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Venue: Amora Hotel 649 Bridge Road, Richmond Saturday 25 November 2023 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm The Dinner Commemorates and Celebrates the 169th Anniversary of the 1854 Eureka Events with the presentation of the Eureka Democracy Award. The 2023 Eureka Democracy Award will be presented during the evening to Hugh de Kretser, the Chief Executive of the Yoorrook Justice Commission & former Executive Director of the Human Rights Law Centre. 
THE 2023 EUREKA DEMOCRACY AWARDEE: |
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| During Hugh’s time as Executive Director of the Human Rights Law Centre from 2013 – 2022 the organisation’s activities and size grew substantially. Under Hugh’s leadership, the organisation:
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Hugh’s current appointment as Chief Executive of the Yoorrook Justice Commission is a recognition of his leadership ability. The Commission is of great historical importance as it is the first formal truth-telling process into injustices experienced by First Nations people, looking into both historical and ongoing effects.
On accepting the role Hugh commented: “This history and these truths must become everyone’s history and everyone’s truths if we are to create a shared understanding and achieve real change. I look forward to working with Yoorrook commissioners and staff to continue to build this historic truth-telling process.”
His previous appointments include Commissioner of the Victorian Law Reform Commission 2008 – 2012 and Manager of the Brimbank–Melton Community Legal Centre 2004 -2007. And he is the 4th son of David de Kretser, former Governor of Victoria (2006–2011).
On accepting the role Hugh commented: “This history and these truths must become everyone’s history and everyone’s truths if we are to create a shared understanding and achieve real change. I look forward to working with Yoorrook commissioners and staff to continue to build this historic truth-telling process.”
His previous appointments include Commissioner of the Victorian Law Reform Commission 2008 – 2012 and Manager of the Brimbank–Melton Community Legal Centre 2004 -2007. And he is the 4th son of David de Kretser, former Governor of Victoria (2006–2011).
GUEST SPEAKER: BERNARD COLLAERY
| Bernard Collaery has had an interesting life. He has been an ACT politician and Attorney General, and First Secretary in the Australian Embassy in France. He has been a highly respected lawyer always prepared to take on cases where the defendant was not getting a fair go. He helped Timor Leste establish democracy after the Indonesians left the country in a state of abject poverty. In June 2018, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions charged Bernard under the National Security Information (NSI) Act with disclosing protected intelligence information. The case related to the Australian- East Timor spying scandal where the Australian government illegally bugged Timor-Leste Government offices. This was done to gain a commercial advantage over the carve-up of the resourcerich Timor Sea. Bernard’s only crime was to represent whistle-blower witness K and to bring the Government’s behaviour to international scrutiny. In July 2022, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus waived all charges against Bernard Collaery. Until this happened he had endured 59 Court appearances held in secret, and faced the potential of a long prison sentence. This was extremely stressful - for 4 years he was unable to practice law. And his ordeal calls into question the accountability of unscrupulous people in power, and how our intelligence service can hide the truth in the guise of “protecting national security”. Bernard wrote a book about this case Oil Under Troubled Water: Australia’s Timor Sea Intrigue published by Melbourne University Press. The publicity for the book said “Charged, with Witness K, for allegedly breaching the Intelligence Services Act, Bernard Collaery provides the whole sordid backstory to Australian politics ‘biggest scandal’”. Copies of the book will be available on the night to purchase for the price of $36. Bernard has proven he is a determined fighter for justice, and he will tell you how some powerful politicians and public servants will do anything to hide the truth. |  |
TICKETS: $85 each, Tables of 10 - $850
Bookings essential - Contact the Secretary Peter Gavin 0417 135 373 or email: committee@eurekaaustralia.org.au
Payment by cheque/ mail Eureka Australia, 6 Gibbons Street, Sunbury 3429
Payment via EFT to BSB 704191 account 90789 (please put your name as the reference on the transaction)
www.eurekaaustralia.org.au
Bookings essential - Contact the Secretary Peter Gavin 0417 135 373 or email: committee@eurekaaustralia.org.au
Payment by cheque/ mail Eureka Australia, 6 Gibbons Street, Sunbury 3429
Payment via EFT to BSB 704191 account 90789 (please put your name as the reference on the transaction)
www.eurekaaustralia.org.au
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