Bran Nue writer dies

THE indigenous playwright who penned Bran Nue Dae, which was adapted into a film in 2009 featuring Jessica Mauboy and Geoffrey Rush, has died in a Broome hospital aged 69.

The man, who is not named for cultural reasons, was born to a Bardi Aboriginal mother with Scottish heritage and a father whose parents were Chinese and Japanese.

He was awarded the West Australian Premier’s special book award for Bran Nue Dae in 1991 and was made a WA State Living Treasure in 2004.