Honoured

Laurie Horgan, Pat and Terry O'Shane, Pat Geraghty, Mrs O'Shane and Paddy Crumlin

Terry O'Shane shipped out of Darwin in 1969, working on the tender vessels to the oil rigs in the Bonaparte Gulf, before returning to his home town of Cairns to work on the coastal traders to Thursday Island and Weipa.

He also shipped on the iron ore trade from Port Hedland to Japan; on the bauxite run from Gladstone to Weipa and on the Mackay tugs alongside Laurie Horgan. He worked in Townsville with Johnny Underwood before returning to Cairns tugs where he retired.

During his time in the industry Terry represented the union at the World Festival of Youth in Cuba in 1978. He was elected as the President of the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, (FCAATSI) a position he held until its demise in 1978. He attended the United Nations over a 10-year period representing Aboriginals on the drafting of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Terry also attended the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1988-89 as part of the revision of ILO Convention 107. This international convention was subject to a 10-year campaign in Australia to achieve the 1967 referendum, which gave Aboriginal people Australian citizenship and the right to vote in federal elections. The Convention now known as Convention 169 was the ILO attempt to outlaw slavery around the world.

Terry was also elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) to represent his people, serving a number of portfolios. He was the Native Title Commissioner in 1998.

When Century Zinc applied to mine Lawn Hills in 1997, Terry as the Commissioner for Native Title, was invited by Murandoo Yanner to be part of the initial negotiations. In conjunction with traditional owners and people like Warren Snowdon, Freddy Pascoe and Geoff Richardson, the company agreed to do a needs analysis for the mining operations, a skills analysis of the people in the Gulf region and a training needs analysis to ensure Aboriginal people were represented in the mine's workforce. The ATSIC portfolio for social justice included the national Community Development Employment Programme (CDEP). Both areas have been under attack by the Howard Government.

In 2000 Nelson Mandela visited Australia. As the Chair of the National Coalition of Aboriginal Organisations, Terry O'Shane gave the "welcome to Country" and was among the Aboriginal delegation that met with the South African leader.

Terry is still an elected representative of his people and across his region as he heads up the North Queensland Land Council.

Terry O'Shane and his family were special guests at the National Council Dinner in October where Terry was awarded life membership of the Maritime Union of Australia (See photo above).