Robynne Quiggin is a lawyer based in Sydney. She is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people of central western New South Wales. Since 2003, Robynne has been a member of the Board of the Arts Law Centre of Australia, and Chair of the Indigenous Reference Group for the Artists in the Black Service.
Blanch Lake* interviewed Robynne for this profile.
Blanch: Did your interest in Indigenous culture, heritage and the arts influence your decision to study law?
Robynne: I began studying law in the early 1990s as a result of volunteer work with Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. It was around the time of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and I was really concerned about the over representation of our people in the criminal justice system and about the kinds of options that were and are available as alternatives to custody, especially for young people. So, I started my journey with a real focus on criminal law at uni.
While I was studying, the Mabo decision was handed down by the High Court. A lot of the Indigenous law students were sceptical from the start about the potential of the case to deliver land ownership outcomes for Indigenous people, especially in the south, but we were hopeful that the courts and parliament might develop the law in a way that would provide real protection of land, recognition of culture and Indigenous control of lands, water and the plants, animals and minerals. I hoped that the many Indigenous witnesses who would tell their cultural knowledge about people and country in evidence to lawyers and judges might be really heard. Especially since the 1998 amendments to the Native Title Act and cases like the Yorta Yorta case, native title has stopped a long way short of providing those kinds of outcomes, even though many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and their lawyers have made the best use of the available laws.
Over that time, I saw one constant theme - whether I was thinking about diversionary options for young people in the criminal justice system or how to protect country and the people who care for it. That theme was culture, heritage and the arts. Indigenous culture, heritage and the arts in all their many forms, are fundamental to us as Indigenous people.
I had always seen my opportunity to study law as a gift, and knew that I would need to use that opportunity in the best way I could. So, I try to use my skills to protect the rights of individuals and groups of Indigenous artists and Indigenous knowledge holders, look for ways in the existing legal structure to maximise rights, think creatively about all these issues and participate in reform of law and policy where possible.
So, that’s a long answer to your question.
Blanch: You are involved with the Arts Law Centre of Australia at two different levels, can you tell us about your role as Chair of the Indigenous Reference Group for Artists in the Black and your role as a Board member?
Robynne: My role as Chair of the Indigenous Reference Group for Artists in the Black includes chairing meetings of the Group, talking to Sam and Blanch (Arts Law staff) about their work, participating in planning and events, promoting the service and doing some pro bono legal work for the service.
In my role as a Board member, I participate in Board meetings, undertake the usual responsibilities to understand the operation of organisation and make a contribution to that work. I am also on the Advocacy sub-committee so I participate in discussions and work relating to legal issues which impact on artists.
Blanch: What are you doing now and what do you see yourself doing in the future?
Robynne: I’m currently working on a number of projects. I am working with Terri Janke on an update of the Indigenous Artform Protocols commissioned by the ATSIA Board of the Australia Council. I am also developing a National Indigenous Intellectual Property Tool Kit for the Commonwealth government which will focus on the needs of Indigenous artists, art dealers and consumers.
I am also currently conducting a feasibility study into a Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity Centre for Warawara, Department of Indigenous Studies at Macquarie University and participating on a Reference Group which monitors the implementation of the National Indigenous Consumer Strategy. I also teach part time at the Law Faculty of the University of Technology. That’s going to keep me busy for a while I reckon!
*Blanch Lake is an Aboriginal Information/ Liaison Officer at Arts Law.
