Graham (Polly) Farmer MBE
Dr Sue Gordon AM
Graham (Polly) Farmer MBE
Patron Patron
From humble beginnings at Sister Kate's Home – an orphanage for children of Aboriginal descent – Graham (Polly) Farmer rose to become one of Australian Rules Football's greatest players.
Graham played 392 league games between 1952-71 and won two Sandover Medals. He was 10 times his club's fairest and best player.
He was the first footballer to be named as a Member of the British Empire (MBE).
'I was fortunate in being successful in football. Now I want to put something back into helping young Australian people achieve their aspirations in sport and education.'
Patron
Born near Meekatharra, Sue Gordon, like Graham Farmer, was raised at Sister Kate's Orphanage in Perth. After raising her family, Sue studied Law and in 1988 was the first full-time magistrate appointed to the Perth Children's Court and the first Aboriginal magistrate in WA.
In 2000, she was appointed as Chairperson of the 'Inquiry into Response by Government Agencies to Complaints of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities' known as the ‘Gordon Inquiry'.
Dr. Gordon was appointed as Chairperson of the National Indigenous Council in 2004, a position she held until 2008. In 2003 she received an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters (Hon. DLitt) from the University of Western Australia. In 2009 she was appointed to the Indigenous Implementation Board of Western Australia.
