Celebrating 100 Indigenous UNSW Law Graduates 100-Indigenous-Law-Graduates-Event_Booklet_V13_FIN | Page 7

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From the Dean
UNSW Law is proud of its long history of supporting Indigenous
students and graduates. Our foundation Dean Hal Wooten
helped to bring about the Aboriginal Legal Service, and until
it obtained its own premises its registered office was UNSW
Law. Garth Nettheim, who sadly passed away in 2018 and was
among UNSW’s earliest faculty members, devoted his career to
the advancement of Indigenous justice, and played a leading
role in the establishment of the Indigenous Law Centre at
UNSW Law.
Our students though have always been front and centre of
our most important successes. They have enriched the life of
our Law School with their stories and experiences, and help to
make real for our community the daily struggles of Indigenous
peoples as they seek justice and a fair settlement in Australia.
The graduation of 100 Indigenous students from UNSW Law
is a significant milestone. These students have gone on to
extraordinary careers, ranging from high judicial office through
to political and community service. Their success reflects the
efforts of the students themselves, their families, their teachers
and the many others who have provided support to ensure that
they have access to a world-class legal education.
This milestone, though important, must not be met with
complacency. UNSW Law still has much work to do in
partnership with communities and other organisations to
ensure that promising Indigenous students receive the chance
at a legal education, and through this to make their mark on
Australia and to serve their and the broader community.
I especially want to acknowledge the work of Professor Jill
Hunter, our Inaugural Director of Indigenous Legal Education
(2003 – 2010). Jill, in partnership with Kingsford Legal Centre
and many committed UNSW Law colleagues, founded our
Indigenous Legal Education, Research and Reconciliation
Committee. Perhaps the most significant initiative of Jill’s and
ILERRC’s was to introduce the Paul Rodwell long-lending
textbook scheme for Indigenous students to give them
semester-long access to basic course materials. These days,
Indigenous students own their textbooks under the scheme.
Subsequent Directors of Indigenous Legal Education,
Associate Professor Christine Forster (2010 – 2013) and Jeni
Engel (2014 – current) have further enhanced opportunities and
support available to our Indigenous Law students.
In reflecting on this achievement, we must renew our efforts
not only to educate the next 100 Indigenous students, but to
accelerate the pace so that the historic underrepresentation of
Indigenous peoples in the legal, political and other sectors of
public life is redressed. We have made progress, but still have
much to do.
Professor George Williams AO
Dean, UNSW Law (2016 – current)