In 1985 Kutcha returned to the city to attend Koori Kollij in Collingwood. It was here that he studied Koori Politics, Health, Black Studies and Radio & Video Production. During this year he was a crew member invited by the traditional land owners of Uluru to film the ‘hand over’ from the government.

For the rest of the 1980’s Kutcha became involved with his community by working as a Sports Coordinator/Youth Worker at the Fitzroy Stars Youth Gymnasium. In 1988 he became a father.

It wasn’t until 1991 that Kutcha was coerced into joining Koori rock band Watbalimba as a singer. This was the beginning of Kutcha’s musical career. Two years later Kutcha joined the renowned Melbourne Koori band Blackfire. At one of the first gigs, Kutcha and Lionel Rose performed as singers in the band. The line up changed over the years, and Blackfire travelled extensively throughout Australia, and internationally to Japan, Taiwan, China and Mexico.

While developing his singing and performing, Kutcha always maintained his strong links with his community by working at the KODE (Koori Open Door Education) school as a Youth Worker/Mentor, teaching Video Production at an Aboriginal Recovery Centre and hosting the 3CR (855AM) Songlines Radio program.

In 2001 Kutcha was awarded National Indigenous Person of the Year, Best Male Artist of the Year at the Deadly Vibes Awards, and has recently released a solo CD, ‘Cooinda’, with tracks produced with the assistance of personal friends Paul Hester, Paul Kelly and David Bridie.

Today, Kutcha travels widely around his community and the wider community sharing his message through songs and stories. He continues to work all around Australia and internationally. He hosts his own show on 3CR and was at the forefront of the initial broadcasting of Melbourne’s first Indigenous radio station 3KND (1503AM). He has co-hosted his own TV show, been featured on ICAM (ABC TV) and in 2004 he received a HRAEOC (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission) Award for his work in prisons – particularly his involvement in the live-to-air NAIDOC radio broadcasts – BEYOND THE BARS.

In 2007 Kutcha released his second solo CD title ‘Hope’ and also wrote, produced and performed his first theatre based show, ‘Songlines of a Mutti Mutti Man’, which enjoyed full houses at the George Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre and will recently had a sell out run at North Melbourne Town Hall, Arts House.

Over past 6 years Kutcha Edwards and Band have gone from strength to strength with performances at major festivals and events including The Dreaming Festival, Port Fairy Folk Festival, The National Folk Festival, Canberra, Alice Springs Desert Festival and WOMADelaide. The band is a tight knit group of 5 musicians who have taken the musical journey with Kutcha and are a strong backing force to the expression of Kutcha’s songs.

Also forming during 2007 was The Black Arm Band, a group of up to 15 of the most successful indigenous performers in the country. Beginning with sell out performances titled ‘murundak’ at the Melbourne Concert Hall, by the end of 2008 the Black Arm Band had performed at the Sydney Opera House during the Sydney Festival, at the Perth Festival, WOMADadelaide, at the London International Festival and back in Melbourne with the Melbourne Symphonic Orchestra in October. The Black Arm Band will be touring again during the second half of this year travelling to Northern Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia’s Kimberley region and fitting in another trip to London as well as once again performing a new show for the Melbourne International Festival.

This year has seen Kutcha’s work in the fields of music, education and leadership grow steadily to a level where the demand for his presence from festival, schools, businesses and community organisations is truly reflective of his unique charm and magnetism. He has sung at major events, spoken to politicians and dignitaries and sat with kindergarten children. What Kutcha shares with people is a connection, a belonging. It is his gift that in his own journey of healing he is able to help heal and enlighten others.
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Victoria’s staff are organised into three teams: Practitioner Registrations, led by Meredith Bickley, AHPRA Victoria Corporate Services, led by Jancy McHugh and Notifications and complaints about practitioners, led by Kath Kelsey.

Richard has been with AHPRA since February of this year. Prior to joining AHPRA he was for two years CEO of the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria and before that was the General Manager of the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. He has extensive management and clinical experience in Victoria’s public health system, was Acting CEO of the Dental Health Services Victoria and spent 20 years at the Royal Children’s Hospital as the Director of Perfusion Services in the Cardiac Surgery Unit.

Richard holds a MBA from Monash and a B.Sc (Hons), also from Monash University
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