Neville Thomas Bonner     By Justin H, Annika C, Alicia W, Tegan B!

Introduction 

Neville Thomas Bonner was born  on the 28th of March, 1922. In Tweed Head, New South Wales at the mouth of a river. His mother was an aboriginal but his father was an English man who went back to England before Neville was born. He also has a brother called Jimmy. He had only one year of formal education, and worked in all sorts of odd jobs along the way to become Australia's first Aboriginal to enter federal politics.                                  

Neville Bonner 

Illustration By Annika

In 1943 Neville met Mona Banfield and they lived on Palm Island for sixteen years, along with their five sons. During this time, Neville took an interest in changing the way in which Aboriginals lived. In 1967, Neville left Palm Island, and joined OPAL,  (One People of Australia League ). OPAL helped Aboriginals with housing, welfare and education. A big breakthrough came that year. A referendum changed the way Aboriginals were treated. At this time, Neville thought it was time to enter politics, so he joined the Queensland Liberal Party. In 1969 he was nominated as Senate in the federal elections, but was unsuccessful. In 1971, Neville Thomas Bonner was appointed by the Liberal Party to fill a vacancy in the Senate. In August he was sworn in as Australia's first Aboriginal Senator. 

Illustrated By Annika 

For twelve years Senator Bonner represented his people and helped to change the Aboriginal rights. He was always honest and never let anger dominate his personality.  In 1972 Neville was remarried to Heather Ryan. She had worked along side him for many years and was still one of his greatest supporters.

 

 

Neville continued to speak out on situations that divided black and white Australian's. He was named Australian of the Year in 1979. In 1983 he resigned from the job as Senator and stood as an independent candidate, but failed to win a seat.

In 1998 Neville was told he was dying of lung cancer, but he vowed to continue his work.

Neville Thomas Bonner died of lung cancer at Ipswich, Queensland, on the 5th of February. He was seventy-six when he died. A funeral chant in his language was included in the state funeral held for him.