Queensland Government
Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services

Pictured: Aunty Ruth Hegarty

Queensland Great Aunty Ruth Hegarty, 81, has pursued social justice for Indigenous people for most of her life, most recently as spokesperson for the Stolen Wages campaign. She invests great time and faith in children.

Q. You wear many hats in community. Is there a favourite?

The most important to me is my work through Binambi Barambah and its school holiday camps and junior leadership programs, because they involve children. I have a background of being part of the Stolen Generations. Children have a need to be loved, taught and appreciated; not grow up knowing only discipline and punishment. They should be allowed to play and compete with one another freely. We encourage this in all the games they play and we give them encouragement. It’s one of the things I love to do.

Q. Respect is important too…

Absolutely, I encourage respect for Elders — three Elders usually come on camp — respect for land, respect for one another and respect for oneself.

Q. Tell us about the importance of the junior leaders.

They’re 14 to 16 and we’re teaching them responsibility and respect and leadership. PriceWaterhouseCoopers sponsors their training. They stay on at school and get leadership experience providing good role models for the younger ones.

Q. When you left the Cherbourg dormitory, women told you to stay quiet. It’s hard to imagine you as a wallflower.

(Laughs.) I was never a wallflower! I’m a public speaker, I was born to be. And I am a preacher: an
Old Testament buff. Faith is at my core. Christian faith and Aboriginal spirituality.

Q. You have a huge family of your own: eight children and 81 young ones of theirs. What do you hope you’ve passed on to them?

I have never accepted failure. If you fail, that is not reason to give up. It is, instead, an opportunity to recharge and try again.

Q. What are your immediate future plans?

I am reworking a manuscript [Aunty Ruth is the author of two books Is that you Ruthie?  and Bittersweet Journey ], and preparing for the summer camp activities in January.