Minister Suzanne Orr
ACT Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith
ACT Minister for Health and Mental Health
Maurice Walker
Chairperson, ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body
The ACT Government and the ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body acknowledge and honour the extraordinary leadership of Aunty Pat Turner AM as she concludes her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) and Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks.
A proud Gudanji–Arrernte woman, Aunty Pat has been one of the most influential national leaders in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs for more than five decades. Her leadership has shaped policy, strengthened the Aboriginal community-controlled sector and driven structural reform in the relationship between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aunty Pat began her public service career in the Commonwealth Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 1972, later moving to Canberra where she spent much of her professional life contributing to national policy and reform. Her work has left an enduring mark on the institutions and partnerships that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities today.
She broke new ground as the first Aboriginal woman to lead a Commonwealth government agency when she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). This achievement was a landmark moment in the history of the Australian Public Service and created a pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leadership at the highest levels of government.
As Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks, Aunty Pat played a pivotal role in negotiating the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, establishing a historic partnership between Australian governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community‑controlled organisations. As Co‑Chair of the Joint Council on Closing the Gap, she worked with governments across the country to embed shared decision-making and structural reform into national policy.
Through her leadership at NACCHO, headquartered here in Canberra, Aunty Pat strengthened the national voice of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and championed the importance of sustained investment in community‑led primary healthcare. Her advocacy has reinforced the importance of culturally safe, community‑controlled services and supported the growth of the sector across Australia, including the ACT.
Aunty Pat also played a key leadership role in coordinating the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID‑19 response, supporting early protective measures and culturally informed public health responses that helped protect communities across the country.
Throughout her life Aunty Pat has championed the principle that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold the knowledge, strength and solutions to determine their own futures. Her work has advanced that principle through policy reform, community leadership and national advocacy.
Her legacy is profound. She leaves behind stronger national institutions, a more accountable framework for governments through the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, and a generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders inspired by her example.
We thank Aunty Pat Turner AM for her extraordinary service, her courage in shaping national reform and her enduring commitment to community.
Her legacy will continue to guide and inspire the next generation of leaders.
Minister Suzanne Orr
ACT Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith
ACT Minister for Health and Mental Health
Ministers Suzanne Orr and Rachel Stephen-Smith also delivered adjournment speeches in the ACT Legislative Assembly acknowledging Aunty Pat Turner’s retirement on Tuesday 17 March 2026.
Maurice Walker
Chairperson, ACT Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body
