Larissa Behrendt
Encyclopedia
Larissa Behrendt is an Australian academic and writer of Aboriginal and European descent. She is currently a Professor of Law and Indigenous Studies at the University of Technology, Sydney
.
Behrendt completed a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of New South Wales
(UNSW) in 1992. In the same year she was admitted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales
to practise as a solicitor
. Behrendt then travelled on a scholarship to the United States
, where she completed a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School
in 1994, and a Doctor of Juridical Science
from the same institution in 1998. In 2000 she was admitted by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
to practise as a barrister
.
During her stay at Harvard Law School, Behrendt also worked in Canada
with a range of First Nations
organisations. In 1999, she worked with the Assembly of First Nations
in developing a gender equality policy, and she also represented the Assembly at the United Nations. The same year she did a study for the Slavey
people comparing native title
developments in Australia, Canada and New Zealand
.
Since 1998, Behrendt has been a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
(AIATSIS), and was appointed to the Institute's Research Advisory Council in 2000. Between 2000 and 2002, Behrendt worked with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
, developing various policies, and in 2000 she worked with Mick Dodson
at the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation developing a reconciliation policy and draft reconciliation legislation.
Her present partner is Michael Lavarch of Queensland, former minister in a federal Labor government.
Behrendt has also written two works of fiction: a novel, Home, which won the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
; the David Unaipon
Award in 2002; and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Novel in the South East Asian/South Pacific region in 2005. Her second novel Legacy, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
for Prize for Indigenous Writing (2010).
She also won the award for outstanding achievement in literature in the 2004 Deadlys
.
Foundation Scholarship. In 2002, Behrendt was the co-recipient of the inaugural Neville Bonner
National Teaching Award.
In 2011, Behrendt was named the NSW Australian of the year.
disparaging Alice Springs aboriginal elder Bess Price
have been the subject of ongoing controversy. While watching crude TV series Deadwood
, Behrendt replied to a comment on the site expressing outrage at Price's appearance on the ABC TV Q&A expressing support for the Northern Territory intervention, writing "I watched a show where a guy had sex with a horse and I'm sure it was less offensive than Bess Price." After initially defending the comment as taken out of context, Behrendt apologized by email to Mrs Price, who said the comment showed Behrendt was out of touch with rural Aborigines. Behrendt says the throwaway comment has made her a target for a campaign of character assassination.
Andrew Bolt
, a Sydney Morning Herald columnist,used Behrendt's name in two controversial articles about "political" Aborigines. Bolt asserted that Behrendt and other fair skinned Aborigines claimed aboriginality to advance their careers. The Australian court system has since ruled that the articles were inflammatory, offensive and contravened the Racial Discrimination Act.
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
.
Behrendt completed a Bachelor of Jurisprudence and Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
(UNSW) in 1992. In the same year she was admitted by the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
to practise as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. Behrendt then travelled on a scholarship to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she completed a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1994, and a Doctor of Juridical Science
Doctor of Juridical Science
Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of the Science of Law, Scientiae Juridicae Doctor , abbreviated J.S.D. or S.J.D., is a research doctorate in law and equivalent to the PhD It is offered primarily in the United States, where it originated, and in Canada...
from the same institution in 1998. In 2000 she was admitted by the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory
The Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory is the superior court for the ACT. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the territory in civil matters , and hears the most serious criminal matters...
to practise as a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
.
During her stay at Harvard Law School, Behrendt also worked in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with a range of First Nations
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
organisations. In 1999, she worked with the Assembly of First Nations
Assembly of First Nations
The Assembly of First Nations , formerly known as the National Indian Brotherhood, is a body of First Nations leaders in Canada...
in developing a gender equality policy, and she also represented the Assembly at the United Nations. The same year she did a study for the Slavey
Slavey
The Slavey are a First Nations aboriginal people of the Dene group, indigenous to the Great Slave Lake region, in Canada's Northwest Territories, and extending into northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta....
people comparing native title
Native title
Native title is the Australian version of the common law doctrine of aboriginal title.Native title is "the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs"...
developments in Australia, Canada and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Since 1998, Behrendt has been a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies is an independent Australian Government statutory authority. It is Australia's premier institution for information about the cultures and lifestyles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is located on Acton...
(AIATSIS), and was appointed to the Institute's Research Advisory Council in 2000. Between 2000 and 2002, Behrendt worked with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives...
, developing various policies, and in 2000 she worked with Mick Dodson
Mick Dodson
Professor Michael James "Mick" Dodson, AM is an indigenous Australian leader, a member of the Yawuru peoples in the Broome area of the southern Kimberley region of Western Australia. His brother is Patrick Dodson, also a noted Aboriginal leader.Following his parents' death, he boarded at Monivae...
at the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation developing a reconciliation policy and draft reconciliation legislation.
Her present partner is Michael Lavarch of Queensland, former minister in a federal Labor government.
Published works
Behrendt has written extensively on legal and indigenous social justice issues. Her books include Aboriginal Dispute Resolution (1995),and Achieving Social Justice (2003),. In 2005 she was the co-author of the book Treaty.Behrendt has also written two works of fiction: a novel, Home, which won the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
The Queensland Premier's Literary Awards were inaugurated in 1999 and have grown to become a leading literary awards program within Australia, with $225,000 in prizemoney over 14 categories. One of Australia's richest prizes, top categories offer up to $25,000 for 1st prize.-Fiction Book...
; the David Unaipon
David Unaipon
David Unaipon was an Australian Aboriginal of the Ngarrindjeri people, a preacher, inventor and writer. He was the most widely known Aboriginal in Australia, and broke stereotypes of Aboriginals...
Award in 2002; and the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Novel in the South East Asian/South Pacific region in 2005. Her second novel Legacy, won the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
Victorian Premier's Literary Award
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were created by the Victorian Governmentwith the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia's publishing industry....
for Prize for Indigenous Writing (2010).
She also won the award for outstanding achievement in literature in the 2004 Deadlys
The Deadlys Award winners 2004
-Music:*Most Promising New Talent in Music: Casey Donovan*Single Release of the Year: Talk about love – Christine Anu*Album Release of the Year: Djarridjarri – Saltwater Band*Band of the Year: The Donovans*Music Artist of the Year: Troy Cassar-Daley...
.
Awards
In 1993, Behrendt was the winner of the Lionel MurphyLionel Murphy
Lionel Keith Murphy, QC was an Australian politician and jurist who served as Attorney-General in the government of Gough Whitlam and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1975 until his death.- Personal life :...
Foundation Scholarship. In 2002, Behrendt was the co-recipient of the inaugural Neville Bonner
Neville Bonner
Neville Thomas Bonner AO was an Australian politician, and the first indigenous Australian to become a member of the Parliament of Australia...
National Teaching Award.
In 2011, Behrendt was named the NSW Australian of the year.
Controversy
Comments made by Behrendt on the website TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
disparaging Alice Springs aboriginal elder Bess Price
Bess Price
Bess Nungarrayi Price is an Australian indigenous activist and chair of the Northern Territory Indigenous Affairs Advisory Council.Born in Yuendumu, her first language is Warlpiri. She also knows Luritja, Western Arrernte and Anmatyerre...
have been the subject of ongoing controversy. While watching crude TV series Deadwood
Deadwood
Deadwood may refer to:in geography*Deadwood, Alberta, hamlet in Alberta, Canada*Deadwood, California , several unincorporated communities in California, United States*Deadwood, Oregon, unincorporated community in Oregon, United States...
, Behrendt replied to a comment on the site expressing outrage at Price's appearance on the ABC TV Q&A expressing support for the Northern Territory intervention, writing "I watched a show where a guy had sex with a horse and I'm sure it was less offensive than Bess Price." After initially defending the comment as taken out of context, Behrendt apologized by email to Mrs Price, who said the comment showed Behrendt was out of touch with rural Aborigines. Behrendt says the throwaway comment has made her a target for a campaign of character assassination.
Andrew Bolt
Andrew Bolt
Andrew Bolt is an Australian newspaper columnist, radio commentator, blogger and television host. Bolt is a columnist and associate editor of the Melbourne-based Herald Sun. He has appeared on the Nine Network, Melbourne Talk Radio, ABC Television, Network Ten and local radio...
, a Sydney Morning Herald columnist,used Behrendt's name in two controversial articles about "political" Aborigines. Bolt asserted that Behrendt and other fair skinned Aborigines claimed aboriginality to advance their careers. The Australian court system has since ruled that the articles were inflammatory, offensive and contravened the Racial Discrimination Act.