UTSpeaks: More Intervention

Will the Government's Stronger Futures law reforms aid indigenous communities or further divide Australia’s people?

The Northern Territory Intervention was argued by the Howard government as needed to protect indigenous children from abuse. Despite criticism for having failed to deliver, proposed changes to the Intervention will permit far wider Federal powers to intrude into and regulate the lives of Indigenous Australians – throughout Australia.

Are we witnessing an 'apartheid by stealth' that further stigmatises and disadvantages Indigenous people while failing to improve their lives?

With three UTS experts in Indigenous law reform, this public lecture traces the history of the Northern Territory Intervention and considers its successes and failures. It discusses the latest round of Government consultations with indigenous communities and questions the degree to which consultation truly took place. Finally it explores the implications and costs of the proposed new laws - laws that will disproportionately affect the first Australians.

Nicole Watson
A Senior Researcher with the UTS Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, Nicole is a member of the Birri-GubbaPeople and the Yugambeh language group. She studied law at the University of Queensland and completed a master of laws at QUT. She became a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1999, has worked for Legal Aid Queensland, the National Native Title Tribunal and the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency. Nicole is also widely published.

Alison Vivian
Alison Vivian is a lawyer and Senior Researcher with the UTS Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning. She was awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2003/2004. Her primary research interests include Indigenous self-determination and governance, international human rights law and native title. She was one of the team of lawyers who assisted senior Aboriginal people from the Northern Territory to prepare a complaint to the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in relation to the Northern Territory Intervention.

Craig Longman
Craig Longman is a Senior Researcher at Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning and the Solicitor Director of NGIYA Litigation Ltd, a newly establish not-for-profit legal practice focused on the use of Strategic Litigation to address Criminal Justice and Human Rights issues faced by Indigenous people. He has acted in numerous high-profile cases on behalf of Aboriginal clients, including the defence of Palm Island Man Lex Wotton to charges of Riot, and the death in custody of Mulrunji Doomadgee. He is also a contributor to Tracker Magazine and The Conversation, and is the Producer/Presenter of the Thin Black Line.

When
Tuesday 24 April, 6.00pm drinks and canapés for 6.30pm start, concludes 8.00pm
Where
University Hall, UTS Science Building 4, 745 Harris Street Ultimo
Transport
UTS is only ten minutes walk from Central Station, Eddy Avenue and Railway Square bus stops.
Parking is available for those with a disability or special need to drive: Peter Johnson Building, Basement Car Park, 702-730 Harris St. Ultimo.
RSVP - Monday 23 April 2012
Register attendance with Robert Button
Email: robert.button@uts.edu.au
Tel: 02 9514 1734
UTSPEAKS: is a free public lecture series presented by UTS experts discussing a range of important issues confronting contemporary Australia