Ruby Hammond | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1936 |
| Died | 16 April 1993(1993-04-16) (aged 56–57) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Aboriginal rights activist |
Ruby Florence HammondPSM (1936 - 16 April 1993) was an AustralianIndigenous rights campaigner and the firstIndigenous South Australian to seek election to theFederal Parliament.[1][2]
Hammond was born in 1936 inBlackford, an independentAboriginal community on the south-east coast ofSouth Australia, and was a member of theTanganekald group of theNgarrindjeri people ofthe Coorong.[1][3] Ruby obtained school certificate in 1952 but the tough conditions at work in a shop made her touch racism against her.[4]
At the age of 32 she became a member of theCouncil of Aboriginal Women of South Australia and was active throughout the 1970s and 1980s in the pursuit of equal rights for Aboriginal people, including professional roles at theAboriginal Legal Rights Movement,[1][2] the Department of Personnel and Industrial Relations and theNational Women's Consultative Council (successor to the National Women's Advisory Council, later Australian Council for Women[5]).[3] She acted as a consultant to the 1977Australian Law Reform Commission into Aboriginal Customary Laws which considered whether it was desirable to apply Aboriginal customary law to Aboriginals.[6] The commission's report outlined Aboriginal customary laws were not generally recognised by general Australian law, yet were a significant influence on Aboriginal people.[7] The report recommended that Aboriginal people should have the final say in the recognition of customary law.[7]
Hammond was appointed by theWhitlam Government to the Australian National Advisory Committee on International Women's year (1975).[8][9]In 1980, Hammond advocated for a treaty which recognised Aboriginalsovereignty. Speaking as representative for the Aboriginal Land Rights Support Group, Hammond argued "we are the national minority; it is a treaty between two nations. The government must agree and recognise that we were here first".[10]
In 1988, she ran in theby-election for the Federal seat ofPort Adelaide, becoming the first Indigenous South Australian to do so.[2]
In 1990, Hammond was appointed Head of the Aboriginal Issues Unit for theRoyal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Hammond served as Aboriginal Coordinator for the South Australian Department of Arts and Cultural Heritage from 1991 to 1993. In 1991, she joined with singerArchie Roach to publicly demand an inquiry into theStolen Generations.[11] In January 1993 Hammond was awarded theAustralian Public Service Medal, which was presented to her by Her Excellency theGovernor of South Australia, DameRoma Mitchell.[2] She received a posthumous award for equal opportunity achievement in 1993.[2]
In 2002 an artwork recognising Hammond's contributions to the advancement ofIndigenous Australians was included inReconciliation Place,Canberra.[12] The artwork was designed by "Munnari" John Hammond, her son.[12]
Theelectoral district of Hammond in South Australia is named in recognition of her contributions.[13] Her name is also inscribed on thePort Adelaide Workers Memorial.[13]
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