Yunupingu death: ‘Giant who had great vision and influence’, say former PMs

Political leaders from both sides of the divide have paid tribute to ­Indigenous leader Yunupingu, remembering him as a ‘giant’ and ‘natural leader’.

Yunupingu presenting a bark painting to then-prime minister Bob Hawke in 1988.

Political leaders from both sides of the divide have paid tribute to ­Indigenous leader Yunupingu, remembering him as a “giant” and “natural leader” who was a “hard marker” of those who wield power.

During his five-decade fight for Indigenous recognition and land rights, Australian prime ministers sought out the views of the Gumatj clan leader and remembered his track record of tireless advocacy that ultimately led to the push for an Indigenous voice to parliament.

Tony Abbott described ­Yunupingu as a “remarkable man” who always, in the late Indigenous leader’s own words, strove to “live together in a new way with real equality at last”. “He was a remarkable man: strong, deep and practical,” he said. “He wanted the best for his people, obviously.”

As the Liberal Party grapples with its stand on the voice, Mr ­Abbott reflected that Yunupingu was likely to have appreciated the Albanese government’s push to enshrine constitutional recognition.

“As he said, he was a ‘hard marker’ when it came to politicians, including PMs,” he said.

“I’m sure he appreciated ­Anthony Albanese’s commitment, not just talking about constitutional recognition, but to getting it done.

“That’s the challenge; to get it done in a way that brings all of us together in a way that completes our Constitution.”

Scott Morrison described ­Yunupingu as a “giant”, who ­always fought for the advancement of Indigenous people.

“A true gentleman that kept ­before him a vision for his people to be able to advance and succeed,” Mr Morrison said. “He understood that the way forward for his people was through their economic ­advancement and prosperity.”

Paul Keating remembered ­Yunupingu as a man with “natural leadership qualities about him”, whose lifetime had overlapped with significant leaps forward for Indigenous rights.

“For just on half a century, he was a major spokesman for ­Indigenous interests and pursued those interests with rationality and consistency,” Mr Keating said.

“Much recognition for the interests of Indigenous people happened over the course of his active lifetime including, of course, the High Court decision in Mabo and the practical implementation of what the decision meant under the Native Title Act – the first really significant acts restoring justice in land for Indigenous peoples.”

Malcolm Turnbull said Yunupingu was one of the nation’s ­“wisest leaders” who would be dearly missed.

“His unwavering commitment to Makarrata and to preserving Yolngu language, culture and wisdom, a gift to our nation, will ­endure for generations,” he said.

Kevin Rudd described Yunupingu as “one of our greatest ever Australians”, who dedicated his life to preserving Indigenous culture and the advancement of “genuine reconciliation”.

Former Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough recalled the respect Yunupingu commanded not just in his own community but across the Northern Territory, describing him as a man of “great influence” who understood the “mood” of Indigenous people.

“He certainly earned his place in history and he will be sadly missed by his community and as someone who will be long admired for seeing the challenges and trying to face them,” he said.