With decades of experience in community development, juvenile justice, child protection, and family violence in the Northern Territory, Charlie King OAM brings a unique perspective to addressing community challenges and strengths. A Gurindji man, Charlie's connection to his heritage is profound, with his mother being born at Limbunya Station and raised in Khalin Compound, embodying the legacy of the stolen generation.
Charlie has been a prominent sports commentator with the ABC since 1990, hosting Grandstand and commentating on various sports such as Australian Rules football and cricket. He made history as the first Indigenous Australian to commentate at an Olympic Games in Beijing 2008. Additionally, he served as Chair of the Bonner Committee for six years, advising the ABC on Indigenous matters, and was inducted into the AFL Northern Territory Hall of Fame in 2019. Since 2006, in partnership with CatholicCare NT, Charlie has been instrumental in developing men's programs and the No More Campaign, aimed at reducing violence in sporting clubs and communities.
Charlie's impactful work has earned him numerous accolades, including NAIDOC Person of the Year, Elder of the Year, and Darwin City Council Citizen of the Year. He was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2015, named NT Senior Australian of the Year in 2019, and received the Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 for his significant contributions to the Indigenous community of the Northern Territory.
