From December 2000 to October 2006 the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia undertook a detailed inquiry into the recognition of Aboriginal law and culture in Western Australia. Over this […]

The Committee was required to inquire into the strength of Aboriginal customary law in the Northern Territory and to make recommendations as to what extent Aboriginal customary law might achieve […]

This article examines the discussion paper, ‘Aboriginal customary laws’, released by the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia. The discussion paper is the result of five years of research and […]

Indigenous customary law should not be viewed simply in terms of traditional tribal punishments but should be seen principally as the application of cultural values and principles to Indigenous community […]

All Australian Governments agree that customary law in no way justifies, authorises or requires violence or sexual abuse against women and children. This media release announces that the Commonwealth is […]

This database contains summaries of reports of Australian criminal law cases that consider Aboriginality – the Aboriginal background of the defendant, their cultural practice or the customary law of their […]

This report presents the findings of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Social Policy and Legal Affairs inquiry into Australia’s family law system, and recommendations to improve its response […]

The Commonwealth Crimes Amendment (Bail and Sentencing) Act 2006 was introduced following significant media attention in 2005-06 which focused on allegations of widespread family violence and child abuse in remote […]

Justice Martin Kriewaldt, a judge of the Northern Territory Supreme Court from 1951 to 1960, frequently struggled with the question of how to understand and distinguish Aboriginal people in relation […]

For six years the author of this article was a special commissioner on the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia inquiry into the recognition of Aboriginal law and culture. The […]