Grow your awareness of the cultural and socioeconomic issues affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples coming before the courts.
The death of an Aboriginal person in custody has an enormous impact on community and beyond. In the Inquest into the Passing of Veronica Nelson, Coroner Simon McGregor found:
'Cultural safety involves more than just being aware and acknowledging your privilege, it is also about understanding the impact of your own culture and your cultural values on Aboriginal people.'
In this event, we will discuss:
- What knowledge can judicial officers integrate into their practices from the findings and recommendations of multiple First Nations inquiries, reviews and inquests?
- How can courts constructively process these learnings?
- How has the legal landscape shifted in light of First Nations inquiries, reviews, inquests, and influential litigation?
Join Dr Jill Gallagher AO, proud Gunditjmara woman and CEO of VACCHO, and Kristen Hilton, former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner, in conversation with Magistrate Liz Langdon.
Note: This program is open to judicial officers only.
Chair.
Magistrate Langdon served as a Magistrate in Western Australia from 2006 until 2020 in all its jurisdictions, including the Children’s Court, Magistrates’ Court and Coroners Court. She has served as a Magistrate in the Children’s Court of Victoria since 2020.
Her Honour has a particular interest in applying the principles of Therapeutic Jurisprudence in the mainstream and in specialist courts. She was previously the supervising Magistrate of the Perth Drug Court, and she has also presided in the Aboriginal Community Courts in Kalgoorlie and Norseman, WA, as well as sitting on court circuits in the remote Aboriginal communities of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Lands in the western desert region and the Kimberley region of WA.
Magistrate Langdon currently sits in the criminal and family divisions of the Children’s Court in Melbourne and Shepparton, including Marram-Ngala Ganbu (Koori Family Hearing Day), the Family Drug Treatment Court, and the Children’s Koori Court (criminal division).
Magistrate Langdon served as a Magistrate in Western Australia from 2006 until 2020 in all its jurisdictions, including the Children’s Court, Magistrates’ Court and Coroners Court. She has served as a Magistrate in the Children’s Court of Victoria since 2020.
Her Honour has a particular interest in applying the principles of Therapeutic Jurisprudence in the mainstream and in specialist courts. She was previously the supervising Magistrate of the Perth Drug Court, and she has also presided in the Aboriginal Community Courts in Kalgoorlie and Norseman, WA, as well as sitting on court circuits in the remote Aboriginal communities of the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Lands in the western desert region and the Kimberley region of WA.
Magistrate Langdon currently sits in the criminal and family divisions of the Children’s Court in Melbourne and Shepparton, including Marram-Ngala Ganbu (Koori Family Hearing Day), the Family Drug Treatment Court, and the Children’s Koori Court (criminal division).
Speakers.
Jill is a proud Gunditjmara woman from Western Victoria and is an accomplished strategic leader, championing the needs and self-determined outcomes of First Nations communities in Victoria.
Jill has spent more than 26 years advancing Aboriginal health and wellbeing through her work with VACCHO and has over 30 years of experience in leadership roles.
As a respected Aboriginal leader who has dedicated her life to advocating for Community,Jill has been inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2009), awarded the Order of Australia (2013), and inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll (2015).
From 2017 to 2019, Jill served as Victoria’s first Treaty Advancement Commissioner and led the establishment of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
In recent years, Jill championed the establishment of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ageing & Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC), Ied the Cultural Review of the Adult Correction System for the Department of Justice in 2022 and was an influential figure in Victoria's 'Yes' campaign in the 2023 Voice Referendum.
In 2023 Jill received an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Melbourne.
Jill is a proud Gunditjmara woman from Western Victoria and is an accomplished strategic leader, championing the needs and self-determined outcomes of First Nations communities in Victoria.
Jill has spent more than 26 years advancing Aboriginal health and wellbeing through her work with VACCHO and has over 30 years of experience in leadership roles.
As a respected Aboriginal leader who has dedicated her life to advocating for Community,Jill has been inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women (2009), awarded the Order of Australia (2013), and inducted into the Victorian Aboriginal Honour Roll (2015).
From 2017 to 2019, Jill served as Victoria’s first Treaty Advancement Commissioner and led the establishment of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
In recent years, Jill championed the establishment of the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ageing & Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC), Ied the Cultural Review of the Adult Correction System for the Department of Justice in 2022 and was an influential figure in Victoria's 'Yes' campaign in the 2023 Voice Referendum.
In 2023 Jill received an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, from the University of Melbourne.
Kristen Hilton is a former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner and has 20 years of legal, policy and advocacy experience specialising in equality law and human rights.
Kristen has worked across public, private and community sectors and has deep expertise in gender equality, human rights, ethical leadership, diversity and inclusion and organisational change.
During Kristen’s five-year term as Commissioner, she led major independent reviews into sexual harassment and discrimination in Victoria Police and Victoria’s Fire Services as was an expert advisor into the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts and VACT. In 2020 Kristen commenced a multiyear year inquiry into workplace equality and diversity in Ambulance Victoria and recently completed a comprehensive Cultural Review of Victoria’s Corrections system.
Kristen convenes a number of groups as part of the Champions of Coalition across Australia and New Zealand promoting gender equality and is a board advisor to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Kristen was appointed to the Board of the AFL Players Association and is their inaugural Chair of the AFLPA’s Human Rights Steering Committee.
Kristen is a former Churchill fellow and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kristen Hilton is a former Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner and has 20 years of legal, policy and advocacy experience specialising in equality law and human rights.
Kristen has worked across public, private and community sectors and has deep expertise in gender equality, human rights, ethical leadership, diversity and inclusion and organisational change.
During Kristen’s five-year term as Commissioner, she led major independent reviews into sexual harassment and discrimination in Victoria Police and Victoria’s Fire Services as was an expert advisor into the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts and VACT. In 2020 Kristen commenced a multiyear year inquiry into workplace equality and diversity in Ambulance Victoria and recently completed a comprehensive Cultural Review of Victoria’s Corrections system.
Kristen convenes a number of groups as part of the Champions of Coalition across Australia and New Zealand promoting gender equality and is a board advisor to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. In 2023, Kristen was appointed to the Board of the AFL Players Association and is their inaugural Chair of the AFLPA’s Human Rights Steering Committee.
Kristen is a former Churchill fellow and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.