Profile:
Professor Larissa Behrendt is Professor of Law and Director of Research at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning at the University of Technology, Sydney. She graduated from the University of New South Wales Law School in 1992 and has since graduated from Harvard Law School with her Master of Laws and a Doctorate of Laws. She has worked as a practicing lawyer in the areas of Aboriginal land claims and family law, and has taught at the University of New South Wales and Australian National University Law. She was the co-winner of the inaugural Neville Bonner national Teaching Award in 2002.
She is admitted to the NSW and ACT Supreme Courts and is a Judicial Member and Alternate Chair of the Serious Offenders Review Council and a Land Commissioner of the Land and Environment Court. She has spent time working in Canada and at the United Nations with First Nations organisations and is currently undertaking research on Indigenous governance and policy issues. She is a fellow of the Australian Social Sciences Academy, a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, and a member of the ARC College of Experts.
She has had published books and articles on property law, indigenous rights, dispute resolution and Aboriginal women's issues. She is a regular columnist in the National Indigenous Times. Her book, Achieving Social Justice: Indigenous Rights and Australia's Future was published in 2003. She won the 2002 David Unaipon Award for her novel Home. She is a board member of the Museum of Contemporary Art and a Director of the Bangarra Dance Theatre. She is the Chair of National Indigenous Television Ltd.
Publications:
Books
Non-Fiction
- Achieving Social Justice. Annandale: Federation Press, 2003.
- Dispute Resolution in Aboriginal Communities. Annandale: Federation Press, 1995.
Fiction
- Home. St. Lucia, UQP, 2004.
Co-Authored Books
- With Sean Brennan, Lisa Strelein and George Williams, Treaty. Annandale: Federation Press, 2005
- With Loretta Kelly, Conflict Management in Native Title. Annandale: Federation Press, Forthcoming
Book Chapters
Non-Fiction
- "Cultural Conflict in Colonial Legal Systems: An Australian Perspective". In Catherine Bell and David Kahane (eds.) Intercultural Dispute Resolution in Aboriginal Contexts. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2004. 116-127.
- "Challenging the status quo: Indigenous activism and the rule of law in Australia". In W Prest & S Roach Anleu (eds.) Litigation: Past and Present. Sydney: UNSW Press, 2004. 171-185
- "Eliza Fraser: A Colonial and Legal Narrative". In I McCalman and A.McGrath, Proof & Truth: The Humanist as Expert. Canberra: Australian Academy of the Sciences, 2003.
- "Eualeyai: The Blood that runs Through my Veins". In Stephen Greymorning (ed.). A Will to Survive: Indigenous Essays on the Politics of Culture, Language and Identity. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003.
- Practical Steps Towards a Treaty - Structures, Challenges and the Need for Flexibility. In ATSIC & AIATSIS, Treaty: Let's get it right. Canberra: AIATSIS, 2003. 18-29.
- Lacking Good Faith: Australia, Fiduciary Duties and the Lonely Place of Indigenous Rights. In Law Commission of Canada & Association of Iroquois and Allied Indians. In Whom we Trust: A Forum on Fiduciary Relationships. Toronto: Irwin Law, 2002. 248-267.
- Lessons from the Mediation Obsession: Ensuring that Sentencing 'Alternatives' focus on Indigenous Education. In John Braithwaite & Heather Strang (eds.) Restorative Justice and Family Violence. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2002. 178-190.
- Playing the 'Other' in Australia's Psychological Terra nullius. In Brad Buckley & John Conomos (eds.) Republics of Ideas: Republicanism Culture Visual Arts. Annandale, Pluto Press, 2001. 33-44
- Introduction. In Sam Garkawe, Loretta Kelly and Warwick Fisher (eds.). Indigenous Human Rights. Sydney: Institute of Criminology/Federation Press, 2001. 3-9
- The Benefits of a Formal Mentoring Relationship: "Not my New Best Friend". In Bartlett, A. and Mercer, G. (eds.) Postgraduate Research Supervision: Transforming (R)Elations. New York: Peter Lang, 2001. 211-214
- Charting Democracy and Aboriginal Rights in Australia's Psychological Terra Nullius. In Patmore, G., and Glover, D (eds.) New Voices for Social Democracy: Labor Essays 1999-2000. Melbourne: Pluto Press, 1999. 201-215.
- Strong Role Models. In Bin Sallik, M. (ed.) Aboriginal Women by Degrees. St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 2000. 65-76.Articles (* refereed)
- "Treaty and/or Health", (2005) Balayi. Vol. 7, 154-156.
- "Back to the Future", (2005) Arena Magazine Vol.75, Feb-Mar, 5-7.
- "Habeus Corpus?" (2004) Arena Magazine Vol.73, Oct-Nov, 25-26.
- "It's Broke so Fix It: Arguments for a Bill of Rights" (2003) Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol.9, No.1, 257-262
- "Power from the People: A Community-based Approach to Indigenous Self-Determination" (2003) The Flinders Journal of Law Reform Vol.6, Issue 2, 135-150
- 'ATSIC Bashing' (2003) Arena Vol.67, Oct-Nov, 27-29.
- "Responsibility in Governance: Implied Rights, Fiduciary Obligation and Indigenous Peoples" (2002) Australian Journal of Public Administration Vol. 6, No.2, 106-118
- "Genocide: The distance between law and Life" (2002) Aboriginal History Vol. 25, 132-147
- "The Link Between Rights and a Treaty" (2002) Balayi: Culture Law and Colonialism, Issue 4, 21-28
- "Self-Determination and Indigenous Policy: the Rights Framework and Practical Outcomes" (2002) Journal of Indigenous Policy , Volume 1, 43-58
- "Mabo ten years on - a psychological terra nullius" (2002) Impact July 2002, 1, 8-9.
- "Blood from a Stone" (2002) Arena Magazine No. 60, August-September, 32-34.
- "Aboriginal Women and the Criminal Justice System" (2002) Judicial Officer's Bulletin, Vol.14, No.6, July 2002, 41-44
- "Unfinished Journey - Indigenous Self-Determination" (2002) Arena Magazine, No.58, April-May, 24-27.
- "Indigenous Self-Determination: Rethinking the Relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the State" (2001) University of New South Wales Law Journal 24 (3) 850-861
- 'Mind, Body and Spirit: Pathways Forward for Reconciliation' (2001) Treaties and Constitutions Vol.5 No.1 38-52
- "What Path Forward for Reconciliation? The Challenges of a New Relationship with Indigenous People" (2001) Public Law Review , Vol. 12 (2) 79-83
- "Towards Improved Rights Protections", (2001) Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, Vol. 3(4), 3.
- 'Consent in a (Neo) Colonial Society: Aboriginal Women as Sexual and Legal 'Other', (2000) Australian Feminist Studies Vol.15, no. 33. 353-367.
- "The Eliza Fraser Captivity Narrative: A Tale of the Frontier, Femininity and the Legitimization of Colonial Law", (2000) 63 Saskatchewan Law Review 145
- "Righting Australia" Arena Magazine No.45, Feb. - Mar., 2000. 24-26
- "White Picket Fences: Australia's Psychological Terra Nullius", 51 Constitutional Forum, Vol. 10(2), 1999.
- "In Your Dreams: Cultural Appropriation, Popular Culture and Colonialism", 256 Law/Text/Culture, Vol. 4(1), 1998.
- "Meeting at the Cross Roads: Intersectionality, Affirmative Action and the Legacies of the Aborigines Protection Board", 98 Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol.4(1), December 1997.
- "At the Back of the Class. At the Front of the Class: Experiences as Aboriginal Student and Aboriginal Teacher", 27 Feminist Review, Vol. 52, 1996.
- *"Women's Work: The Inclusion of the Voice of Aboriginal Women", 169 Legal Education Review, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1995.
- *"Protecting the Spirit, Preserving the Traditional in Non-Traditional Settings", 55 Australian Feminist Law Journal, Vol. 4, 1994.
- *"No-one Can Own the Land", 43 Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol. 1(1), 1994.
- *"Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Rights Discourse". 27 Australian Feminist Law Journal, Vol. 1, August 1993.
Articles (* refereed)
- * "Treaty and/or Health", (2005) Balayi. Vol. 7, 154-156.
- "Back to the Future", (2005) Arena Magazine Vol.75, Feb-Mar, 5-7.
- "Habeus Corpus?" (2004) Arena Magazine Vol.73, Oct-Nov, 25-26.
- * "It's Broke so Fix It: Arguments for a Bill of Rights" (2003) Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol.9, No.1, 257-262
- * "Power from the People: A Community-based Approach to Indigenous Self-Determination" (2003) The Flinders Journal of Law Reform Vol.6, Issue 2, 135-150
- 'ATSIC Bashing' (2003) Arena Vol.67, Oct-Nov, 27-29.
- * "Responsibility in Governance: Implied Rights, Fiduciary Obligation and Indigenous Peoples" (2002) Australian Journal of Public Administration Vol. 6, No.2, 106-118
- *"Genocide: The distance between law and Life" (2002) Aboriginal History Vol. 25, 132-147
- * "The Link Between Rights and a Treaty" (2002) Balayi: Culture Law and Colonialism, Issue 4, 21-28
- "Self-Determination and Indigenous Policy: the Rights Framework and Practical Outcomes" (2002) Journal of Indigenous Policy , Volume 1, 43-58
- "Mabo ten years on - a psychological terra nullius" (2002) Impact July 2002, 1, 8-9.
- "Blood from a Stone" (2002) Arena Magazine No. 60, August-September, 32-34.
- "Aboriginal Women and the Criminal Justice System" (2002) Judicial Officer's Bulletin, Vol.14, No.6, July 2002, 41-44
- "Unfinished Journey - Indigenous Self-Determination" (2002) Arena Magazine, No.58, April-May, 24-27.
- * "Indigenous Self-Determination: Rethinking the Relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the State" (2001) University of New South Wales Law Journal 24 (3) 850-861
- * 'Mind, Body and Spirit: Pathways Forward for Reconciliation' (2001) Treaties and Constitutions Vol.5 No.1 38-52
- * "What Path Forward for Reconciliation? The Challenges of a New Relationship with Indigenous People" (2001) Public Law Review , Vol. 12 (2) 79-83
- * "Towards Improved Rights Protections", (2001) Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, Vol. 3(4), 3.
- * 'Consent in a (Neo) Colonial Society: Aboriginal Women as Sexual and Legal 'Other', (2000) Australian Feminist Studies Vol.15, no. 33. 353-367.
- * "The Eliza Fraser Captivity Narrative: A Tale of the Frontier, Femininity and the Legitimization of Colonial Law", (2000) 63 Saskatchewan Law Review 145
- "Righting Australia" Arena Magazine No.45, Feb. - Mar., 2000. 24-26
- "White Picket Fences: Australia's Psychological Terra Nullius", 51 Constitutional Forum, Vol. 10(2), 1999.
- * "In Your Dreams: Cultural Appropriation, Popular Culture and Colonialism", 256 Law/Text/Culture, Vol. 4(1), 1998.
- * "Meeting at the Cross Roads: Intersectionality, Affirmative Action and the Legacies of the Aborigines Protection Board", 98 Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol.4(1), December 1997.
- "At the Back of the Class. At the Front of the Class: Experiences as Aboriginal Student and Aboriginal Teacher", 27 Feminist Review, Vol. 52, 1996.
- "Women's Work: The Inclusion of the Voice of Aboriginal Women", 169 Legal Education Review, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1995.
- * "Protecting the Spirit, Preserving the Traditional in Non-Traditional Settings", 55 Australian Feminist Law Journal, Vol. 4, 1994.
- * "No-one Can Own the Land", 43 Australian Journal of Human Rights, Vol. 1(1), 1994.
- * "Aboriginal Women and the White Lies of the Feminist Movement: Implications for Rights Discourse". 27 Australian Feminist Law Journal, Vol. 1, August 1993.
Latest Speeches/Papers
Shaping a nation: Visionary leadership in a time of fear and uncertainty, Ninth JCPML Anniversary Lecture, marking the 62nd anniversary of John Curtin's death, 5 July 2007.
Is Sorry Enough? December 2006
Speech at the Indigenous Labor Network Forum Wednesday 13th July 2005
