Rhoda Roberts, the Bundjalung Widjabul Wiyebal cultural leader and arts devotee who introduced the term "welcome to country", has died at the age of 66.
Her family announced via Instagram that she died peacefully in hospital on Saturday afternoon, seven months after being diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer. "The Roberts-Field family are heartbroken to announce that our beautiful Rhoda Roberts has returned to the Dreaming on Saturday," they said. "Words fail to capture the true love, depth, intelligence and warmth that was our beloved Rhoda."
Roberts introduced the phrase "welcome to country" in the 1980s, co-founded the National Aboriginal Theatre Trust in 1988 and, in 1990, became the first Aboriginal person to host a prime-time current affairs programme.
The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, paid tribute, calling her "a trailblazer" who enriched Australians' understanding of the world's oldest living culture. "Rhoda made it easier for others to not just follow in her footsteps, but to continue the journey after her final one," he said.
The Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, described Roberts as a confidante and mentor from their time working as journalists in the 1990s. "I will treasure our final conversation recently about how First Nations people are now everywhere in the arts and media sectors," she said.
