Image: Ruby Jones Haye, one of around 20 students who will undertake this year’s Indigenous Pre-Law Enabling Program
In the Northern Territory a program being run by Charles Darwin University is aiming to grow the number of Indigenous lawyers in the Top End.
Currently just two per cent of legal practitioners in the NT are Indigenous, despite making up approximately 30 per cent of the Territory population.
Entering its fourth year, coordinator Dr Guzyal Hill said the program had gone from strength to strength.
“Indigenous people are grossly underrepresented in both studying and practicing law in the NT,” Dr Hill said.
“For people who have never been to university and do not have anyone in their family who has been to university, applying to study and preparing supporting documentation can be daunting.
“The goal of Indigenous Pre-Law Enabling Program is to break those barriers and create a support network for our students to overcome the hurdles and complete the degree.”
This year around 20 students from Darwin, Alice Springs and remote areas have been welcomed into the program.
Gurindji woman Quitaysha Thompson from Kalkaringi has joined the program this year and says she is doing it to take back law knowledge to her community.
