The Australian Disputes Centre (ADC) recognises National NAIDOC Week (5–12 July 2026). This year marks the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC, celebrated under the theme 50 Years of Deadly – representing excellence, power, and inspiration. It is a fitting theme for recognising the enduring strength and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across all sectors, including dispute resolution, where their knowledge and cultural authority continue to shape more inclusive pathways to resolution.
The NAIDOC celebration coincides with two important milestones for ADC: our 40th Anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the Australian ADR Awards. Since presenting our inaugural Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Mediator of the Year award in 2016, the ADR Awards have recognised practitioners and initiatives that have strengthened the dispute resolution profession through culturally informed leadership, innovation, and service. This special bulletin honours these milestones – reflecting First People’s excellence and the enduring value of deep listening, self-determination, and traditional agreement-making in contemporary legal and community practice.
A Legacy of Excellence: Honouring Our Winners & Finalists
Our journey to acknowledge First People’s excellence is anchored in a proud lineage of previous award recipients. Over the past decade, this recognition has primarily spotlighted trailblazers in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ADR Practitioner of the Year award.
Maratja Dhamarrandji (2016)
The inaugural recipient of this Australian ADR Award, Maratja Dhamarrandji was recognised for his tireless work in the field of cross-cultural mediation. Based in Northern Australia, his extensive practice as both a mediator and interpreter serves as a vital bridge, linking contemporary legal systems with traditional cultures to resolve conflict. Through his leadership of the Mawul Rom Project — a Yolŋu-led initiative connecting traditional law and ceremony with contemporary dispute resolution — he has worked to build bridges between Yolŋu and Balanda (non-Indigenous) systems of governance and conflict resolution. His excellence as both a dispute resolution practitioner and interpreter exemplifies what it means mediate with humility, strength, and integrity.
Auntie Bronwyn Penrith (2017)
A proud Wiradjuri woman, Auntie Bronwyn Penrith has been widely recognised for her leadership in restorative justice and community-based conflict resolution. As a registered dispute resolution practitioner and director of a consultancy business, her work is grounded in principles of cultural authority, respect, and healing. Auntie Bronwyn is a longstanding advocate for Aboriginal women’s safety where she served as chairperson of Mudgin-Gal Aboriginal Women’s Centre, working to address family violence in Sydney and beyond for over two decades. She is currently a member of the City of Sydney’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, where she continues to champion business opportunities, employment, and the voices of First Nations peoples in urban policy.
Dr Valerie Cooms (2018)
A Quandamooka woman from Minjerribah, Dr Valerie Cooms is a respected mediator and leader in Native Title and land justice processes. She has worked on complex negotiations between Traditional Owners, governments, and industry on land and heritage matters. Her contribution to Native Title mediation reflects a sustained commitment to centering Indigenous voices in decision-making processes, and to ensuring that dispute resolution frameworks are responsive to cultural authority, country, and self-determination.
Professor Helen Bishop (2019)
A Kungarakan woman of the Northern Territory, Prof Helen Bishop advocates for restorative justice and relationship building by enhancing First Nation Australians’ access to procedural fairness and dispute resolution services across Australia. She works extensively with First nations communities to advance peacemaking and self-determination for First Nations peoples across the Northern Territory. Helen is also an academic and fellow with the Indigenous Knowledge Institute at the University of Melbourne, and she has collaborated with various initiatives, including the Community Justice Centre in the Northern Territory to ensure First Nations voices are at the forefront of conflict resolution.
Marius Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri (2020)
A respected Tiwi Elder and community leader from Melville Island in the Northern Territory, Marius Pirrawayingi Puruntatameri was recognised as the first Tiwi Islander to be represented at the Australian ADR Awards. He is the driving force behind the Tiwi Islands’ Ponki mediation programme — ponki meaning “welcome”, “peace” or “it’s finished” — a pioneering restorative justice initiative focused on helping long-serving prisoners reintegrate back into the community and supporting troubled youth in staying out of jail.
Anthony McAvoy SC (2022)
A Wirdi man from Central Queensland, Anthony holds the historic distinction of being the first, First Nations person appointed Senior Counsel in Australia. His practice at the NSW Bar spans criminal law, environmental law, and a strong native title focus, having successfully represented multiple Aboriginal peoples — including the Quandamooka, Kalkadoon, and Gooreng Gooreng — in Federal Court land claims. Beyond his legal practice, Anthony has been a steadfast institution-builder for the Indigenous legal profession: co-founding the National Indigenous Legal Conference in 2006, chairing the NSW Bar Association’s First Nations Committee, and serving as trustee of the Indigenous Barristers’ Trust. He has also served as Acting NT Treaty Commissioner and as a member of the Federal Government’s Referendum Working Group on the First Nations Voice to Parliament and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by UTS in 2022.
Melissa Stubbings (2024)
A Dharug woman, Melissa has dedicated her practice to creating culturally safe, accessible, and community-led dispute resolution processes across regional networks. Her work reflects a practice grounded in inclusion and accessibility, ensuring that dispute resolution pathways are responsive to the needs of diverse communities, particularly in regional and remote contexts where access to formal systems can be limited. A talented mediation trainer, Melissa’s many contributions to the ADR sector have been recognised for strengthening trust in mediation processes and supporting approaches that prioritise safety, respect, and participation for all parties involved.
Damien Barnes (2025)
A proud Bidjara man and Managing Director of YIMBA, Damien was highly commended by peers for his outcome-focused ADR frameworks, bridging critical communication gaps between major corporate project proponents and Indigenous communities. Reflecting on the role of ADR in advancing culturally appropriate justice, Damien highlights its flexibility:
“ADR offers Indigenous people a more accessible, culturally sensitive and empowering path to justice than the formal court approach. Unlike traditional litigation, ADR processes like mediation and facilitation can be tailored to respect ATSI customs and values, involve community elders and leaders and focus on healing, not just outcomes.”
Agnes Alice (2026):
Agnes Alice was recognised for her outstanding leadership in culturally informed dispute resolution and community mediation in Alice Springs. Through her frontline work, Agnes exemplifies the power of culturally responsive practice, fostering trust and supporting communities in resolving disputes with respect and understanding.
From NSW to the Torres Strait
Over the past decade, the Australian ADR Awards have recognised Indigenous practitioners working across some of Australia’s most geographically and culturally diverse communities. From Agnes Alice’s frontline community mediation in Alice Springs, to Auntie Bronwyn Penrith in urban Redfern, to Damien Barnes’ work fostering culturally informed engagement between Indigenous communities and major project proponents across Queensland, these award recipients demonstrate the breadth and impact of Indigenous-led dispute resolution.
Their work shows us what “deadly” looks like in practice. Their excellence in the field of mediation is rooted in culture, leadership grounded in community, and approaches to conflict that prioritise listening, respect, and long-term relationships.
Shaping the Future of ADR
For the ADC network, 50 Years of Deadly is a reminder that sustainable conflict resolution requires elevating Indigenous voices. This history of excellence is supported by initiatives such as the launch ADC’s First Nations Mediation Panel in 2018, established to help Australian businesses, governments and communities navigate cross-cultural disputes with understanding and respect.
As we look ahead, ADC remains committed to supporting the next generation of First People’s dispute resolution professionals through mentoring, professional development, and pathways into mediation p ractice. As part of this commitment, ADC offers tuition scholarships to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in accessing nationally recognised mediation training, helping to remove financial barriers and increase Indigenous representation across the ADR profession.
Shaping the Next Decade: Nominate Today
Recognition through the Australian ADR Awards not only celebrates excellence, but it also amplifies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices – creating new opportunities and inspiring future leaders. Reflecting on the impact of receiving the award in 2025, Damien Barnes describes the recognition as a catalyst: The recognition was truly transformative. It didn’t just strengthen my professional profile; it opened critical doors to new opportunities in mediation, facilitation, and Indigenous class actions where our voices desperately need to be at the table.
Do you know a deadly mediation practitioner or an Indigenous dispute resolution project making waves in the community? Help us celebrate and elevate the next generation of trailblazers by nominating them for the Australian ADR Awards 2027 when nominations open later this year.