The Director of Central Queensland University’s indigenous education centre, Nulloo Yumbah, will discuss the current issues in indigenous education at an Australian College of Educators (ACE) Dinner today, Thursday 21 November.

William Oates will present the topic Educating Indigenous Australians: Beyond a multicultural perspective, where he will discuss how Aboriginal staff and students in education institutions are expected to add to multicultural events in schools, universities and the wider community.

Mr Oates will address the question whether Aboriginal people should be content to be the reluctant ‘indigenous’ participant in the ongoing uneasy conversation with the ‘settled majority’ and the multicultural immigrant. He will also discuss driving an Australian sense of belonging and identity in the 21st century.

Mr Oates is an Australian Aborigine from western New South Wales who has taught in New South Wales and Queensland at both school and university levels.

He was the general manager of a regional Aboriginal Legal Service and worked with many Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community boards and related organisations.

During Mr Oates’ career in education he taught prep (infants), primary, high school and university, as well as 16 years as school principal. He has been a lecturer in Aboriginal Education at the University of Western Sydney, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Aboriginal Centres of both University of New England and Central Queensland University.

He has served on Regional Aboriginal Education Consultative groups for the Department of Education and TAFE. He was president of an Aboriginal Education Consultative group and actively involved in school-based committees to further Aboriginal student and parent participation. His research interests are in the areas of stereotypes and the building of the Aboriginal identity.