Lynette Riley

Lynette Riley AO (born 1956) is an academic at the University of Sydney, currently employed within the Sydney School of Education & Social Work within the university as an associate professor. Riley is a Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi woman from Dubbo and Moree. She is known for her promotion of Aboriginal culture, in particular her kinship presentations and the associated online module.

Lynette Riley

AO
Born1956 (age 66–67)
Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Other namesLynette Riley-Mundine, Lynette Mundine
Occupation(s)Academic, artist
SpouseWarren Mundine (1984–c.2008)

Personal life

Riley was born in 1956[1] in Dubbo, New South Wales.[2] She completed her schooling at Dubbo High School before completing teacher training at Armidale College of Advanced Education in 1977. Her first posting as a teacher was at Moree, New South Wales.[1]

In 1983 Riley shared a house with politician Linda Burney and contemporary Indigenous visual artist Michael Riley.[3]

Riley wed Aboriginal leader and politician Warren Mundine in 1984 at St Andrew's Congregational Church in Balmain, Sydney, and raised seven children with him (two from his previous marriage and one a foster child).[4] The couple renewed their vows in 2003 at St Brigid's Catholic Church, Dubbo.[4] They separated in 2006, and then again in 2008, at which time she changed her surname back to Riley.[4]

Career

Riley has education experience in a range of organisations including primary schools, high schools, TAFE and universities. In addition to teaching and research, Riley has also been actively involved in state government policy, for example as Acting Director of Aboriginal Education and Training NSW DET in 2002-2005.[5]

From 1986 Riley became a Research Fellow at the University of New England.[4] She founded the Aboriginal Student Support Centre, "Oorala Centre" at the University and went on to establish the Frank Archibald Memorial Lecture series focusing on Aboriginal issues.[6]

By 2013 she was a Senior Lecturer in Indigenous Studies at the University of Sydney.[7]

Riley completed her PhD entitled, Conditions of academic success for Aboriginal students in school, in 2015.[8] As part of this research, she conducted comprehensive qualitative research into high achieving students in NSW, finding that the high achieving Aboriginal students in NSW surveyed have a strong and positive sense of their cultural identity.[9]

She was a finalist in the 2021 New South Wales Aboriginal Woman of the Year.[10]

In the 2023 King's Birthday Honours Riley was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for "distinguished service to education, particularly through the development of Indigenous curriculum and student support, to reconciliation, and to the community".[11]

Kinship Module

In July 2014, the University of Sydney launched the online learning tool 'Kinship Module'[12] which aims to increase understanding of indigenous culture.[13] The content of this online module was largely based on research conducted by Riley and her colleagues Janet Mooney and Deirdre Howard-Wagner.[14] Riley has been conducting Kinship presentations for a variety of audiences for many years with great success.[15]

Works
  • Roberts, Bryn; Riley-Mundine, Lynette (1990). A review of the National Aboriginal Languages Program. Canberra: Pitman Roberts and Partners. ISBN 9780642155771.
  • Jane Moore; Lynette Riley (2010). "Chapter 9. Aboriginal mother yarns". In Susan Goodwin and Kate Huppatz (ed.). The good mother : contemporary motherhoods in Australia. University Of Sydney, N.S.W.: Sydney University Press. pp. 175–194. ISBN 9781920899530.

References
  1. "Lynette's Story". University of Sydney. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. Bartley, Kim (13 April 2012). "JOEYS were bouncing around Western Plains". Dubbo Daily Liberal. works of Dubbo-born sisters Lynette Riley and Diane Riley-McNaboe
  3. Presenter: Miriam Corowa (27 July 2008). "Sights Unseen - Pictures By Michael Riley". Message Stick. ABC TV. Transcript.
  4. Rintoul, Stuart (5 October 2013). "Game changer". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  5. "2000s". A History of Aboriginal Sydney. University of Sydney. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  6. "Lynette Riley - Oorala Aboriginal Centre's Founder". New England Focus. 3 October 2011. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  7. Hagan, Stephen (14 October 2013). "Will Mundine's past prove to be his Achille's heel?". First Nations Telegraph. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  8. Lynette, Riley (2015). Conditions of academic success for Aboriginal students in school (Thesis). Australian Catholic University. doi:10.4226/66/5a9cd5d5b0bd5.
  9. "Positive Aboriginal identity key to success". Australian Catholic University. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  10. "Lynette Riley for NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
  11. "Dr Lynette Riley". Australian Honours Search Facility. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  12. "Kinship Module". University of Sydney. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  13. Riley, Lynette (30 July 2014). "A new project by Sydney University aims to increase understanding of Indigenous culture". ABC News Breakfast (Interview). Interviewed by Virginia Trioli. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  14. "Project Leaders". Kinship Module. University of Sydney. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  15. "Indigenous culture promoted through new online resource". Independent Education Union. Archived from the original on 4 November 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
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