Community proud of Rosalie Kunoth-Monks

THERE is no question Utopia elder Rosalie Pangarte Kunoth-Monks has enriched the lives of those throughout her community and Australia.

THERE is no question Utopia elder Rosalie Pangarte Kunoth-Monks has enriched the lives of those throughout her community and Australia.

Rosalie Kunoth Monks in a scene from 1955 film "Jedda"

From a groundbreaking role in the 1955 film Jedda to her most recent appearance on ABC’s Q&A program, Ms Monks has been a role model for all Australians.

She said being nominated for the Pride of Australia’s Community Spirit Medal was “absolutely incredible”.

The Community Spirit Medal is awarded to recognise an individual or a group whose selfless, tireless and largely unacknowledged actions have enriched the lives of those around them.

“To be nominated knocks you sideways,” Ms Monks told the Sunday Territorian.

“I live out in the bush and every now and then I just dip into wherever I’m needed.”

Talking about her appearance on Q&A, in which she made her now-famous “I am not the problem” speech about reconciliation, Ms Monks said she felt invisible sitting next to former Liberal MP Peter Coleman.

“He was just ranting on about what he wanted out of Aboriginal people and how they should perform,” she said.

“I don’t know where the words came from, I just thought ‘are there many more like Peter out there?’ and that was an opportunity I used to reach as many people as I could. And obviously I did and I’m grateful for that.”

Rosalie Kunoth-Monks on her much-talked about appearance on ABC’s Q&A program

But since the controversial appearance, Ms Monks feels she has successfully reached a larger audience.

“A lot of people, and it wasn’t just people of my ilk, Aboriginal people, it was people full stop, which is wonderful,” she said.

Over the years, Ms Monks has played a significant role in her community of Utopia and throughout Central Australia.

She worked for a number of Aboriginal organisations before being appointed as an adviser to the first chief minister, Paul Everingham.

In her former role as the Barkly Shire president, Ms Monks worked to improve the living conditions and treatment of Aboriginal people in the region.

■ Go to ntnews.com.au/prideofaustralia to nominate a local legend