Tradition meets technology: Patrick McKenzie’s journey to connect First Nations communities

Patrick McKenzie is a proud Jirrbal man who was born and raised on Larrakia Country. He enrolled in the Master of Arts Screen: Business (MASB) with the aim of elevating his career in education and empowering First Nations People living in remote regions of Australia to share stories and cultural knowledge within their communities and beyond.  

One year after completing the course he is well on his way to fulfilling that ambition. 

Working as an educator at Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education in the Northern Territory (NT), where he trains Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia in screen and media, Patrick decided to invest in a master’s degree to enable him to advance his education career while gaining the skills and knowledge to have a wider impact on First Nations communities. 

“I did a bit of research, and I found that the Master of Arts Screen: Business program matched the leadership and management direction that I wanted to go in my career,” Patrick said. 

With a background in community television, radio and digital content production, studying at AFTRS also matched his creative drive and business ambitions – and it stood out not only for its reputation in screen and audio, but also for its history of working with First Nations practitioners.  

“I chose AFTRS because of its long history and commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. That was important to me for what I wanted to achieve,” Patrick said. 

What was equally important was the ability to do the course part time and online. Living in the NT, Patrick knew access to high-level programs was limited. The flexibility of the MASB made it possible.  

“I’ve always known about AFTRS and I’ve always wanted to come to AFTRS, so when I saw that I could do the master’s through distance education and at that level, it matched my career trajectory and suited my work-life balance,” he said. 

“The way that the MASB program was structured was exceptional. It wasn’t too much or overwhelming and it was delivered in modules. The format aligned with the work I was doing and complemented the programs I was developing and teaching. I was able to apply what I was learning in my own teaching and creative practice.” 

Patrick describes the MASB as a catalyst for growth – professionally and personally.  

“The MASB is a program that will transform your thinking, and it will transform your creative practice and your industry knowledge,” he said. 

“It also opens up opportunities and maybe pathways that you didn’t know were possible before.” 

This was particularly true of Patrick’s Capstone Project, ‘Digital Dhäwul* : A Modern-Day Message Stick’, which reflects his commitment to empowering remote communities to share local news stories through low-cost social platforms, especially where internet constraints can limit traditional broadcast and streaming options. 

“My capstone was about taking traditional Indigenous Knowledge Systems and combining them with digital innovations in technology to create a digital news service for remote communities in the Northern Territory.” 

The idea grew directly from Patrick’s teaching work with remote Indigenous media workers across the Top End, where he saw experienced broadcasters returning home unable to implement the new skills due to limited support and funding constraints within the sector. His focus became on embedding practices that enabled remote workers to produce local content independently and developing a funding model that did not rely on government funding programs – supporting self-determination and truth-telling.  

“The capstone journey has been the culmination of everything. It’s taken an idea and developed it into something tangible. That has been one of the most rewarding parts of the process,” Patrick said. 

Patrick said balancing study with fulltime work, travel and community engagement did require discipline, but the most crucial factor for success was having the right support.  

“AFTRS is a really supportive environment,” he said. “When I was struggling with my work, life and study balance … it turned out to be as simple as having a conversation, and the staff were able to support me through my study to make it a fantastic journey,” he said. 

“The staff have so much passion and care for education, and their practice of transferring knowledge is so close to the way that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have taught and transferred knowledge for generations, it influenced and changed the way that I teach, too. It was inspirational. 

“If you’re looking to build management [and] creative practice, and if you’re looking for a way to become a strategic leader in the creative industries, then this is the course for you.” 

*Dhäwul is the Yolŋgu term for story/news, and a Message Stick is a universally recognised form of traditional communication for First Nations People in Australia.