Recipients of this year’s Cr Pat Dixon Memorial Trust Scholarships, supporting First Nations people in councils, were announced at the recent 2024 NSW Local Government Week Awards.

This year’s awardees are Kiama Municipal Council’s Cr Stuart Larkins, Central Darling Shire’s Roxanne Kennedy, and Hawkesbury City Council’s Hayden Jones.

The annual scholarships were established in honour of Cr Pat Dixon, a Dhanggati woman who became the first Aboriginal woman elected to local government in Australia. The scholarships are offered through the Pat Dixon Memorial Scholarship Trust to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander councillors and staff with financial assistance for further study, research, or professional development.

They aim to inspire more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to work in local government and represent their communities, while providing opportunities to build technical and leadership skills to mentor their peers and promote First Nations in culture in local government.

Councillor Larkins said, “It’s a great privilege to receive the Cr Pat Dixon Memorial Scholarship. Cr Dixon was a pioneer for Aboriginal people in local government, being elected to Armidale Council in 1983 and a Labor member. Receiving the scholarship in remembering Cr Dixon means a lot to me, as an Aboriginal councillor, continuing and paving the way for Aboriginal people who contribute to the work of local government and the community.”  

“The scholarship will assist with studies, undertaking a Master of Public Policy at the University of Canberra, which will assist with developing new skills and knowledge of public policy. 

“I believe that education and professional development are lifelong, as it does not start and end at school and I’m always trying to learn new things.”

“Local government is the closest form of government to the community. I’m driven by a passion to help people, and I believe local government should be able to work for everyone. As the first Aboriginal person elected to Kiama Council, I’ve been really pleased to advocate for local reconciliation and for greater awareness of our shared history and culture both in Kiama and along NSW South Coast,” said Councillor Larkins.

Local Government NSW (LGNSW) President and scholarship trustee Cr Darriea Turley AM congratulated this year’s recipients.

Cr Turley said it was only the second time that three scholarships had been awarded in a single year, which demonstrated the wealth of talent coming through council ranks. “We could not have chosen better recipients to honour the legacy of Cr Pat Dixon, who has left such an amazing legacy for not only her people, but for women in the local government sector,” Cr Turley said.

“It’s incredibly important to support all the promising people working for the communities through their local council.

“We need to back the next generation, particularly those individuals who help ensure that our councils reflect the rich and diverse communities they serve.”

“It’s fabulous that the Trust in her name is helping to foster the careers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the local government sector.”

Cr Dixon’s family member and Scholarship Trustee, Warren Roberts, commended this year’s recipients and said he was proud of Cr Dixon’s achievements and the important work she continues to inspire.

“I look forward to seeing their work in local government continue to inspire future generations of First Nations people to look towards representing and working for their communities, in the closest level of government to the community,” Mr Roberts said.

“As a member of Aunty Pat’s family, I am thrilled to see her legacy growing in recognition through the presentation of the scholarship in her name at the Local Government awards night.

“She was a trail blazer for women and Aboriginal people, and she continues to inspire people to enter careers in local government and politics,” he said.

Recipients of the Scholarships are determined by four trustees: Local Government Aboriginal Network President, Cr Dominic Wy Kanak; Cr Trish Frail of Brewarrina Shire Council, Mr Warren Roberts, a family representative of the late Pat Dixon, and the LGNSW President Cr Darriea Turley AM.

All successful applicants plan to use their new skills at their respective councils for the betterment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their communities and in the local government sector.