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Sol Bellear

Solomon David Bellear AM (1950/1951 – 29 November 2017) was an Aboriginal Australian public figure.[1][2]

Sol Bellear
AM
Deputy chair of ATSIC
In office
1991–1994
ATSIC Commissioner for NSW Metro
In office
1991–1994
ATSIC Regional Councillor for Sydney
In office
1990–1994
Serving with 19 others
Personal details
Born
Solomon David Bellear

1950/1951
Died (aged 66)
Sydney, New South Wales
NationalityAustralian
RelationsBob Bellear (brother)

Early life

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Bellear was a Bundjalung man.and he was brought up in the far north of New South Wales, in Mullumbimby, and was one of nine children. His brother Bob Bellear became a judge.[3][4]

Activism

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In 1970 Bellear was part of a delegation that intended to speak to the United Nations General Assembly on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. The trip involved attending the "Congress of the African People" in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.[5][6][7]

Bellear was the first chair of the Aboriginal Legal Service when it was founded in the early 1970s.[8]

He was the chairman of the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern and was on the board from 1975 until his death.[9][10][11][12][13]

In 1990 Bellear became a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), becoming elected as one of 20 councillors for the Sydney region. He was subsequently elected a commissioner for the NSW Metropolitan Zone.[14][15] He served as deputy chair before stepping down in 1994.[16]

Bellear introduced Paul Keating at the 1992 Redfern Park Speech.[17][18] When recalling the speech Bellear said:[19]

Well, thwat’s it. People say that they remember where they were at the time. I was right there on stage with him, and along with Stan Grant. Stan Grant of course was the MC. The day itself was just something unbelievable. It was just like a gathering, a prime minister giving a speech. Yes, it was in Redfern; yes, it was about Aboriginal people. But then into the speech, it just erupted. I mean that speech would have to be one of the most brilliant speeches ever, ever in Australia, if not the southern hemisphere

— Sol Bellear, as quoted in 'Memories of the Redfern Speech: a tribute to Sol Bellear'

Rugby league

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During the late 1970s he was graded by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.[20] He was also involved in the Redfern All Blacks, that played at the Koori Knockout competition.[21]

Bellear was a director of South Sydney from 2002 until resigning over the takeover of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court in 2006.[20][22][23]

Bellear was team manager of the Indigenous Dreamtime team who played a Māori team in an exhibition match that preceded the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.[11]

Honours

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In 1999 Bellear became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the Aboriginal community. The citation mentions his work in Aboriginal health.[24]

References

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  1. ^ Daley, Paul (1 December 2017). "'Every little thing we've won since, we've had to fight for'. Sol Bellear dies". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  2. ^ Higgins, Hannah (4 December 2017). "State funeral for 'tireless' Sol Bellear". AAP.
  3. ^ Pelly, Michael (17 March 2015). "Beacon for Aboriginal justice". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  4. ^ "Sol Bellear AO". The Australian Museum. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Aborigines to study in U.S.A." The Northcote Leader. 2 September 1970. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via The Koori History Website.
  6. ^ Foley, Gary; Schaap, Andrew; Howell, Edwina (eds.). The Aboriginal Tent Embassy: Sovereignty, Black Power, Land Rights and the State. Routledge. p. 122. ISBN 9781135037888.
  7. ^ Casey, Maryrose (2004). Creating Frames: Contemporary Indigenous Theatre 1967-1990. University of Queensland Press. p. 36. ISBN 9780702234323.
  8. ^ "History". Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT). Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  9. ^ "1971 - 1991 - Twenty Years of Community Service" (PDF). AMS Redfern. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Board of Directors & Acting CEO". AMS Redfern. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Sol Bellear". National Centre of Indigenous Excellence. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  12. ^ Howie-Willis, Ian (1994). "Bellear, S.". Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia. Vol. 1. Canberra, Australia: Aboriginal Studies Press. p. 116. ISBN 9780855752347.
  13. ^ Cordell, Michael (14 November 1987). "Survival tactics for living in the city". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  14. ^ "ATSIC Election 1990: Elected Candidates" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  15. ^ "ATSIC results announced". The Canberra Times. 2 March 1991. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "The new ATSIC - ravaged or reborn" (PDF). Koori Mail. 26 January 1994. Retrieved 8 July 2015 – via Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.
  17. ^ "'Keating told the truth': Stan Grant, Larissa Behrendt and others remember the Redfern speech 30 years on". The Guardian. 9 December 2022. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
  18. ^ Griffiths, Tom. "1992 - The Redfern Park Speech". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Retrieved 6 November 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "Memories of the Redfern Speech: a tribute to Sol Bellear" (PDF). The Journal of the NSW Bar Association. (Autumn(. 2018.
  20. ^ a b Bell, Cameron (20 October 2002). "Souths turn to their Aboriginal heritage". Daily Telegraph. The 51-year-old former Souths player, graded in the late 1970s...
  21. ^ Bellear, Sol (27 August 2014). "How the Redfern All Blacks Got Their Name (It's Not What You Think)". FBi Radio (Interview). Interviewed by Emma Lancaster. Sydney: 2FBI. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  22. ^ Walter, Brad (3 March 2006). "It's all or nothing: Souths' suitors won't cut a deal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  23. ^ Massoud, Josh (14 April 2006). "Souths turmoil is over". Daily Telegraph. Bellear, who also resigned from the board last night
  24. ^ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM) entry for Bellear, Solomon David". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 January 1999. For service to the Aboriginal community, particularly in relation to the administration and development of health policies. AM S16 1999
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