Litigating the Boundaries of Sovereignty - Symposium Day 1

A4 DOWNLOAD: Aboriginal Sovereignty Symposium 23rd May 2012 pdf file

LIRC Symposium: Wednesday 23 May 2012

On 26 January 2012, on the day of the 40th anniversary of the establishment Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra, a number of prominent Aboriginal activists advanced an articulated claim to the continuity of Aboriginal sovereignty in Australia. This claim to continuous sovereignty, uninfluenced by any proclamations to the contrary made by Captain Cook and Captain Phillips in 1770 and 1788 and uninterrupted by ever-changing colonial policies of the last two centuries, is supported by the use of cases, documents and doctrines that illustrate the possible existence of multiple coexisting sovereign claims on the same territorial jurisdiction. For example, one aspect of the claim will rely on the Pacific Islanders' Protection Act 1872 and the impact of the Doctrine of Discovery on international Indigenous sovereignty, matters soon to be discussed at the Eleventh Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in May.

The Legal Intersections Research Centre at the University of Wollongong and the School of Law and Justice of Southern Cross University are jointly organising a one-day workshop to explore the legal and political implications of those claims. The workshop will specifically focus on discussing the complexities of litigating claims of Aboriginal sovereignty as a public interest issue by focusing on three case studies. The workshop aims to bring together leading Aboriginal activists, legal practitioners and scholars in the areas of law, politics and public culture.

Confirmed Speakers:

Michael Anderson, co-founder of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 1972
Fred Hooper, Chair of the Northern Murray–Darling Basin Aboriginal Nations
Dr Charles Hawksley, University of Wollongong
Bruce Sinclair, Metis theatre artist, teacher and arts administrator, Canada Council for the Arts
Virginia Marshall, Solicitor

Interested participants have the opportunity to view documents related to the case studies that will be discussed at the workshop. If you are interested in receiving these documents please indicate your interest when you RSVP.

Location: University of Wollongong, Innovation Campus,
ITAMS Building 233, Room G12

HOW TO GET THERE - Local transport details
MAP OF CAMPUS - DOWNLOAD pdf file

Date: Wednesday 23 May 2012
Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm
RSVP: 11 May 2012 to Felicia Martin: fmartin@uow.edu.au
Please note numbers are limited