The word “solicitor” has an interesting etymology. It comes from the Latin word “solicitare,” which is a combination of “solus” (meaning “alone”) and “citare” (meaning “to summon” or “to call”). In medieval Latin, “solicitare” evolved to refer to someone who was appointed to manage legal matters on behalf of another person, essentially acting on their...

David Unaipon (1872 – 1967): A Trailblazing Ngarrindjeri Man of Inventions and Literature David Unaipon, a remarkable Ngarrindjeri man, left an indelible mark on Australian history as a preacher, inventor, and writer. Born on September 28, 1872, in the Raukkan community, South Australia, he was the son of James Unaipon and Nymbulda Ngunaitponi. The name...

I’m in two minds. Yes to the Voice. Or No, but let’s write a preamble to the Australian Constitution: “We, the people of Australia, humbly acknowledge the richness and diversity of our land, its ancient history, and the unique cultures that have thrived upon it for millennia. As we unite under the Southern Cross, we...

The Constitution was drafted at a series of conventions held during the 1890s and attended by representatives of the colonies. Before the Constitution came into effect, its terms were approved, with one small exception, by the people of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. The Australian Constitution was then passed...

Landmark Decision: Native Title Recognised over Torres Strait Sea Country In a groundbreaking decision, the Federal Court of Australia approved the recognition of native title over 40,000 square kilometres of Torres Strait sea-country in December 2022. This momentous settlement was reached through collaboration between five First Nations groups and the Queensland and Federal governments, marking...

Naarm, the original Aboriginal name for Melbourne, refers to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. The geographical boundaries of Naarm are not precisely defined as they represent the broader region rather than specific lines on a map. However, Naarm generally encompasses the area around modern-day Melbourne and its surroundings. Please...

This is a very sobering reading and the level of sophistication is unbridled. Timeline of events   7.30pm – posing as the practitioner, the cybercriminal logged on to the online help facility of the practitioner’s mobile phone provider and was able to change the practitioner’s contact details to an email address controlled by the criminal....

The first nation people are not squatters on their traditional lands. Many people would like to think so. The Courts have to tread a careful path to recognise the first nation descendants do have a right to their traditional lands and if that cannot happen, compensation is an alternative remedy for losing their traditional lands....