The Voice & ADR

Anthony McAvoy SC

Anthony (Tony) McAvoy SC is a Wirdi man from the Central Queensland area around Clermont and is Australia’s first Indigenous Senior Counsel, appointed in 2015. He was admitted as a Barrister in NSW in 2000.

Tony has a wide breadth of experience including environmental law, administrative law, human rights and discrimination law, coronial inquests and criminal law. He has successfully appeared for claimants in land claims, including securing native title recognition for the Quandamooka people of North Stradbroke Island in 2011.

Between 2011 and 2013, Tony was an Acting Part-Time Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court. He is also the Acting Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner from the period of 8 December 2021 to 30 June 2022. In October 2022 Tony was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws by UTS for his services to education and the law, including establishing the National Indigenous Legal Conference [2006 – current], in collaboration Chris Ronalds SC. The NILC creates a safe space for Indigenous students and others to come together and support one another.

Tony chairs the NSW Bar Association First Nations Committee and co-chairs the Law Council of Australia’s Indigenous Legal Issues Committee. In 2022 was appointed to the Federal Government’s Referendum Working Group and Referendum Engagement Group on a First Nation’s Voice to Parliament.

Our Voice, Our Heart

Special Preview Screening

Right after the seminar, we are thrilled to announce a special screening, of the yet to be released documentary Our Voice, Our Heart. Pre-viewed for the first-time last weekend at the Garma Festival, the Australian Disputes Centre has been given this one-off opportunity to share the documentary with you before it premieres at the Darwin Film Festival.

Follow along with the journey of two First Nations men Justin and Jaxon, crisscrossing through the Northern Territory to listen and learn about what matters most in the community.

This inspiring film explores the significance of the Voice to Parliament, to start a national conversation. We invite everyone to attend and share their insights after the screening.

Our Voice, Our Heart website and Instagram