National Native Title Tribunal President Kevin Smith advised students to believe in themselves and the strength of their culture at this year’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Law Students Meet the Profession event.
Truth Telling in the Legal Profession was the theme of the event, which also featured His Honour Judge Jarro of the District Court and barrister Martin Doyle.
The University of Queensland Law School collaborated with the law schools from Griffith University, Bond University, Queensland University of Technology, the University of Southern Queensland, Australian Catholic University, Southern Cross University, and the University of the Sunshine Coast, for the 2026 Banco Court event held on 16 September.
The panel, which included ACT Chief Magistrate Louise Taylor as a virtual panellist, reflected on their lived experiences and host Hannah Marai from the Caxton Legal Centre asked the panel to share some tips.
Mr Smith advised students to believe in their cultural connections.
“I was born in 1966, so a year before the referendum, the referendum that was successful,” he told the audience. “And so I was born at a time when the country didn’t legally recognise us as peoples.
“Obviously the Racial Discrimination Act came in 1975 and prior to that it was lawful to discriminate against people who are among here and the people out there.
“And I have to say that you get influenced by those everyday experiences. You go to school and you’re told that you’re a different type of people that you can’t succeed. That has a way of grinding in and leaving some residue with you.
“But it’s actually believing in yourself, believing in the strength of your culture, knowing that you are connected to this country and have been connected to it for millennia.
“When you have that cultural DNA running through your very fibre it gives you the strength to do what you need to do because there will always be challenges.”
Judge Jarro agreed with Mr Smith and emphasised two points.
“The first is that, as Kevin said, know your craft, so you’ve got to have that confidence,” His Honour said.
“Know the things that you are talking about and have the confidence to believe in what you are saying is true.
“The second point that I make is when I went to university, I read an autobiography about the first black American Chief of Staff. His name is Colin Powell, and he gave a lot of tips that he picked up in his life.
“One of those tips that I took from reading his book in law school was that you’ve just got to have and think that you’re just as good as the person beside you.
“And that gives you the modesty and the confidence to know, well, you’ve got a right to be in a room.
“You’ve got a right to say what it is that you want to say, so long as, of course, you know the facts with which you say it.”
The event brought together legal professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students to network, build relationships, and support the development of future legal practitioners.
Networking followed the panel discussion.
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