I am saddened to hear of the death of Uncle Jimmy Wright, who passed away in Newcastle this week.

I had the privilege to meet Uncle Jimmy and I know his guidance and inspiration will be missed in many communities across NSW, particularly in the Hunter and Many Rivers regions.

Uncle Jimmy was an instrumental figure in shaping the Hunter region and advancing the cause and position of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

He helped to establish a number of key Aboriginal organisations in Newcastle and represented his community on several organisations that provided advice to the NSW Government on issues such as Aboriginal health and housing, the environment and justice.

He was also an ATSIC Commissioner for the Many Rivers Region.

Uncle Jimmy was the first chief executive of the Awabakal Aboriginal Cooperative and the inaugural Chair of Yarnteen Ltd, an organisation that led the way in advancing Aboriginal economic development and built an impressive portfolio of assets in the Hunter. 

Uncle Jimmy’s passion for sport led to him to establish the Yowies Sporting Association and perhaps his greatest personal achievement was the Yowies rugby league team winning the annual NSW Aboriginal Knock Out in 2012 and 2013.

He dedicated his life to improving the lives of Indigenous people and was greatly respected for his strong family values and commitment to his community.

I offer my condolences to his wife Gwen, children and extended family.