With a background in political journalism, having worked for NITV and SBS, Boney, a Gamilaroi Gomeroi woman, admits her journey hasn’t been easy.
“I didn’t finish high school,” she explains.
“I think it’s important to be up front about that. I dropped out in Year 12. I had a really sh--ty time at high school and the drop-out rate for Indigenous kids is high. I really didn’t want to be a victim of the situation I was born into. We were quite poor – I grew up in housing commissions. Seeing how much my mum had to struggle with six kids on her own, I wanted to work really hard to make sure I wasn’t poor ever again.”
Despite the 4am wake-up calls, Boney feels incredibly fortunate for her career.
“The thing I love about my job is making people feel more included. I’m so grateful I’ve ended up with all this but I’ve worked really hard,” she says.
“When I was growing up there weren’t many Aboriginal people on TV or radio and I think it’s really important that our media reflects the country we are and there’s so many different nationalities that make up Australia. It only makes us stronger and better when we include everyone.”
Inspiring and hardworking, Boney hopes to show others you really can do anything if you set your mind to it.
“It’s important to know it doesn’t matter where you start, you always have the power to change that. If you can dream it or imagine it, you can do it. I’m living proof of that.”
