April 22, 2014

Australia’s only indigenous law research centre, located at the University of NSW, is calling for community support following the Federal Government’s decision to cut all its funding.

The Indigenous Law Centre (ILC) — which publishes the Indigenous Law Bulletin (ILB) and the Australian Indigenous Law Review (AILR) — has been in continuous operation since 1981.

The funding, from the Federal Attorney General’s Department, pays the wages of editors and other staff members, journal publication costs and public events such as its Open Forums.

Until now, the ILC has received funding from successive Australian governments.

ILC director, Prof Megan Davis, said the need for quality research on indigenous legal matters had never been greater.

“There are many people, including those in the government and public service, who rely on our research and journal publications to inform policies and programs that directly impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” she said.

“The legal issues affecting indigenous communities are increasingly complex and part of our role is to explain the complexities of these laws in a way the community can easily understand.

“The ILB and AILR are the only journals of their kind in Australia; indeed they are among the few indigenous law journals anywhere in the world. We are strongly committed to ensuring they continue to be published.”

Prof Davis has called on ILC supporters and community members, both indigenous and non-indigenous, to help ensure the survival of the centre.

“There are many ways the community can offer support to the ILC; from making a donation to writing a letter to your local member as to why you think the ILC is important, each action will form part of a much bigger plan to enable the centre continue its important work,” she said.

The ILC continues to receive in-kind support from the UNSW Law School in the form of office space and the voluntary contributions of academic staff.

The centre is now working with the faculty to seek private funding to replace the government funding it has lost.