About Ken

The Hon Ken Wyatt AM JP served as the Member for Hasluck in the Federal Parliament from 2010 to 2022. 

 He was the first Indigenous Australian elected to the House of Representatives, first Indigenous Australian appointed the Executive Council, to the Commonwealth Ministry and the first Aboriginal Australian to serve in Cabinet when he was appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians (2019-2022). 

 Serving as Australia’s first Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken was able to secure the historic National Agreement on Closing the Gap and established the Indigenous Voice. 

 Ken also pioneered the National Roadmap on Indigenous Skills, Jobs and Wealth Creation and was instrumental in the Commonwealth Government securing the copyright to the Aboriginal Flag. 

 

As the Member for Hasluck, Ken won four consecutive elections (2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019) making him the longest serving Member for the electorate. 

In his first term of Parliament, he was appointed as a member of the Expert Panel on the Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians, Member House Of Representatives Standing Committee On Health And Ageing and Deputy Chair and member of the Parliamentary Joint Committee On Human Rights Committee.

He also served as Co-Chair of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Member Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, Member Cabinet Sub Committee; Indigenous Policy

Ken also served as Minister for Aged Care, Minister for Indigenous Health and Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians

Before entering politics, he worked in health, education and Aboriginal Affairs public service roles in WA and NSW.

 

Not only has Ken had an extensive career in health, education, Aboriginal Affairs and Aboriginal Land issues he has also made an enormous contribution to the wider community.

This was recognised in 1996 when he was awarded the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list and in 2000 the Centenary of Federation Medal for ‘his efforts and contribution to improving the quality of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and mainstream Australian society in education and health.