Description
The proposal for an Aboriginal Law Research Unit within the Faculty of Law was initially discussed at the 4 February 1981 meeting of the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee. Final approval for the establishment of the Unit was given by the Vice-Chancellor on 23 April 1981. The first Chair of the Unit's steering committee was Professor Garth Nettheim (file 034796). The initial functions of the Unit included conducting and fostering research concerning Aboriginal people and the law; the building of a resource base on such issues; publications; clearing-house and co-ordination activity; conference and seminar activity; the development of educational programs; 'back-up' support on legal issues to Aboriginal communities and organisations and their legal advisers; developing links with comparable bodies in other countries (S690). At the 12 February 1986 meeting of the Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee, the creation of an Aboriginal Law Centre was approved to take over the role of the Aboriginal Law Research Unit. Professor Garth Nettheim was appointed Director of the Centre. The Centre's aims were defined as a continuation of the Unit, focused within the following objectives: research; resources; publication; conferences & seminars; and teaching. It would be managed by the Director, who is responsible to the Dean of the Faculty of Law [034796]. The "resources" objective was removed following the 10 May 1997 meeting of the Centre's Advisory Committee, due to the development of the more appropriate Aboriginal Research and Resource Centre. The ARRC became the recipient of the Aboriginal Law Centre's resource collection once this objective was deleted. Professor Nettheim was also Chair of the Management Committee. At the 28 February 1991 meeting of the Management Committee, Professor Nettheim suggested that this body be renamed as an Advisory Council. It would meet less often, with a more strategic focus, and another Management Committee would be formed with a smaller membership that dealt with operations. This proposed structure was finalised in July and implemented in 1992. Also at the 28 February 1991 meeting, Professor Nettheim proposed to step down from his role as Director. John Halden "Hal" Wootten QC was appointed as a replacement from 1 August 1991, for a term of three years, but he only appears in the following year's Annual Report in this role. Wootten continued on the Management Committee, although no longer holding a position or office within the Committee. Nettheim resumed as Director. On 17 May 1995, Nettheim announced he not be able to continue in the role after 1995, due to the position expanding to the extent that a full-time Director was needed and the role was, at that point, unfunded [S2410]. George Villaflor stepped into the role for the last half of 1995 (and subsequently produced a Report on the Centre with recommendations in June 1996) but the minutes of the Faculty of Law 21 August 1996 note that Nettheim has again resumed the Director position. Peter Brock began as Co-ordinator of the Centre in January 1997. Nettheim continued as Director, but appears to have delegated management of operations to the newly created part time Co-ordinator role. Brock wrote to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Chris Fell on 8 May 1997 to seek approval for an expanded membership of the Advisory Committee of the Centre, greatly increasing representation across the law and Indigenous communities. This was in light of the recommendations in the "Centre Review Report" conducted by UNSW in November 1996 [034796]. The Management Committee agreed at the 19 February 1997 meeting to change the name of the Centre to the more inclusive "Indigenous Law Centre". The Advisory Committee approved the change at the 10 May 1997 meeting, and on 4 November 1997 the Academic Board gave its endorsement (resolution AB97/142). This was approved by the Vice-Chancellor on 11 November 1997. The Aboriginal Law Bulletin [S852] was produced by the Centre since its inception, with the first issue appearing in August 1981. The name was changed to the Indigenous Law Bulletin (in line with the Centre's name change) for the April 1997 issue. Aboriginal Law Notes was a newsletter produced by the Centre from July 1982 to October 1990. The Management Committee considered changing the Law Notes to a insert for the Law Bulletin prior to its final issue [20 September 1990]. The first issue of the Australian Indigenous Law Reporter was launched in November 1995, funded by the Law Society of New South Wales, and International Business Communications Pty Ltd (subsequently Prospect Media Pty Ltd). An Editoral Panel was convened for this project, and some staff worked in common across the quarterly Reporter and the more frequent Bulletin. During the 1990s, the Centre produced community education kits related to the landmark moment in Indigenous law, native title, following the High Court decisions in Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) and Wik Peoples v Queensland (1996). A Community Education sub-committee was established in 1994, initially comprised of Garth Nettheim, Susan Varga and Jason Behrendt [S2410]. It is unclear how long he held the position, but Mick Dodson was Director for at least two years, from 1998 to 2000. Megan Davis was Director from 2006 to 2016. As of 2018, Dr Kyllie Cripps was Acting Director and Dr Leon Terrill was Research Director, The Steering Committee provided guidance to the directors. Controlling Organisation: UNSW - 23/04/1981-
