Sol Bellear
{{Use Australian English|date=March 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Sol Bellear
| birth_name = Solomon David Bellear
| birth_date = 1950/1951
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{death date and given age|2017|11|29|66|df=y}}
| death_place = Sydney, New South Wales
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AM}}
| module =
| office = Deputy chair of ATSIC
| term_start = 1991
| term_end = 1994
| predecessor =
| successor =
| order2 =
| office2 = ATSIC Commissioner for NSW Metro
| term_start2 = 1991
| term_end2 = 1994
| alongside2 =
| predecessor2 =
| successor2 =
| order3 =
| office3 = ATSIC Regional Councillor for Sydney
| term_start3 = 1990
| term_end3 = 1994
| alongside3 = 19 others
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| nationality = Australian
| partner =
| relations = Bob Bellear (brother)
| children =
| parents =
| alma_mater =
| occupation =
| profession =
| cabinet =
| committees =
| portfolio =
| religion =
| awards =
}}
Solomon David Bellear {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (1950/1951 – 29 November 2017) was an Aboriginal Australian public figure.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/postcolonial-blog/2017/dec/01/every-little-thing-weve-won-since-weve-had-to-fight-for-sol-bellear-dies|title='Every little thing we've won since, we've had to fight for'. Sol Bellear dies|last=Daley|first=Paul|work=The Guardian|date=1 December 2017|accessdate=2 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/a/38137744/state-funeral-for-tireless-sol-bellear/|title=State funeral for 'tireless' Sol Bellear|last=Higgins|first=Hannah|work=AAP|date=4 December 2017}}
Early life
Bellear was a Bundjalung man.and he was brought up in the far north of New South Wales, in Mullumbimby, and was one of nine children. His brother Bob Bellear became a judge.{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/legal/beacon-for-aboriginal-justice/2005/03/16/1110913667643.html | title=Beacon for Aboriginal justice | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=17 March 2015 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | author=Pelly, Michael}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-07-12 |title=Sol Bellear AO |url=https://australian.museum/learn/first-nations/sydney-elders/sol-bellear/ |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=The Australian Museum |language=en}}
Activism
In 1970 Bellear was part of a delegation that intended to speak to the United Nations General Assembly on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. The trip involved attending the "Congress of the African People" in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.{{cite news | url=http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/1970s/ustrip/us5.html | title=Aborigines to study in U.S.A. | work=The Northcote Leader | date=2 September 1970 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | via=The Koori History Website}}{{cite book | title=The Aboriginal Tent Embassy: Sovereignty, Black Power, Land Rights and the State | publisher=Routledge | pages=122 |editor1=Foley, Gary |editor2=Schaap, Andrew |editor3=Howell, Edwina |isbn=9781135037888}}{{cite book | title=Creating Frames: Contemporary Indigenous Theatre 1967-1990 | publisher=University of Queensland Press | author=Casey, Maryrose | year=2004 | pages=36 | isbn=9780702234323}}
Bellear was the first chair of the Aboriginal Legal Service when it was founded in the early 1970s.{{cite web | url=http://www.alsnswact.org.au/pages/history | title=History | publisher=Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) | accessdate=8 July 2015}} Also at that time, he was an active participant in the founding of the Aboriginal Housing Company, that manages The Block in Redfern.{{cite web | title=How the Aboriginal Housing Project was born: An interview with Col James (1936-2002)|first=Col |last= James| interviewer-last=Anael | website=The Koori History Website | date=3 April 2002 | url=https://kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/1970s/1973/block/colin%20james.html | access-date=21 January 2025}}
He was the chairman of the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern and was on the board from 1975 until his death.{{cite web | url=http://www.amsredfern.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/20-Yr-History.pdf | title=1971 - 1991 - Twenty Years of Community Service | publisher=AMS Redfern | accessdate=8 July 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://www.amsredfern.org.au/?page_id=355 | title=Board of Directors & Acting CEO | publisher=AMS Redfern | accessdate=8 July 2015}}{{cite web | url=http://ncie.org.au/about/our-team/board/sol-bellear | title=Sol Bellear| publisher=National Centre of Indigenous Excellence | accessdate=8 July 2015}}{{cite encyclopedia | title=Bellear, S. | encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Aboriginal Australia | publisher=Aboriginal Studies Press | author=Howie-Willis, Ian | year=1994 | volume=1 | location=Canberra, Australia | pages=116 | isbn=9780855752347}}{{cite web | url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=news871114_0140_9747 | title=Survival tactics for living in the city | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=14 November 1987 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | author=Cordell, Michael}}
In 1990 Bellear became a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), becoming elected as one of 20 councillors for the Sydney region. He was subsequently elected a commissioner for the NSW Metropolitan Zone.{{cite web | url=http://www.aec.gov.au/about_aec/publications/newsfiles/files/aec-newsfile-11.pdf | title=ATSIC Election 1990: Elected Candidates | publisher=Australian Electoral Commission | accessdate=8 July 2015}}{{cite news | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122346684? | title=ATSIC results announced | work=The Canberra Times | date=2 March 1991 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | via=National Library of Australia}} He served as deputy chair before stepping down in 1994.{{cite news | url=http://aiatsis.gov.au/sites/default/files/docs/digitised_collections/the_koori_mail/068.pdf | title=The new ATSIC - ravaged or reborn | work=Koori Mail | date=26 January 1994 | accessdate=8 July 2015|via=Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies}}
Bellear introduced Paul Keating at the 1992 Redfern Park Speech.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-09 |title='Keating told the truth': Stan Grant, Larissa Behrendt and others remember the Redfern speech 30 years on |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/10/paul-keating-redfern-speech-30-year-anniverary |access-date=2024-11-06 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite web |last=Griffiths |first=Tom |title=1992 - The Redfern Park Speech |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/the-quest-for-indigenous-recognition/the-redfern-park-speech |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Australian Dictionary of Biography}} When recalling the speech Bellear said:{{Cite journal |year=2018 |title=Memories of the Redfern Speech: a tribute to Sol Bellear |url=https://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/NSWBarAssocNews/2018/21.pdf |journal=The Journal of the NSW Bar Association |volume=(Autumn(}}
{{Blockquote|text=Well, thwat’s it. People say that they remember where they were at the time. I was right there on stage with him, and along with Stan Grant. Stan Grant of course was the MC. The day itself was just something unbelievable. It was just like a gathering, a prime minister giving a speech. Yes, it was in Redfern; yes, it was about Aboriginal people. But then into the speech, it just erupted. I mean that speech would have to be one of the most brilliant speeches ever, ever in Australia, if not the southern hemisphere|author=Sol Bellear|title=as quoted in 'Memories of the Redfern Speech: a tribute to Sol Bellear'}}
Rugby league
During the late 1970s he was graded by the South Sydney Rabbitohs.{{cite news | title=Souths turn to their Aboriginal heritage | work=Daily Telegraph | date=20 October 2002 | author=Bell, Cameron | quote=The 51-year-old former Souths player, graded in the late 1970s...}} He was also involved in the Redfern All Blacks, that played at the Koori Knockout competition.{{cite interview |url=http://allthebestradio.com/blog/how-the-redfern-all-blacks-got-their-name-its-not-what-you-think/| title=How the Redfern All Blacks Got Their Name (It's Not What You Think)|work=FBi Radio | date=27 August 2014 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | last=Bellear | first=Sol | interviewer=Emma Lancaster | publisher=2FBI | location=Sydney}}
Bellear was a director of South Sydney from 2002 until resigning over the takeover of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court in 2006.{{cite news | url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac?page=1&docID=SMH060303GF1JS7FN47E | title=It's all or nothing: Souths' suitors won't cut a deal | work=The Sydney Morning Herald | date=3 March 2006 | accessdate=8 July 2015 | author=Walter, Brad}}{{cite news| title=Souths turmoil is over | work=Daily Telegraph | date=14 April 2006 | author=Massoud, Josh|quote=Bellear, who also resigned from the board last night}}
Bellear was team manager of the Indigenous Dreamtime team who played a Māori team in an exhibition match that preceded the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Honours
In 1999 Bellear became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the Aboriginal community. The citation mentions his work in Aboriginal health.{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=885169 |date=26 January 1999 |recipient=Bellear, Solomon David |award=Member of the Order of Australia |postnominal=AM |citation=For service to the Aboriginal community, particularly in relation to the administration and development of health policies. AM S16 1999}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://nacchocommunique.com/tag/sol-bellear/ Tribute and state funeral coverage]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050626071849/http://www.kooriweb.org/bbm/ams30th/p7.html Judge Bob Bellear & brother Sol], photo taken at the 30th anniversary dinner of the Aboriginal Medical Service (2001)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bellear, Sol}}