The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is thrilled to receive a 2014 Fitzgerald: NT Human Rights Award in the Justice category. This award is a tribute to the strong leadership of our Board, the drive of our CEO Priscilla Collins and the hard work and dedication of our staff to advance the human rights of Aboriginal Territorians.
The Fitzgeralds are the inaugural Northern Territory Human Rights Awards, which are named after Tony Fitzgerald, NT Anti-Discrimination Commissioner from 2002 to 2009 and champion of human rights in the NT. 
The Awards night was celebrated on United Nations Day for Human Rights – 10 December 2014 – at a well-attended function at the Supreme Court, Darwin which featured keynote speaker, Carine Kapiamba.
There were four awards: the Fitzgerald Youth Award awarded to Stewart Willey, the Fitzgerald Justice Award awarded to NAAJA, the Fitzgerald Change Award awarded to the NT Working Women’s Centre and the Fitzgerald Diversity Award awarded to Jeswynn Yogaratnam.
NAAJA has made an exceptional contribution to ensuring the promotion, protection and fulfilment of human rights of Aboriginal people in the Top End of the Northern Territory since 1972.
This has come not only through the dedication of our staff to protecting the rights of their clients through casework, but also through NAAJA’s leadership and advocacy across a wide range of issues affecting Aboriginal people.
‘NAAJA is a grass roots, Aboriginal community-controlled organisation that has been at the forefront of protecting the human rights of Aboriginal people in the Top End for 42 years,’ said NAAJA CEO Priscilla Collins.
‘We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate not only the winners and those who received commendations, but also those nominated and those who made nominations for these important awards’, said Ms Collins.
NAAJA wishes to express our thanks and gratitude to the NT Anti-Discrimination Commission for their initiative in establishing these fantastic awards as well as the long-standing support we have received from the Commonwealth Attorney-General, the Minister for Indigenous Affairs and the Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department and Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
This Award is also a recognition of the Commonwealth Government’s dedication over many years to ensure that Aboriginal justice organisations are able to protect the human rights of Aboriginal people. ‘If we are to ensure the human rights of Aboriginal Territorians are protected, Government needs to continue to support Aboriginal organisations with a proven track record of success such as NAAJA’, said Ms Collins.
For more information, please see the Anti-Discrimination Commission’s website: http://www.adc.nt.gov.au/index.html
Media Inquiries:
Priscilla Collins
CEO, NAAJA
0427 045 665