Geoff Clark, born of Aboriginal (Tjapwurrong tribe) of western Victoria and Scottish heritage, rose to prominence through Aboriginal activism in rural Victoria, while advocating for the Indigenous rights and a treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
He was first elected to the ATSIC (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission) Board of Commissioners in 1996, then was elected ATSIC's first National Chairman in 1999. Clark was irreputedly labelled the most powerful Aboriginal leader in Australia. Clark also served a second term as the ATSIC Commissioner for Victoria.
Clark spent most of his youth living between Melbourne, Framlingham and Warrnambool. From the age of five he was raised by his grandmother Alice. At the age of 13 or 14 Clarke was boxing in Jimmy Sharman's travelling boxing tent. He went to Warrnambool North Technical School, where he was a house captain and prefect, until year eleven . In 1967 he was convicted of robbery and then of assault in 1970, for which he served eight months in a Youth Training Centre. Clarke pursued a career in football and played around the nation but was not offered a place with a team in Victoria.
Clarke began his career in Aboriginal activism when he returned to Framlingham in 1979 and became Administrator of the Framlingham Aboriginal Community Trust for 17 years. He began making trips to the United Nations and was elected to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) in 1996, becoming Chairman in 1999. In 2003 Clarke was suspended from ATSIC and in 2004 Prime Minister John Howard abolished the organisation.
In February 2007, Clarke was found guilty in a civil case of having twice raped Carol Stingel in March and April of 1971.
