED Talk at the invitation of TEDx Sydney. Here is a sketch of Mary’s talk created by a member of the audience as she was speaking on the TEDx stage:
TEDx interviewer Craig Reucassel with TEDx presenters speakers Michael Cathcart, Mary Victor O'Reeri, Michael Kirby
In October 2010 Mary travelled to Rome to attend the Canonisation of Mary McKillop. Along with Robert Dann also of the Kimberley, Mary danced in a vigil celeberation preceding the Papal Mass as part of a prayerful introduction to the story ofMary’s life.
Robert Dann and Mary Victor O'Reeri (Rome, 2010) Photo credit: Graham Mundine (ACM)
“After Mary Victor O’Reeri’s two brothers died from suicide two years apart, she decided to take action. Through her work as a primary school teacher, grandmother and foster carer Mary knew that the solution lay in collective effort. In 2009, Mary convened the inaugural Blank Page Summit in her remote community at Billard in the North West Kimberley. Her goal was to stop the epidemic of suicide by Indigenous people through inviting individuals with the will and capacity to effect fundamental and lasting change to live and work together for five days and create an action plan. People came to the Summit from communities across Australia representing fields as diverse as child protection, land management, justice, mental health, sport and recreation, counseling, education, disability, academia, government, politics and a range of community-led initiatives. The results were immediate and tangible as people focused on creating ‘suicide proof’ communities in the wake of the Summit. In 2010 the Blank Page Summit focused on the conversations (‘hard yarns’) people need to have to improve attitudes and relationships, particularly where there are intractable social problems that defy orthodox problem solving strategies. Mary’s work demonstrates the profound impact of grass roots initiative and leadership in resolving trauma and preserving life.”
Australia Day 2011 Award nominees and recipients from Western Australia with WA Governor Ken Michael AC, Hon John Castrilli, Chair Adam Gilchrist AM (November 2010)
Mary is married to Nelson O’Reeri and together they take pride in all the paths their children and grandchildren are taking through life.
For Mary, positive and lasting change is only our collective effort away.
Mary Victor O’Reeri
PM Julia Gillard, Ms Ronni Kahn (2010 Australian Local Hero), Mr Waleed Aly (Victoria Local Hero 2011), Mary Victor O’Reeri (WA Local Hero 2011), Sen Const Ian Edwards (Tasmania Local Hero 2011), Ms Djapirri Mununggirritj (NT Local Hero 2011) Forecourt, Parliament House - Canberra, 25 January 2011
Mary Victor O’Reeri lives in the Billard and Beagle Bay Aboriginal communities in the remote north-west Kimberley region of Western Australia.
In February-March 2010 Mary travelled to New York as part of the Australian Government delegation to the 54th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
In May 2010 Mary delivered a TED Talk at the invitation of TEDx Sydney. Here is a sketch of Mary’s talk created by a member of the audience as she was speaking on the TEDx stage:
TEDx interviewer Craig Reucassel with TEDx presenters speakers Michael Cathcart, Mary Victor O'Reeri, Michael Kirby
In October 2010 Mary travelled to Rome to attend the Canonisation of Mary McKillop. Along with Robert Dann also of the Kimberley, Mary danced in a vigil celeberation preceding the Papal Mass as part of a prayerful introduction to the story of Mary’s life.
Robert Dann and Mary Victor O'Reeri (Rome, 2010) Photo credit: Graham Mundine (ACM)
In November 2010 Mary was named WA’s Local Hero as part of the Australia Day Council Awards – this is how Mary’s contribution was described by the Australia Day Council:
“After Mary Victor O’Reeri’s two brothers died from suicide two years apart, she decided to take action. Through her work as a primary school teacher, grandmother and foster carer Mary knew that the solution lay in collective effort. In 2009, Mary convened the inaugural Blank Page Summit in her remote community at Billard in the North West Kimberley. Her goal was to stop the epidemic of suicide by Indigenous people through inviting individuals with the will and capacity to effect fundamental and lasting change to live and work together for five days and create an action plan. People came to the Summit from communities across Australia representing fields as diverse as child protection, land management, justice, mental health, sport and recreation, counseling, education, disability, academia, government, politics and a range of community-led initiatives. The results were immediate and tangible as people focused on creating ‘suicide proof’ communities in the wake of the Summit. In 2010 the Blank Page Summit focused on the conversations (‘hard yarns’) people need to have to improve attitudes and relationships, particularly where there are intractable social problems that defy orthodox problem solving strategies. Mary’s work demonstrates the profound impact of grass roots initiative and leadership in resolving trauma and preserving life.”
Australia Day 2011 Award nominees and recipients from Western Australia with WA Governor Ken Michael AC, Hon John Castrilli, Chair Adam Gilchrist AM (November 2010)
Mary is married to Nelson O’Reeri and together they take pride in all the paths their children and grandchildren are taking through life.
For Mary, positive and lasting change is only our collective effort away.
Snapshot of Mary’s speeches