Rhoda Roberts AO, a pioneering Widjabul Wiyabal woman of the Bundjalung Nation who fundamentally reshaped the Australian cultural landscape, died on Saturday at 1:00 PM Australian Eastern Standard Time. Her family confirmed she passed away peacefully in the hospital following a seven-month battle with a rare form of ovarian cancer.
Roberts made history in 1989 as the first Indigenous presenter on Australian prime-time television, co-hosting the SBS program First In Line. She is widely credited with mainstreaming the Welcome to Country protocol across the arts sector in the 1980s, establishing a foundational cultural practice that remains a standard across the nation.
The announcement of her death prompted an immediate outpouring of tributes across the national arts community and from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Roberts recently stepped down from her position as the inaugural Elder in Residence at SBS due to her failing health. Her departure marked the end of an era for the broadcaster where her television career began.
Throughout her decades-long career as a First Nations arts trailblazer, Roberts served as a vital bridge between major cultural institutions and Indigenous artists. She held the position of Head of Indigenous Programming at the Sydney Opera House from 2012 to 2021, transforming how the iconic venue engaged with Indigenous storytelling. In 1988, she co-founded the Aboriginal National Theatre Trust, further cementing her commitment to platforming authentic Indigenous voices on the global stage.
Her creative vision achieved its largest platform during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. As the Creative Director of the Awakening segment, Roberts showcased Indigenous culture to an estimated global television audience of 3.7 billion viewers. This monumental achievement was later recognized when she was awarded an Order of Australia in 2016 for her distinguished service to the performing arts, leadership, and advocacy.
Roberts is survived by her partner Stephen and her three children, Emily, Jack, and Sarah. As institutions across Australia prepare to honor her legacy, her foundational contributions to media and the arts remain permanently embedded in the country’s cultural identity.