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Elizabeth Hoffman is an Australian Aboriginal rights activist and co-founder of the Elizabeth Hoffman House women’s refuge. 

Biography Known as Aunty Elizabeth, Hoffman (née Morgan) was raised in New South Wales, at the Cummeragunja Reserve, location of the Cummeragunja walk-off in 1939. After moving to Melbourne, she worked at the Aborigine’s Advancement League (AAL) and was Matron of the Gladys Mitchell Youth Hostel, where she became concerned with helping Aboriginal women and children to find a safe place away from family violence. With Joyce Johnson, Hoffman began taking women and children into her own home in the early 70s. By 1979, Elizabeth Hoffman House was operating as a small emergency refuge, and in November of that year Hoffman travelled to Canberra to convince government officers of a need for an Aboriginal-only refuge. [‘Women Seek Refuge’, The Herald, 14 Nov 1979, p. 26.] Her battled for funding for rent and wages lasted many years. By 1984, Elizabeth Hoffman House ran independent of the AAL. 

Notable offices and awards Hoffman was elected president of the AAL three times, and served as vice-president and treasurer at various times. She was appointed director in 1976. She was chairperson of the Aboriginal Legal Service, chairperson of the Aboriginal Housing Co-operative, and was a commissioner for the Aboriginal Development Commission.  In 2001, she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for her work.  Hoffman received the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2006 NAIDOC Ball in Cairns. It was presented by Mal Brough, then Minister for Indigenous Affairs, who said Hoffman “has done and given a lifetime of work for her people”. The award was presented for her commitment to preventing violence against women and children.