Matters of the Heart

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Matters of the Heart

By: Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Sue Smethurst

Narrated by: John Howard, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

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About this listen

The moving story of an Indigenous woman who beat disadvantage and violence to become one of Australia's most influential political voices.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was nine months pregnant and due to give birth the night she attended her high school formal. With her baby tucked in her arms, she completed year 12 from her hospital bed. Early in their relationship, she took her future husband, Colin, to the Alice Springs morgue to identify the body of a family member who'd been killed.

Nothing about the life of this passionate and steely Warlpiri woman could ever be described as ordinary.

In this remarkable memoir, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price candidly recalls her journey from the remote outback communities of Yuendumu and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory - a young girl with big dreams and the red dust of her ancestors under her fingernails - to the corridors of Canberra and beyond.

Honest, raw and at times heartbreaking, Matters of the Heart is a deeply personal reflection of how a young Indigenous woman, growing up surrounded by violence and tragedy, beat the odds to become one of the most powerful political voices of our time.

'I've been to hell and back, and I've survived.'

Politics & Government

Women

Heartfelt

Inspiring

Thought-Provoking

Most relevant

Jacinta Price’s book is a bold and passionate call for a new approach to Indigenous policy in Australia. She speaks candidly about the issues facing her people and offers practical, real-world solutions. Rather than focusing on symbolic gestures, Price advocates for policies that address the root causes of disadvantage—improving education, tackling domestic violence, and fostering economic independence. She stresses the importance of personal responsibility and empowerment, believing that true change comes from within the community, not from external, top-down solutions.

Price also takes a firm stance against divisive race-based policies, arguing that they only perpetuate segregation and inequality. Her vision is one of unity, where Indigenous Australians are treated as equals, with the same opportunities and responsibilities as all other citizens. She rejects the idea of “victimhood” and instead calls for a future where Indigenous people can thrive based on their own efforts and choices.

In sharing her personal journey and views, Jacinta Price not only challenges the prevailing narrative around Indigenous issues but also provides a powerful roadmap for change. Her message is one of hope, strength, and resilience. She carries forward the torch of Neville Bonner and countless other Aboriginal leaders and lights the way for those yet to come, those still emerging from the darkness and the dreaming.