Understanding the Indigenous Voice to Parliament
Join us for this informative and timely webinar led by Professor Melissa Castan, Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash University
Our experts will explore the background to the Voice to Parliament and the intended impact the proposed changes will have for First Nations communities.
They will also discuss how the Voice to Parliament will influence how designers embed First Nations perspectives into their projects.
An informed conversation is needed to meet the challenge of the 2023 Referendum.
What can we learn that will help us to be better informed in our understanding of First Nations peoples?
How can we incorporate First Nations communities brief in our architecture and engineering projects
How will a Voice to Parliament influence our work and the outcomes for First Nations communities?
This formal CPD webinar meets the mandatory learning requirement for architects to broaden their knowledge and understanding of First Nations culture.
This mandatory requirement acknowledges the responsibility of designers to lead and engage meaningfully by working alongside with First Nations people in the design of projects and places.
Our Expert Presenters/Panel
Professor Melissa Castan
Monash University
Melissa is the Director of the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, at the Faculty of Law. Melissa’s teaching and research interests are in Australian public law, constitutional law, Indigenous legal issues, and legal education. She's co-author, with Professor Sarah Joseph, of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Cases, Commentary and Materials (OUP, 2013), and The Global Lawyer (2020, Lexis Nexis) with Kate Galloway and John Flood, as well as numerous scholarly articles and chapters. She's also national convenor of the Alternative Law Journal, and co-hosts legal podcast Just Cases, with James Pattison. In 2023, Melissa and co-author Lynette Russell have published Time to Listen: An Indigenous Voice to Parliament
Rueben Berg
Co-Chair First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria
Rueben Berg is a proud Gunditjmara man and elected Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (the Assembly). A trained architect, Rueben is a Managing Director of RJHB Consulting and was previously the Commissioner for the Victorian Environment Water Holder and a member of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council. As the Co-Chair of the Assembly, Rueben plays a pivotal role in representing the voices and aspirations of First Nations communities across Victoria. The Assembly represents all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples on the journey to Treaties in Victoria. With a deep commitment to advancing the rights and interests of First Nations people, Rueben is passionate about progressing all three aspects of The Uluru Statement from the Heart: Voice, Treaty, Truth. Rueben’s leadership and dedication have earned him widespread recognition and respect within First Nations communities and beyond. He is known for his ability to build bridges between different stakeholders, fostering collaboration and understanding. As a Member of the Assembly in its inaugural term, from 2019-2023, Rueben has spent a considerable amount of time contributing to the design and negotiation of the Treaty Negotiation Framework and taking a leading role in the negotiation meetings with the State. Outside of his professional commitments, Rueben is a father of two and actively engages in cultural activities to ensure the preservation and celebration of First Nations heritage. He is the Chair of the Ultimate Rules Subcommittee of the World Flying Disc Federation and an ultimate frisbee guru on the international scene, including founding the Indigenous Ultimate Frisbee Association.
Sian Hromek
Senior Consultant, Aboriginal Affairs – Research and Design at WSP
Michael Hromek
Technical Executive – Indigenous (Architecture), Design and Knowledge at WSP.
Carey Lyon
Lyons
Carey Lyon is one of the Founding Directors of Lyons whose impact upon Australia’s architecture industry is immense. He is an acknowledged leader in design within Australia for the award-winning projects he has led and co-led, his long-standing role as Professor of Architecture at RMIT University and peer-elected positions for national architecture bodies. Over the last three decades Carey has amassed a wealth of experience leading and designing multi-million-dollar public, commercial, cultural, and institutional projects. His expertise as a collaborator and creative consultant have been integral in winning Lyons international recognition and many awards for spaces that exceed the needs of the communities they are designed for. Carey shares his breadth of experience every day, as a Director at Lyons and Professor at the RMIT University’s School of Architecture and Design, to encourage deeper discourse into design outcomes. His commitment to teaching and design research led Carey to successfully complete his Doctor of Philosophy from RMIT University in 2018.
