Policy Statement on Indigenous Australians and the Legal Profession
The Law Council of Australia's Policy Statement on Indigenous Australians and the Legal Profession is a landmark document, adopted unanimously by the Board of the Council on 27 November 2009 and officially launched on 15 February 2010.
The Policy Statement guides the Law Council's approach to legal and public policy issues affecting Indigenous Australians. It covers a broad range of fields, including criminal justice, human rights, land rights, native title, customary law, legal education and reconciliation.
The Policy Statement also commits the Law Council to action, including:
- Promotion of Indigenous peoples' human rights;
- Promoting methods for reducing Indigenous over-representation in the criminal justice system;
- Promoting improvements in native title law, cultural heritage protection law and recognition of Indigenous legal systems;
- Promoting the study and practice of law by Indigenous Australians;
- Promoting the development of treaties and lasting settlements, and the establishment of representative organisations of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders; and
- Development of a Reconciliation Action Plan.
The Policy Statement has been developed by the Law Council's Indigenous Legal Issues Committee, which has consulted publicly with over 60 Indigenous and non-Indigenous stakeholders. All feedback received was positive and constructive, and suggested changes were adopted to improve the Policy Statement.
The legal profession has a significant role to play in addressing Indigenous disadvantage and the Policy Statement outlines the commitment of the Law Council and its constituent bodies to boost the number of Indigenous lawyers and promote the protection of Indigenous rights.
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