Darcy McGauley-Bartlett

Advocate for Indigenous health care in prisons

2023 VIC Young Australian of the Year

Proud Gunai Kurnai man Darcy McGauley-Bartlett is passionate about supporting his community and has overcome significant challenges in his youth to emerge as a role model and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In his previous role as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer for Victoria Police, Darcy was instrumental in changing policy to ensure fewer Indigenous people entered the justice system and didn’t stay there if they did.  He implemented Victoria's first Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Program to ensure all young Indigenous people are eligible for a caution when coming into contact with the justice system for the first time.  

Now working within Justice Health for Department of Justice and Community Safety, Darcy has helped establish the State’s first Aboriginal Custodial Health team and the first Aboriginal Primary Health Strategy to improve health outcomes for Indigenous prisoners. 

Darcy was pivotal in supporting health care for Aboriginal prisoners throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including working to increase uptake of the vaccine, and ensuring their voice has been heard through quality improvement activity being undertaken to improve health care in Victoria's prison system.