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Sue Gordon is the newest member of the IEP Board - joining in February 2010.
Sue was taken from her mother aged 4 years in 1947 under Government policies relating
to part-Aboriginal children. Her family found her over 30 years later.
She has served time in the defence forces as a full-time soldier, worked around Australia
in various administrative positions and worked for over 14 years in the Pilbara region of Western
Australia, for Aboriginal people.
She is a frequent guest speaker on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal people,
family violence and child abuse.
She was appointed Commissioner of Aboriginal Planning in Western Australia in 1986, making her the first
Aboriginal person in WA to head a Government department. She was appointed a Magistrate of the Children's
court of WA in 1988, making her the first Aboriginal Magistrate in WA. Sue retired in September 2008
under Western Australian law at age 65 years and she had served over 20 years.
She was one of the first appointed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Commissioners
in 1990, has sat on various boards and committees around Australia and is a member of a wide range of organisations.
She was awarded an Order of Australia - the Australia Medal - in 1993 for her work with Aboriginal people
and the community generally.
She was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 and the Defence Service Medal in 2006.
Sue has a Bachelor of Law from the University of Western Australia, which she completed as a mature-aged student
and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2003 (also by the University of Western Australia) for her
services to the community and Aboriginal people.
In 2001, Sue became the Chairperson of the Sister Kate's Children 1934 to 1953 Aboriginal Corporation.
In 2002 she was the Chairperson of the Inquiry into Response by Government Agencies to Complaints
of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities in Western Australia, otherwise known
as the Gordon Inquiry.
In 2004 Sue was appointed as Chairperson of the National Indigenous Council (NIC) under the Howard
Government (the Council ceased under the Rudd Government in December 2007).
In 2006 she was appointed as a Member of the council of the Order of Australia and was recently
re-appointed by the Rudd Government for a further two years.
In June 2007 she was appointed as Chairperson of the Prime Minister Howard's Northern Territory
Emergency Response Taskforce for a period of 12 months.
In December 2008 she was appointed to the Western Australian State Training Board for a period of three years.
In February 2009 Sue was appointed to the Western Australian Indigenous Implementation board for a period of one year.
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