Strong finalists in all 2011 Deadly Award categories reflect a big year of achievement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia.

The 2011 Deadlys were launched today at the Sydney Opera House in a ceremony that featured Aboriginal dance company Descendance and performances by Casey Donovan – and a blast from a didgeridoo rather than a drum roll as the finalists were announced.

• Deadlys Launch photo gallery
• Download the media kit with nominee bios (PDF)

Plenty of Australia’s talent turned up to support the 17th Deadly Awards led by launch host acclaimed broadcaster Rhoda Roberts and SBS’s Karla Grant.

The finalists’ list represented the year that was for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia. In the film category, Mad Bastards, produced by Broome’s Pigram brothers was, perhaps, not a surprise nominee, considering the film’s success across Australia.

Bec Cole’s Here I Am, a moving portrait of a mother/daughter relationship, is a finalist across two award categories. Similarly, the success in Cannes of Ivan Sens’ Toomelah is reflected in the film’s place as a finalist.

Junior Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty is a finalist in Female Sportsperson of the Year, and Patrick Mills, now playing in the NBA, joins the Male Sportsperson of the Year finalists.

Most Promising New Talent in Music finalist Benny Walker joins a strong line-up in this category, along with Iwantja Band, Corey Webster, Karnage & Darknis and Knowledge Bones.

Up-and-coming sporting talent across soccer, boxing, wrestling, netball and even Muay Thai holds the promise of future stars.

Health, Education, Employment and Broadcasting reveal the work that goes on behind the scenes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities across Australia, with three Indigenous-driven health programs coming out of the NT.

There were no surprises in the Outstanding Contribution to Literature category with finalists of the calibre of 2011 Miles Franklin Award winner Kim Scott, alongside Sally Morgan, Anita Heiss, young graphic novelist Brenton E McKenna and well-known writer Gayle Kennedy.

Executive producer and founder of the Deadlys, Gavin Jones spoke at the launch of the importance of the Deadly Awards to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, particularly young people.

“It always amazes me that people, no matter where they are from, know about the Deadlys,” Mr Jones said.

“I’ve often wondered why the mention of the Deadly Awards always brings a knowing smile to people’s faces, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike.

“I think it’s because of the nature of the event: above all it’s real, by the people, for the people; it recognises the incredible creative force and talent of our people and it shows that we are in control of our destiny and that despite the past, we continue to achieve great things – great things now and we will continue to achieve into the future.

“The Deadlys also aims to provide positive role models from all walks of life to young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around Australia.”

The Deadlys will be held at the Sydney Opera House on 27 September 2011. Voting is now open to all for the 2011 Deadlys at www.vibe.com.au

The Australian Electoral Commission’s Indigenous Electoral Participation Program officers will be distributing a reply-paid how to vote card for the Deadlys this year, in areas where officers are located across Australia, together with distribution of the reply-paid voting card in Deadly Vibe magazine and the Koori Mail.

For all media enquiries, please contact Maryann Weston on (02) 4822 8230 or [email protected] Alternatively, Jake Keane on (02) 9361 0140 or [email protected]

Embargoed until noon, 15 July 2011

DEADLY AWARD NOMINEES 2011

MUSIC

Most Promising New Talent in Music*

Benny Walker – VIC

Corey Webster aka Yung Nooky – NSW

Karnage & Darknis – SA

Knowledge Bones – WA

Iwantja Band – NT

Album of the Year

Gurrumul Yunupingu – Rrakala – NT

Leah Flanagan – Nirvana Nights – NT

Buddy Knox – Buddy’s Blues – NSW

Stiff Gins – Wind & Water – NSW

Busby Marou – Busby Marou – QLD

Single of the Year

Street Warriors – Summertime – NSW

Knowledge Bones – Yeah Dard – WA

Last Kinection – Happy People – NSW & QLD

Yung Warriors – Just a Thought – VIC

Briggs – The Wrong Brother – VIC

Band of the Year

Dale Huddleston and Riverbank Band – ACT

Last Kinection – NSW & QLD

Black Image – QLD

Dubmarine – QLD

The Medics – QLD

Male Artist of the Year

Dan Sultan – VIC

Buddy Knox – NSW

Gurrumul Yunupingu – NT

Troy Cassar-Daley – NSW

John Bennett – WA

Female Artist of the Year

Jessica Mauboy – NT

Naomi Pigram – WA

Deborah Cheetham – NSW

Casey Donovan – NSW

Shellie Morris – NT

SPORT

Most Promising New Talent in Sport*

Tahj Minniecon – Soccer – QLD

Fred Mundraby – Boxing – QLD

Shane Parker – Wrestling – NSW

Thomas Boyle – Muay Thai – SA

Tanisha Stanton – Netball – NSW

Outstanding Achievement in AFL

Andrew Walker – Carlton

Chris Yarran – Carlton

Liam Jurrah – Melbourne

Leroy Jetta – Essendon

Stephen Hill – Fremantle

Female Sportsperson of the Year

Kirby Bentley – AFL – WA

Kyah Simon – Soccer – NSW

Rohanee Cox – Basketball – WA

Ashleigh Barty – Tennis – QLD

Meghan Rutledge – Motocross – NSW

Male Sportsperson of the Year

Benn Harradine – Discus – NSW

Daniel Geale – Boxing – TAS

Patrick Mills – Basketball – ACT

Kurtley Beale – Rugby Union – NSW

Des Abbott – Hockey – NT

Outstanding Achievement in NRL

Ben Barba – Bulldogs

Jharal Yow Yeh – Brisbane Broncos

Jamal Idris – Bulldogs

Chris Sandow – Rabbitohs

Johnathan Thurston – Cowboys

THE ARTS

Female Actor of the Year

Rarriwuy Hick – Wrong Skin (play) – NSW

Deborah Mailman – Offspring – QLD & NSW

Marcia Langton – Here I Am – VIC

Pauline Whyman – Here I Am – VIC

Shai Pittman – Here I Am – NSW

Male Actor of the Year

Aaron Fa’Aoso – East West 101 – QLD

Jack Charles – Jack Charles v The Crown – VIC

Aaron Pedersen – City Homicide – VIC & NT

Dean Daley-Jones – Mad Bastards – WA

Richard Green – Snowtown – NSW

Dancer of the Year*

Albert David – QLD

Kathy Marika – NT

Darren Compton – NSW

Medika Thorpe – NSW

Deborah Brown – QLD

Visual Artist of the Year*

De Greer-Yindimincarlie – QLD

Michael Cook – QLD

Helen McCarthy Tyalmuty – QLD

Jandamarra Cadd – QLD

Lisa Michl – QLD

Outstanding Achievement in Literature*

Kim Scott – That Deadman Dance – WA

Gayle Kennedy – Yarning Strong Series – NSW

Brenton E McKenna – Ubby’s Underdogs – WA

Anita Heiss – Paris Dreaming – NSW

Sally Morgan – Charlie Burr and the Three Stolen Dollars – WA

Film of the Year

Shifting Shelter 4

Here I Am

Mad Bastards

Jandamarra’s War

Toomelah

TV Show of the Year

On the Edge – NITV

Living Black – SBS

Marngrook Footy Show – NITV & ABC

The Barefoot Rugby League Show – NITV

Yamba’s Playtime – Imparja Television

COMMUNITY

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Worker of the Year

Craig Bloxsome, Therapeutic Residential Care Program, Anglicare Tasmania

Muriel Jaragba, Aboriginal Mental Health Worker, Groote Eylandt, NT

Alice Taylay, Wujal Wujal Primary Health Care Clinic via Cooktown, QLD

Sharyn Medway, Aboriginal Didgeridoo/Art Project, Goulburn, NSW

Colin O’Donnell, Health Worker, Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service, Broken Hill NSW

Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health*

Western Desert Kidney Health Project – Kalgoorlie WA

NPY Women’s Council (Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Women’s Council Aboriginal Corporation) – “No Safe Amount – The Effects of Alcohol in Pregnancy” – Alice Springs NT

Yamba Roadshow, Imparja Roadshow – Alice Springs NT

Aboriginal Research Health Promotion Strategy – Groote Eylandt NT

Maari Ma Health Worker Trainee Program – Western NSW

Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education*

Barbara Tapsell – Aboriginal & Islander Education Worker, Darwin High School NT

Abergowrie College – QLD

Daniel Fusi – Menindee Central School – Western NSW

Deadly Ute Project – through Wimmera Hub, Horsham VIC

Charline Emzin-Boyd, Aboriginal Education Coordinator, NSW Teachers Federation, NSW

Outstanding Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment*

Brian Dowd – Black on Track – NSW

Charles Williams – Crown Ltd – NSW

MEGT, Indigenous Apprenticeship & Trainee Network – NSW

NSW Health – Nursing and Midwifery – NSW

Andrew Jackomos – Justice Department – VIC

Broadcaster of the Year*

Bernard Namok Jnr – Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting – NT

Kevin Ebsworth – Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting – NT

Anthony Brown – 3KND, 1503AM – Melbourne, VIC

Mark Ross (Munkimuk) – Koori Radio 2LND, 93.7FM – Sydney, NSW

Karla Hart – Noongar Radio, 100.9FM – Perth, WA

* These awards are judged 50% by popular vote and 50% by the Deadly Executive Academy.

DEADLYS HALL OF FAME

The Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sport

The Jimmy Little Award for Lifetime Achievement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music

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