Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council Chair, the Hon. Linda Burney, has congratulated Council member and former Australian women’s Rugby League player Katrina Fanning on being named Canberra’s 2014 Woman of the Year.
Ms Fanning, who is the Operations Manager of Aboriginal Hostels Limited, received the honour last night at the ACT Women’s Awards at the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The awards acknowledge women who have made an outstanding contribution to the lives of women and girls in the community.
“Katrina’s contribution to not only the Aboriginal community but the broader community is outstanding,” said Ms Burney.
“This award recognises that contribution. It is well deserved and I feel enormously proud to know Katrina.”
Ms Fanning has had a long association with Rugby League, which started when she was 10-years-old playing with the Junee Diesels and included 24 Test matches for Australia (including two World Cups and the inaugural Test in 1995).
She was also captain-coach of her local team (winning three premierships), coached with the Boomanulla Rugby League Club juniors and was President of the Canberra and Australian Women’s Rugby League, leading the way for the first female Indigenous Test between Australia and NZ Maori in 2003.
Ms Fanning has also volunteered her time to support the local community through a range of activities including membership of the Canberra NAIDOC Committee and as the ACT representative on the National Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee.
