About the Author

Thomas Mayo is a Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man. He is the National Indigenous Officer of the MUA. Thomas is a signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and has been a leading advocate since its inception in May 2017. He is the Chairperson of the Northern Territory Indigenous Labor Network, advises the Diversity Council of Australia and the From the Heart campaign, and is an executive member of the Northern Territory Trades and Labour Council. Thomas has previously written five books published by Hardie Grant, and has articles and essays published in The Guardian, Griffith Review and Sydney Morning Herald.

Kerry O’Brien is one of Australia’s most respected journalists with six Walkley Awards including the Gold Walkley and the Walkley for outstanding leadership. In his decades at the ABC he reported for the trail-blazing current affairs programs This Day Tonight and Four Corners, presented Lateline for six years, 7.30 for fifteen years and Four Corners for five. In 2019 he was inducted into the television industry hall of fame. He has covered all the big historic Indigenous issues of his time, including land rights, deaths in custody, Mabo, the Stolen Generations’ inquiry, the birth and death of ATSIC, the intervention and the Uluru Statement from the Heart. He was a member of the Eminent Panel advising the Queensland Government on a path to treaty.