Aboriginal Law Bulletin --- "Update: Indigenous Pre-Law Program at UNSW; Next Issue; First Nations' International Court of Justice" [1997] AboriginalLawB 19; (1997) 3(90) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 2

• Update
• Indigenous Pre-Law Program At Unsw
• Next Issue
• First Nations' International Court Of Justice

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Update

Indigenous Pre-Law Program at UNSW

The Aboriginal Education Program at the University of New South Wales held its 3rd Indigenous Pre-Law Program at the Law School at UNSW between 6 January and 7 February 1997.

The course was specifically designed to assist Indigenous people to prepare for the rigours of law school. Subjects covered over the intense period included Indigenous legal issues, contracts, academic skills and legal systems.

Practical elements were included in the course, such as a visit to the High Court and Parliament House in Canberra culminating in a meeting with Mr Justice Michael Kirby. The students also met Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Senator John Herron, and his Opposition counterpart, Mr Daryl Melham.

Twenty people enrolled in the course, nineteen of whom graduated. Thirteen offers were made to study at UNSW Law School, while other students returned to their home States to pursue studies there.

Next Issue

The next issue of this publication will have a special focus on the Wik judgment. It will also be the first issue of the Indigenous Law Bulletin, as we are changing our name to better reflect the diversity of Indigenous identity in Australia. So hang onto this issue; who knows, as the last Aboriginal Law Bulletin ever, it may be worth a fortune at Christie's some day! The Aboriginal Law Centre, our publisher, will also soon be changing its name to the Indigenous Law Centre.

First Nations' International Court of Justice

The First Nations' International Court of justice has announced that it has postponed its first sitting. This sitting was originally scheduled for February 1997. The Court had its inaugural sitting in Ottawa in April 1996, when Indigenous judges from Australia, Aoteoroa/New Zealand, and North America met together to consider whether to hear allegations against Canada in First Nations of Turtle Island v Her Majesty in Right of Canada. Evidence on a number of counts was to have been presented at the February sitting. (See 'First Nations International Court of Justice: A Time to Begin' by one of the Australian judges, Irene Watson, in Vol 3, 79 Aboriginal Law Bulletin 9, for a report on the Court's preliminary hearings.)

A spokesperson for the Court stated the delay is attributed to need for further fundraising. The First Nations' International Court of Justice depends entirely on donations from individuals and organisations. Although it has already received widespread support, it is counting on raising greater revenue through the sale of resource materials, including transcripts and video recordings of the historic first sitting.

Mr Ralph Keesickquayash, the Court's Registrar, said that the testimony and preliminary judgments should be of great interest to advocates of Indigenous peoples and to academics. He said that no other forum could give the perspective on the legal and political relationships of Indigenous peoples and the Canadian government that this one can give.

The establishment of such Indigenous justice mechanisms is supported by the recently-released report of the Canadian Royal Commission of Aboriginal People, which refers to judicial powers and authority as a core area of governance. Ontario Regional Chief Gordon Peters stated that until Indigenous peoples can establish an international justice forum independent of colonising powers, they would never be able to bring those powers to account for the violations of human, treaty and international rights that they have committed.

Organisers are hopeful that with sufficient monies raised during the year, the Court will be able to commence sitting later in 1997.

For further information, contact Sylvia Thompson in Canada on:

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]