Uncle Joel Wright

Uncle Joel Wright is a humble leader who has dedicated his life to culture and language. He has worked in construction, media, education, industrial relations, community and all levels of government. He is a published author, accomplished broadcaster and strategic manager.

Uncle Joel grew up in Fitzroy, raised by his mother Aunty Lorraine Patten, or Aunty Bunta. In his early years, the family moved around the country to stop him being taken away. Uncle Joel remembers attending 17 different primary schools across 5 states before attending high school. His mother’s commitment to enrolling him in school allowed welfare authorities to locate them whenever they moved. Despite this, Uncle Joel excelled in education and won a Commonwealth Government scholarship in high school. The following year Uncle Joel dropped out of high school after a racist teacher was discovered tampering with his Higher School Certificate test marks, which forced the NSW Department of Education to amend his results.

After leaving high school, Uncle Joel secured an apprenticeship with Concrete Constructions and worked on the Westmead hospital site in Sydney. He returned to Melbourne where he completed his apprenticeship with the then Civil Aviation Authority in Essendon. Uncle Joel was nominated for the Victorian Apprentice of Year for outstanding results at Preston Technical College.

He then moved to Echuca, where he worked with the local Aboriginal community organisation to establish a housing maintenance program. Uncle Joel was the foreman to a team of 5 community members providing maintenance for Aboriginal family housing from Shepparton to Mildura. During this time, he and his cousin established the original Koorie Connection radio program at 3CCC FM in Harcourt near Bendigo.

By the late 1980s, Uncle Joel was the producer and presenter of The Koorie Connection talkback show at 3RRR FM. Here he created opportunities for people in prison to learn about radio. In 1988, he assisted Uncle Archie Roach with his first live concert booking and recording deal with Mushroom records.

He was also the inaugural producer for the ABC radio show and lobbied for the establishment of the Radio National arts and culture program Awaye! Both flagship programs have now been running for over 30 years.

While he was working at ABC Radio, Uncle Joel won the Best New Current Affairs Program award in 2001. One of his memorable moments at the ABC was interviewing rock and roll legend Suzie Quatro. He also started a Bachelor degree in Indigenous Broadcasting at Charles Sturt University (CSU). Uncle Joel undertook statewide research to rewrite aspects of police training and operational procedures with the aim of improving relations with Aboriginal communities in NSW.

After working in radio, Uncle Joel moved into language and education. In 2000, he was employed as the first state manager for the Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages (VACL). Uncle Joel secured funding that provided VACL with state-of-the-art technology to better manage and share Aboriginal language resources across the state.

Uncle Joel spent nearly 10 years working at the National Tertiary Education Union to improve university policy for Indigenous people. Two of his most significant achievements are the establishment of the national Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council and the abolition of tens of millions of dollars of Indigenous student debt. He was also responsible for negotiating improved employment pathways and conditions for Indigenous staff in 40 Australian universities. In 2002, he was elected as the Indigenous member for the Australian Council of Trade Unions and Chair of the Indigenous committee.

After working for the union, Uncle Joel moved to the Victorian Aboriginal Education Association Incorporated (VAEAI) as a Wurreker broker. This provided him the opportunity to work on Country and reconnect with his community and culture after nearly 30 years. This was a turning point for Uncle Joel and he decided that he would remain on Country and work for his community. He subsequently left VAEAI and rejoined VACL. He negotiated the establishment of a formal qualification for teaching endangered Victorian Aboriginal languages in schools. He also received funding from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet for the development and delivery of cultural curriculum in early childhood centres.

Uncle Joel lobbied for language programs to be included in the Victorian Aboriginal Affairs Framework and helped local and state governments use First Nations placenames across Victoria. Using First Nations placenames helps make the culture visible to everyone and reminds non-Aboriginal people that this land always was and will always be Aboriginal land. Uncle Joel is passionate about helping Aboriginal people and communities reconnect to culture and Country through language. He believes that languages are the embodiment of cultural knowledge and are foundational to Aboriginal identities.

Uncle Joel is dedicated to cultural safety and combating racism in the workplace. He promotes reconciliation and anti- racism by providing cultural competency consulting and training services to corporations and governments across Australia. Through this work, Uncle Joel continues to make safer workplaces and increase employment and business opportunities for First Nations people in Victoria and nationally. Uncle Joel is also Chair of the Advisory and Investment Committee of the Self-Determination Fund, helping to build a self-determined economic foundation for Traditional Owners in Victoria.

Uncle Joel is a proud dad to his kids, Illana, Jarrod and Leeyn. In his spare time, Uncle Joel is a keen photographer. He loves taking beautiful landscape photos and has won an award for his pictures. Whether he is in a boardroom or on Country, Uncle Joel is working for culture, reconciliation and the future of First Nations.