UniSA champion of multiculturalism takes out top SA

UniSA champion of multiculturalism takes out top SA Governor award

One of UniSA’s most passionate advocates for Aboriginal communities and marginalised groups has won the 2024 SA Governor’s Multicultural Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement.

Dr Jelina Haines a practitioner-academic who has collaborated with Aboriginal Elders for more than 21 years and used art, storytelling and digital technologies to empower marginalised communities, was among nine winners and 31 finalists who attended the awards ceremony at Government House on 5 March.

The award, presented by the Governor of South Australia

Frances Adamson AC, honoured Dr Haines’ extensive body of work over two decades championing social cohesion, intercultural understanding and the revitalisation of Aboriginal arts.

A Filipino-born Australian with an ancestral link to Indigenous Americas-Mexico, Dr Haines migrated to South Australia in 1997. Since then, she has spearheaded 52 minor programs, five major projects, and three international educational initiatives.

Her work has provided crucial income opportunities for Aboriginal artists while fostering a strong
sense of identity within communities.

One of her most notable artistic collaborations has been with the Ngarrindjeri Cultural Weavers at Camp Coorong. Through this mutual partnership, she has helped create intricate woven sculptures representing Ngarrindjeri totems, including a life-sized whale exhibited at the SA Museum and the Le Havre Museum in France.

Other remarkable pieces, such as the Pelican and Murray Cod sculptures, have found homes in the National Australia Gallery, the SA Maritime Museum, and Ngarrindjeri Totems at the Department of Infrastructure, and Uniting Communities. These projects have not only united Aboriginal families and storytelling traditions but have also reinforced deep connections to ancestral landscapes.

Beyond her artistic contributions, Dr Haines has made an international impact through her research on the impact of digital technologies on marginalised communities, particularly Aboriginal groups.

Her award-winning studies have also shaped policies and practices that bridge digital gaps and create inclusive opportunities for underrepresented groups.

She currently serves as a Policy Advocacy Lead at Catalyst Now Oceania and Co-Chair of Catalyst Now Australia Chapter, and as SIG-Cabinet Deputy Director at the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T), USA.

She has also played a pivotal role in student mentorship, bringing exchange students from Japan, Asia, Europe, and America to South Australia while guiding students from Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan in visual arts, archiving, information science and anthropology.

UniSA Associate Professor David Radford was also a finalist in the Outstanding Individual Achievement category, recognising his extensive research and ongoing work to support the settlement and integration of Hazara Afghan refugees in Australia.

The University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide are joining forces to become Australia’s new major university – Adelaide University. Building on the strengths, legacies and resources of two leading universities, Adelaide University will deliver globally relevant research at scale, innovative, industry-informed teaching and an outstanding student experience. Adelaide University will open its doors in January 2026. Find out more on the Adelaide University website