Tony Birch

Tony Birch (born 1957) is an Aboriginal Australian author, academic and activist. He regularly appears on ABC Local Radio and Radio National shows and at writers’ festivals. He was head of the honours programme for creative writing at the University of Melbourne before becoming the first recipient of the Dr Bruce McGuinness Indigenous Research Fellowship at Victoria University in Melbourne in June 2015.

Early life Birch's maternal great-grandfather was an Afghani who migrated to Australia in 1890, who had to get exemption from the Immigration Restriction Act 1901 to take his daughter to the Punjab to meet his family. He also has Barbadian convict (James "Prince" Moodie, transported to Tasmania for 14 years for "disobedience") and Aboriginal heritage.

Birch was born around 1957 After being expelled from school for the second time, he left school aged 15 and became a telegram boy.

Career He taught Aboriginal history for several years before switching to writing. Birch also worked as a senior curator for the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at Melbourne Museum.

Birch has appeared on ABC radio on shows such as Conversations, Life Matters and RN Afternoons.

In 2015 he became the first recipient of the Dr Bruce McGuinness Indigenous Research Fellowship at Victoria University in Melbourne.

Activism Birch is active in a variety of political and social movements, including climate justice, refugee issues and Indigenous issues. His novels integrate themes affecting Indigenous people, such as colonial oppression, dispossession, the Stolen Generations, and generational violence.