The National NAIDOC Committee is proud to announce the National NAIDOC Week Award winners for 2023.  

This year, the committee has received almost 200 nominations from across the continent, and all award categories.  

“The NAIDOC Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of all the incredible finalists and nominees,” said Hon Linda Burney MP, Minister for Indigenous Australians. 

Under the new format, the National NAIDOC Committee (NNC) had the difficult task of determining three finalists, and one winner in each award category, and the Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Aunty Dr Naomi Mayers OAM.   

This year’s finalists and winners all embody the essence of the 2023 NAIDOC Week theme – For Our Elders. Many of this year’s winners are Elders themselves or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people coming from the strong grounding, teachings, and advocacy of their own Elders. 

“This year, we are pleased to be able to celebrate and share the achievements of so many more First Nations people by not only recognising winners in each category but also finalists,” said Aunty (Dr) Lynette Riley AO, National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair. 

The 2023 National NAIDOC Awards winners are: 

• Lifetime Achievement Award – Aunty Dr Naomi Mayers OAM 
• Person of the Year Award – Professor Kelvin Kong 
• Female Elder Award – Aunty Dr Matilda House-Williams 
• Male Elder Award – William Tilmouth 
• Sportsperson Award – Donnell Wallam 
• Youth Award – Courtney Burns 
• Creative Talent Award – Rachel Perkins 
• Caring for Country and Culture Award – Lala Gutchen 

“I want to congratulate all nominees, finalists and winners who were recognised tonight, in particular, the eight Queenslanders recognised,” said Hon Leeanne Enoch MP, Queensland Minister for Treaty and Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships. 

Photo by: NAIDOC Week, Via flickr.