Developing the next generation of leaders
Dolphins fullback and Indigenous All Star Trai Fuller joined celebrated author and activist Aunty Ruth Hegarty to encourage students to apply for a Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Foundation (QATSIF) scholarship.
The $2,000 scholarships help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students entering Year 11 and 12 cover the cost of schooling but, other than in special circumstances, applications for a 2027 scholarship must be in by 31 August 2026.
Applications for 2027 scholarships close soon
Aunty Ruth, the founding patron of QATSIF and author of the award-winning memoir Is That You, Ruthie?, said education was vital for continued Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advancement, even as the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week (05-12 July) is celebrated in 2026.
"Education has always been the thing our people can use to change our outcomes," she said. "It gives young people the confidence to use their voice, to speak up when they see something that’s wrong and to talk with pride about who they are and what’s happening in their lives."
Leading the way for other young people
Trai was a QATSIF scholarship-holder at Emerald State High School, and also attended St Brendan’s College in Yeppoon.
"A good education helped me have something to fall back on, and not just rely on footy," he said.
He’s since received multiple awards – for his sporting prowess and his on-field character – including the Petero Civoniceva Medal as Queensland Rugby League’s Hostplus Cup Best and Fairest Player in 2023, and the Tony Obst Award for Player’s Player every year from 2020 to 2023. He was selected for the Prime Minister’s XIII in 2025 and the Indigenous All Stars in 2026.
Despite the accolades, Trai described himself as a "fella from out in the bush" who tried to show other young people it was possible to realise their potential.
"When I go out on the field, I don’t normally say too much, I normally lead with my actions," he said.
Samay Zhouand: Charitable foundations managed by the Public Trustee are perpetual trusts. That means that we hold the money and we invest the money for the long term, so that we distribute the returns from those investments.
Trai Fuller: My QATSIF scholarship was extremely important. It helped me get through school at St Brendan’s and helped me get a better education for myself and helped me sort out what I’ll do after footy and school.
Samay Zhouand: So 2026 has been a record year. We’ve distributed almost 2,500 scholarships, which means $4.5 million for Years 11 and 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Trai Fuller: The good education helped me with just having something to fall back on, not just relying on footy.
Supporting Queenslanders through big life events
The Central Queensland education region, including Emerald State High School and St Brendan’s College, had a record 308 QATSIF scholarship-holders in 2026. In total, QATSIF provided a record 2,479 new scholarships this year at 419 schools across Queensland, using $4.5 million in investment returns generated by Queensland Public Trustee (QPT).
Samay Zhouand, the Public Trustee of Queensland, explained that QPT was the trustee of 20 charitable perpetual trusts, including QATSIF. As trustee, QPT invests the trusts’ capital to generate investment returns, working on a cost-recovery basis so the trusts get maximum value from that investment income.
In 2024-25 QPT distributed $15.2 million to the trusts, to be used for the benefit Queensland communities.
"QPT supports Queenslanders through many big life events," Samay said. "Graduating from high school is one of the most important of those life events and we’re looking forward to working with QATSIF to help even more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people do that in 2027."
Information on how to apply for a QATSIF scholarship is available at www.qatsif.org,au
Turning heartache into hope
QATSIF was established by the Queensland Government in 2008. The foundation’s original capital of almost $26 million was made up of undistributed funds from the Indigenous Wages and Savings Reparations Scheme and the Aborigines Welfare Fund, which included the interest earned on confiscated wages.
Over the past 18 years, QPT has increased QATSIF’s funds under management to almost $48 million, while generating almost $30 million in returns to fund nearly 24,600 scholarships. QATSIF’s capital remains untouched.
In 2025. 98.4% of QATSIF scholarship-holders completed their Queensland Certificate of Education, Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement or Vocational Education and Training qualification.