Dick Estens Explained

Dick Estens
Birth Date:1949
Birth Place:Gilgandra, New South Wales
Known For:Cotton growing
Aboriginal reconciliation
Education:All Saints College, Bathurst
Party:The Nationals
Boards:Aboriginal Employment Strategy
Reconciliation Australia
Moree Plains Health Service
Barwon Health Service
Gwydir Valley Cotton Growers Association
Awards:HREOC Human Rights Medal (2004)
Rural Leader of the Year (2000)

Richard Lucas Estens (born 1949 in Gilgandra, New South Wales) is an Australian cotton farmer and businessman.[1] [2]

Early life

Estens was born in Gilgandra and was brought up on a property close to the town. He was educated at All Saints College in Bathurst. After leaving school early he became an aircraft pilot.[3]

Cotton farming

In 1981, Estens started farming cotton on a property near Moree.[4]

Public life

Aboriginal Employment Strategy

In 1997, with the support of the Gwydir Valley Cotton Growers Association, Estens established the Aboriginal Employment Strategy with the goal of providing support for Aboriginal people in Moree who were looking to enter the job market.[5] One of the motivations behind the establishment of the AES was a recommendation from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody that employment promotion committees be established across the country.[6] [7]

Estens Report

The Howard government commissioned Estens to head the "Regional Telecommunications Inquiry" into the proposed sale of Telstra. In late 2002 he delivered what became known as the Estens Report to the government.[8]

Recognition

In 2004 Estens was awarded the Human Rights Medal by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.[9] [10]

Estens was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 2009.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ESTENS, Richard Lucas. It's an Honour. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . 2009-08-28.
  2. Web site: Dick Estens' Biography . Aboriginal Employment Strategy . 2009-08-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090914122529/http://aboriginalemploymentstrategy.com.au/about_us_dickbio.htm . 14 September 2009 .
  3. News: Bush telegraph. https://archive.today/20121211055606/http://www.smh.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2002/09/27/1032734325593.html. dead. 11 December 2012. 28 September 2002. Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-08-28.
  4. Web site: Cotton Australia Media Release: Cotton Industry Shines At Annual Awards - 17/08/2009. 17 August 2009. Cotton Australia. 2009-08-28.
  5. News: Growers divide over monopoly export power. Lewis. Daniel. 15 February 2006. Sydney Morning Herald. 2009-08-28.
  6. Web site: How we Began . Aboriginal Employment Strategy . 2009-08-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080919143832/http://www.aboriginalemploymentstrategy.com.au/Page.aspx?category=1&element=17 . 19 September 2008 .
  7. News: Jobs For Our Mob. https://archive.today/20130204084940/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1135479,00.html. dead. 4 February 2013. Dusevic. Tom. 28 November 2005. Time magazine. 2009-08-31.
  8. News: Estens report on Telstra released. Kirk. Alexandra. 8 November 2002. PM. ABC Radio. 2009-08-28.
  9. Web site: 2004 Human Rights Medal and Awards. Australian Human Rights Commission. 2009-08-28. https://web.archive.org/web/20090921020119/http://hreoc.gov.au/about/hr_awards/2004.html. 21 September 2009. dead.
  10. News: Dick Estens recognised for his work with remote Aboriginal communities. Geoghegan. Andrew . 10 December 2004. The World Today. ABC Radio. 2009-08-28.