News
National and international speakers boost to National Native title conference
18 May 2011
The Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Australia, The Hon Patrick Keane, is one of several high profiled keynote speakers confirmed to address Australia’s largest Indigenous policy conference – the National Native Title Conference – in Brisbane next month.
The Hon Patrick Keane, who was appointed Chief Justice of the Federal Court in March last year, will deliver a keynote address on Day two of the Conference which will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre 1-3 June.
The Chief Justice is one of a list of prominent key note speakers which includes the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda and Ms Kerry Arabena former Co-Chair of the National Congress and current Chief Executive of the Lowitja Institute.
Ms Arabena will deliver the prestigious Mabo Lecture on Day Two of the Conference. Previous Mabo Lectures have been presented by Professor Marcia Langton, AM, Noel Pearson, Aden Ridgeway, Galarrwuy Yunupingu and AIATSIS Chairperson Professor Michael Dodson AM.
This years Conference also features a keynote address by Andrew Leach, a member of the Canada’s St’at’imc Nation and CEO of Canada’s Aboriginal Housing Management Association. Mr Leach’s keynote address will examine the Canadian experience with native land title and the most recent research and practices.
The theme of this year’s conference is Our Country; Our Future as is expected to attract some 700 people. The conference aims to promote public debate about native title and Indigenous peoples’ interests in land and waters, agreement making, natural resource management and economic development.”
One of the highlights of the 2011 conference is the introduction of special dialogue forums to provide more opportunities for shared experiences and engagement between presenters and audience.
Dialogue Forum topics included:
- Do we gave to chose between country and development, or can we have both?
- How do we reform the proof of native title?
- Is the pressure of proactive case management worth it?
- What is a native title benefit and who should benefit?, and
- Constitutional reform: can it support land justice?
Conference attendees will include native title holders and applicants, native title practitioners, academics, Commonwealth, State and Territory agencies and Ministers, and Justices of the Federal and High Courts.
Convened annually by the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) and co-convened this year by Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS), the conference will be hosted by the Turrbal, Jagera, Yuggera and Ugarapul Peoples, the traditional owners of the wider Brisbane area.
Conference registrations close this on COB Friday 20 May 2011.
Online registrations are now open via the conference website at www.aiatsis.gov.au
Further information: Peter Windsor 0400 554603