The Australian Women's Register

Mary Ann Bin-Sallik, descendant of the Kija people of the Turkey Creek area, was born in Broome, Western Australia. She trained as a nurse in the Northern Territory. After graduation from the Darwin Hospital, she worked in various settlements in the Northern Territory for 17 years. In 1975 she moved to South Australia where she completed an Associate Diploma in Social Work in 1979. In 1980-85 she was coordinator of the Aboriginal Taskforce at the South Australian Institute of Technology. 1985 saw her commence a Masters in Education at Harvard University in Boston, and in 1989 she completed her doctorate in education, also at Harvard.

On her return to Australia, Bin-Sallik was appointed Senior Lecturer in Aboriginal Studies at the South Australian College of Advanced Education. She became Head of the School of Aboriginal Studies and Teacher Education at the University of South Australia in 1990. Since then she has held a number of positions in education, including the Ranger Chair in Aboriginal Studies, Director of CINCRM and Dean of the Faculty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies at Northern Territory University. She was also Dean of the College of Indigenous Education and Research at the University of South Australia, and a Justice of the Peace.

Bin-Sallik has served on numerous national and state committees, including the Commonwealth Government’s Committee of Review of Aboriginal Employment and Training, the National Aboriginal Employment Development Committee and the National Committee Against Discrimination in Employment and Occupation. She has been a member of the National Population Council, and the Council of the Institute of Aboriginal Studies (now AIATSIS). She was a Co-Commissioner for the Human Rights Commissions’ Enquiry into the Forced Removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children.

In 2000 Bin-Sallik edited and published her book, Aboriginal Women by Degree, recording the lives and achievements of 13 Indigenous women.