Tjandamurra O'Shane
Encyclopedia
Tjandamurra "Janda" O'Shane (born 15 August 1990) is a Murri Indigenous Australian who at age six was the victim of a fire attack whilst playing at a schoolyard in Cairns, Queensland
on 10 October 1996. He is the nephew of New South Wales
magistrate Pat O'Shane
, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
er Terry O'Shane. O'Shane's given name comes from the Aboriginal resistance fighter Tjandamurra
, and is sometimes transliterated as 'Jandamurra'.
The attack, and O'Shane's struggle to survive, captivated the Australia
n nation, as millions followed his plight in the Australian media.
, and never revealed why he chose to attack O'Shane out of the group of children in the playground. Streeton drenched O'Shane in fuel, and set him alight with a cigarette lighter. O'Shane ran through the school yard with his body in flames. Hearing O'Shane's screams, school principal Michael Aitken rushed out of his office and proceeded to smother the flames in his shirt and hands.
With burns to 70 per cent of his body, O'Shane was not expected to live. He required long periods recovering at the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane
, and years of skin grafts. As most of his sweat glands were destroyed by the fire he can only sweat through his face and hands, making it difficult to play sport.
Streeton was arrested and later convicted for the attack. He was sentenced to life in jail. O'Shane and his mother Jenni Patterson say they have forgiven Streeton. Pat O'Shane described Streeton's sentence as "too harsh".
presented O'Shane with his World Title belt, hoping to speed the youngster's recovery.
Fundraising activities took place around Australia. The current affairs program Witness, on the Seven Network
, set up an appeal, and was inundated with money, chocolates, teddy bears and toys for O'Shane. The program raised in excess of $120,000, and money kept coming during following years. Australian rock band Midnight Oil
played a charity concert in Townsville, Queensland
in 1997, to raise money for O'Shane's recovery.
In June 1999, at the age of eight, O'Shane was awarded A$
75,000 in criminal compensation in the Supreme Court of Queensland
. Some commentators, including New South Wales Attorney-General Jeff Shaw
, used the case to highlight inequities in the compensation laws, pointing out other cases where no physical harm was done, but much larger sums of money were issued.
Graham Richardson
of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, gave O'Shane a position on the Torch Relay of the 2000 Summer Olympics
. As he was three years below the minimum age to carry the flame, O'Shane ran with his mother.
In an interview given to The Courier Mail in 2008 to mark his 18th birthday, O'Shane said he was bemused by the enormous amount of national attention he had received in Australia. "Yeah, it's a bit strange," he said. "Sometimes I forget that all of Australia knows what happened. People still want to know how I'm going."
In 2008 O'Shane graduated from Woree State High School
after completing Year 12. He and his partner have one son, Raupena.
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
on 10 October 1996. He is the nephew of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
magistrate Pat O'Shane
Pat O'Shane
Patricia June O'Shane is a magistrate of the Local Court of New South Wales living in Sydney, Australia. A former head of the New South Wales Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, and Aboriginal herself, O'Shane was appointed a magistrate in 1986...
, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
er Terry O'Shane. O'Shane's given name comes from the Aboriginal resistance fighter Tjandamurra
Jandamarra
Jandamarra or Tjandamurra , also known as "Pigeon", was an Indigenous Australian of the Bunuba people who led one of the few organised armed insurrections documented against European settlement in Australia.- Background :...
, and is sometimes transliterated as 'Jandamurra'.
The attack, and O'Shane's struggle to survive, captivated the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n nation, as millions followed his plight in the Australian media.
The attack
The perpetrator, Paul Wade Streeton, arrived at the school carrying a 5-litre can of petrolGasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, and never revealed why he chose to attack O'Shane out of the group of children in the playground. Streeton drenched O'Shane in fuel, and set him alight with a cigarette lighter. O'Shane ran through the school yard with his body in flames. Hearing O'Shane's screams, school principal Michael Aitken rushed out of his office and proceeded to smother the flames in his shirt and hands.
With burns to 70 per cent of his body, O'Shane was not expected to live. He required long periods recovering at the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, and years of skin grafts. As most of his sweat glands were destroyed by the fire he can only sweat through his face and hands, making it difficult to play sport.
Aftermath
He became a national figure in Australia, as the country sympathised and followed his progress. The attack received publicity around the world.Streeton was arrested and later convicted for the attack. He was sentenced to life in jail. O'Shane and his mother Jenni Patterson say they have forgiven Streeton. Pat O'Shane described Streeton's sentence as "too harsh".
Support
In 1996, boxer Lionel RoseLionel Rose
Lionel Edmund Rose MBE was an Australian bantamweight boxer, the first Indigenous Australian to win a world title.-Early life:...
presented O'Shane with his World Title belt, hoping to speed the youngster's recovery.
Fundraising activities took place around Australia. The current affairs program Witness, on the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
, set up an appeal, and was inundated with money, chocolates, teddy bears and toys for O'Shane. The program raised in excess of $120,000, and money kept coming during following years. Australian rock band Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
played a charity concert in Townsville, Queensland
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
in 1997, to raise money for O'Shane's recovery.
In June 1999, at the age of eight, O'Shane was awarded A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
75,000 in criminal compensation in the Supreme Court of Queensland
Supreme Court of Queensland
The Supreme Court of Queensland, which is based at the Law Courts Complex, is the superior court for the Australian State of Queensland and sits around the middle of the Australian court hierarchy...
. Some commentators, including New South Wales Attorney-General Jeff Shaw
Jeff Shaw (politician)
Jeffrey William "Jeff" Shaw, QC was an Australian lawyer, judge and former Attorney General of New South Wales.-Early life and education:...
, used the case to highlight inequities in the compensation laws, pointing out other cases where no physical harm was done, but much larger sums of money were issued.
Graham Richardson
Graham Richardson
Graham Frederick Richardson , a former Australian politician, was a Senator for New South Wales from 1983–94 for the Australian Labor Party, a senior minister in Hawke and Keating governments, and is now a political lobbyist, public speaker, and media commentator. During his time in politics,...
of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, gave O'Shane a position on the Torch Relay of the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. As he was three years below the minimum age to carry the flame, O'Shane ran with his mother.
In an interview given to The Courier Mail in 2008 to mark his 18th birthday, O'Shane said he was bemused by the enormous amount of national attention he had received in Australia. "Yeah, it's a bit strange," he said. "Sometimes I forget that all of Australia knows what happened. People still want to know how I'm going."
In 2008 O'Shane graduated from Woree State High School
Woree State High School
Woree State High School is a public school situated in the southern suburbs of Cairns, North Queensland, Australia. The school provides education from Year 8 to 12 and has around 750 students...
after completing Year 12. He and his partner have one son, Raupena.