Conference presentation
First Nations truth-telling in legal education
2025 Australasian Law Academics Association Conference (University of Queensland, Brisbane, 02/07/2025–04/07/2025)
04/07/2025
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Abstract
Since colonisation by the British, First Nations people have suffered severe injustices, in particular genocide and dispossession of their land. Current injustices include discrimination, over-policing and over-representation in the criminal justice system, poor health and inadequate and over-crowded housing. Law graduates have opportunities to make profound differences to justice outcomes for First Nations peoples however this is dependent on their cultural competency. Traditionally, tertiary legal education has not included truth-telling discussions around the severe impact of Australian policies and laws over the last two centuries. At Southern Cross University, I have incorporated truth-telling into a Priestley unit on Property Law. The relevant module is entitled “Enclosure, dispossession, native title and beyond” and it explores how history fundamentally shapes modern (private) property. We discuss the imposition of the doctrine of tenure by the colonists and the dispossession of the traditional owners by massacres and deliberate forced relocation under protectionist policies. This module introduces law students to significant land rights cases such as Milirrpum (1971), Mabo (No.2)(1992)and Wik (1996) and the development of Native Title law. We conclude by discussing potential future law reform that may improve justice for First Nations Peoples in relation to land. Student feedback has indicated that many were previously unaware of the severe impact of colonisation on First Nations Peoples. Embedded Indigenous legal content can contribute to improved justice for First Nations people in the future.
Details
- Title
- First Nations truth-telling in legal education
- Creators
- Meri Oakwood - Southern Cross University
- Conference
- 2025 Australasian Law Academics Association Conference (University of Queensland, Brisbane, 02/07/2025–04/07/2025)
- Identifiers
- 991013293955502368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference presentation