35 Facts About Noel Pearson

Noel Pearson was born on 25 June 1965 and is an Australian lawyer and founder of the Cape York Partnership, an organisation promoting the economic and social development of Cape York.

Noel Pearson is the Founder of Good to Great Schools Australia an organisation dedicated to lifting education outcomes for all Australian students.

Noel Pearson criticises approaches to these problems which, while claiming to be "progressive", in his opinion merely keep Indigenous people dependent on welfare and out of the "real economy".

Noel Pearson outlined this position in 2000 in his speech, The light on the hill.

In November 2019, it was announced that Noel Pearson would be one of 20 members of the Senior Advisory Group set up to help co-design the Indigenous voice to government.

Noel Pearson was born in Cooktown, Queensland and grew up at Hope Vale, Queensland, a Lutheran Mission in the Cape York Peninsula.

Noel Pearson is the son of Glen Pearson, from the Bagaarrmugu, and Ivy Pearson, from the Guggu Yalanji.

Noel Pearson graduated from the University of Sydney with degrees in history and law.

In 1990 Noel Pearson co-founded the Cape York Land Council, and resigned in 1996.

In 1993 Noel Pearson acted as representative to the traditional owners in the first land claim to the Flinders Island and Cape Melville National Park, a claim which was successful, although the owners have yet to receive title.

Noel Pearson continues to advise a number of Indigenous organisations in Cape York.

On 12 August 2000, Noel Pearson delivered the Ben Chifley Memorial Lecture The light on the hill, with an important statement of his transformed views on Indigenous policy.

On 15 December 2006, Noel Pearson publicly criticised the Queensland Director of Public Prosecutions, Leanne Clare, in relation to her decision not to press charges against the police officer involved in the 2004 Palm Island death in custody of Palm Island resident Mulrunji.

On 26 January 2007, Noel Pearson welcomed the decision to prosecute the officer, after the inquiry by Sir Laurence Street found there was sufficient evidence to press charges.

Noel Pearson argued that a 20- or 30-year plan was necessary for Palm Island.

On 14 June 2007, Noel Pearson launched a report by the Cape York Institute on welfare reform.

On 17 September 2007, with Prime Minister Howard facing probable electoral defeat, Noel Pearson sent him a 6,000-word letter, arguing that Howard's best chance at re-election was to make a dramatic gesture in relation to reconciliation with the Aboriginal population.

Noel Pearson argued that Howard needed to promise a referendum on recognition of the indigenous population, and that Howard was in a unique position to affect the course of indigenous relations, but only if Howard "bared his soul" to the Australian electorate.

In November 2014, Noel Pearson received effusive praise for his eulogy for former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, which was hailed in the Australian media as "one of the best political speeches of our time".

In November 2019, it was announced that Noel Pearson would be one of 20 members of the Senior Advisory Group to help co-design the Indigenous voice to government set up by Ken Wyatt, the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

On 27 October 2022, Noel Pearson gave the first of his Boyer Lectures, Who we were and who we can be: 'Recognition' In these lectures Noel Pearson explores the proposal to amend the Australian Constitution to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia through an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Noel Pearson indicated qualified support for these measures, but has received some criticism for doing so.

Noel Pearson agreed to set up a council of elders in the Northern Territory to advise the government on the course of the intervention.

Noel Pearson did not support calls to extend the Northern Territory emergency intervention to Queensland.

On 24 November 2007, the day of the Australian federal election, Noel Pearson strongly attacked the opposition leader Kevin Rudd for reneging, two days before the election, on his commitment to seek constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians.

Noel Pearson has called for constitutional amendments in two areas, "one symbolic and the other substantive":.

Noel Pearson therefore indicated his belief that a "domestic agreement" would be preferable to a treaty between sovereign states.

On 12 February 2008, the eve of the parliamentary apology to the Stolen Generations, Noel Pearson explained his own complex and conflicted views on the question of an apology.

Noel Pearson argued in August 2008 that welfare benefits should not be granted to indigenous Australians under the age of 21.

On 14 November 2007, it was reported that Noel Pearson had accused the Queensland government of Anna Bligh, and the federal Labor opposition led by Kevin Rudd, of "selling out Aborigines," saying that a plan to prevent development of the Cape York region was a bid to gain The Greens preferences.

Noel Pearson argued that at the very moment when welfare reform was being attempted in Cape York, economic opportunities for the Aboriginal population would be "shot down" by such a move.

Noel Pearson stated that he had therefore decided to resign his Directorship in order to return to the land rights issues which had formerly been his major preoccupation.

In 2009 Noel Pearson published a collection of his writings under the title Up from the Mission: Selected Writings as well as a Quarterly Essay titled Radical Hope: Education and equality in Australia.

Noel Pearson responded by questioning him if Indigenous Australians should wear a specific badge on their clothes or have a specific tattoo.

Noel Pearson's comments were condemned by other Sky News reporters such as Andrew Bolt, as well as by former Victorian Liberal Party President Michael Kroger.