Charles Darwin University (CDU) was well represented at the National Indigenous Legal Conference held in Sydney recently.
Current law student Joh-Ann Coates and Indigenous academic support lecturer Veronica McClintic LLB, attended the conference held from 22 to 23 September.
The conference was the first national gathering of Indigenous lawyers and law students, and was attended by Indigenous legal practitioners and law students from across the country.
Veronica explained that it was important that CDU students and staff attended.
“It was imperative that Joh-Ann and I attended as over 25 per cent of the NT population is Indigenous, so we must be abreast of the Indigenous legal issues within Australia,” she said.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calms provided the keynote address on the integration of Aboriginal customary law in the Australian legal system.
Having completed CDU’s Indigenous Pre-Law program in 2005, Joh-Ann is now in her second year of a Bachelor of Law. She attended the conference with the assistance of funding provided by the School of Law and Business.
The National Indigenous Legal Conference is hosted by the New South Wales Bar Association and Indigenous Barristers’ Trust - The Mum Shirl Fund.