Delve into the urgent issues of heritage protection and sustainability and their implications on Native Title together with diverse perspectives including a member of the National Native Tribunal. Gain insights from legal experts on the current concerns in compensation matters and settlement agreements. Participate in a comprehensive exploration of treaties and Native Title, showcasing international Australian state perspectives. Engage with key presenters delivering crucial insights.

Presenters

Lisa Eaton, Member, The National Native Tribunal
Member Eaton is a diversely experienced and accredited mediator and legal practitioner, with a particular focus on complex and multi-party dispute resolution. First admitted to practice in NSW in 2005, Lisa has focussed her legal practice on native title and administrative law across various States and Territories. In 2019, Lisa was elected to membership of the Western Australia Bar Association, and as counsel has conducted mediation and trial advocacy work nationally, largely in the native title sector. In December 2022, Lisa was appointed as a Member of the National Native Title Tribunal. Prior to this, she also held appointment as an inaugural Member of the National Sports Tribunal.


Stephen Wright SC, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers
Stephen Wright is an experienced barrister who specialises in native title, taxation, trusts and mining law. Stephen joined the Western Australian Bar in 2010 and was appointed senior counsel in 2017. Prior to joining the Bar he was a Judge’s associate, a commercial litigator at Malleson, worked for 11 years at the Western Australian State Solicitor’s Office, and had his own private practice. Stephen has a wealth of experience in native title related issues dating back to 1996. He is a leading native title barrister, having been counsel in many native title claims and in ‘future act’ litigation and arbitrations at all levels, and more recently in compensation claims. He represents native title parties and representative bodies, government and mining interests. He is also an experienced and effective negotiator having provided advice and representation to various parties involved in numerous ILUA and other native title agreement negotiations, including in relation to the establishment of benefits management (trust) structures and taxation issues. Stephen also provides stamp duty and other tax advice (including income tax and GST) and appears in tax cases in the Court of Appeal (WA), Federal Court, and State and Commonwealth Tribunals.


Paul Sheiner, Principal, Roe Legal
Paul Sheiner's principal areas of work and expertise are commercial litigation, administrative law and native title. He is a recognised expert in native title law and handles a wide range of complex litigious and non-litigious matters. Paul is a director of Roe Legal Services in Perth. His experience includes the following: appearing as Counsel in the Supreme Court, Federal Court and High Court of Australia; involvement in key native title Federal Court and High Court cases since 1995; acting in litigation and future act negotiations for native title claim groups and industry in the Pilbara.


Graham Castledine, Principal, Castledine Legal & Mediation Services
Graham was admitted as a practitioner of the Supreme Court of Western Australia in 1987. Since then, he has advised and represented clients in a variety of areas including native title, heritage, environment and planning matters. In addition to his legal practice, Graham works extensively as a mediator and facilitator and has been rated in Doyles Guide as a leading mediator in WA. Graham was recently awarded native title lawyer of the year for WA by Best Lawyers independent rating agency and is currently a member of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee.


Simon Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC)
Since becoming YMAC CEO in 2003, Simon has overseen many significant native title negotiations. YMAC has supported Traditional Owner groups across the Mid West, Gascoyne, Murchison and Pilbara regions to achieve more than 30 native title determinations and numerous agreements in the past three decades, including the 2020 Yamatji Nation Claim and Indigenous Land Use Agreement – one of the nation’s largest and most complex native title settlements. Simon was an inaugural Board member of the National Native Title Council. In May 2023 he was appointed as a Member of the First Nations Clean Energy and Emissions Reduction Advisory Committee. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts (Urban and Regional Studies), is a current member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Justice of the Peace.


Sally Audeyev, Partner, King & Wood Mallesons
Sally is a projects lawyer focussed on achieving long lasting, commercial and socially responsible outcomes for her clients. A partner at King and Wood Mallesons, she has 20 years experience managing native title, heritage, tenure, regulatory and environment aspects of project development, implementation and closure. She acts for a range of clients across the energy and resources sector and government. Spending time in remote areas in WA, Sally enjoys working to achieve native title agreements, access agreements, land tenure, environment and project approvals that enable projects to proceed and succeed in delivering commercial and social value. Sally is the Chairperson of the Mine Rehabilitation Advisory Panel, a director of a school foundation, a member of AMPLA, an associate member of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy and a Graduate of the Company Director’s Course and Director Pipeline Program at the AICD. She coaches a junior netball team, helps out at Nippers, potters around in the garden and does the occasional trail run.


Matthew Pudovskis, Barrister, Francis Burton Chambers
Matthew has a broad practice in commercial and public law and particular experience in land access (native title, mining, planning, and environmental law) and administrative law (including merits and judicial review). As counsel, Matthew has appeared in most superior Federal and State Courts, the State Administrative Tribunal, and the National Native Title Tribunal. Matthew’s experience includes: advising and representing native title applicants and respondent parties in relation to native title claims and Indigenous Land Use Agreements; advising prescribed bodies corporate and other types of Aboriginal corporations; representing mining companies in relation to disputes before the Mining Warden acting administratively; advising in relation to land tenure issues; advising and representing clients in relation to prosecutions under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA), the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA), and the Planning and Development Act 2005 (WA); advising clients in relation to judicial review of decisions made under the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth); and, representing clients in relation to a variety of civil disputes in the District Court of Western Australia and the Magistrate’s Court of Western Australia. Matthew has a Master of Laws from the University of British Columbia that focussed on Canadian Aboriginal and environmental law. He is the author of the Lexis Nexis “Native Title – Foreign Jurisdictions” guidecard and is a contributor to the Australian Resources and Energy Law Journal and Native Title News. He is a member of the Law Society of Western Australia’s Environment, Town Planning & Local Government Committee.


Sophie Kilpatrick, Director, Cross Country Native Title Services Pty Ltd
Sophie Kilpatrick is a highly skilled lawyer with over 15 years’ experience working with and for Aboriginal people in Western Australia. She is a director and joint owner of consultant legal practice Cross Country Native Title Services. This practice specialises in native title litigation and advice and advises Prescribed Body Corporates (PBCs), native title applicants, individuals and families on a variety of legal and related issues. Currently Sophie is working on native title litigation and mediations in the Pilbara, Kimberley and Goldfields regions of Western Australia.


Justin Edwards, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers
Justin Edwards practices at Francis Burt Chambers. He practices mainly in native title and administrative law. Before joining the bar Justin practiced at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers in Queensland; again, mostly in native title. A highlight of this part of his practice was working with the Wik and Wik Waya people in the Cape York region. Justin started his career at Yamatji Marlpa Aborginal Corporation as an articled clerk and then as a claim lawyer practicing out of Karratha.


Marshall McKenna, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin
Marshall McKenna has been a partner since 2000. He joined the partnership of Gilbert & Tobin in its Perth office on 1 June 2016. His principal focus is on commercial litigation, intellectual property, mining litigation (in both the Warden's Courts and the Supreme Court), native title , litigation, land access and planning and environmental approvals and Freedom of Information issues. He is also active in negotiating and documenting compensation, heritage and land access agreements. Marshall has extensive litigation experience including appearing as counsel in several native title and mining matters, and has also instructed in significant trust remediation matter, enforcement of confidentiality obligations, restraints of trade and employment obligations. He was the counsel for the successful party in the first determination that an act not be done under the Native Title Act 'right to negotiate' process. He has previously lectured in Mining and Petroleum Law at the University of Notre Dame and has lectured in Equity at that institution and at the University of Western Australia. Marshall is recognised by Chambers and Doyle's list as a preeminent practitioner in native title and Australia's Best Lawyers recognises him as being a leading lawyer in Litigation and Dispute Resolution; Mining Law; Native Title; Land Access and Planning.


Abbey Shillingford, Manager Native Title and Strategy, Mineral Resources Limited
Abbey Shillingford is proud Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi woman from the Pilbara, with family ties to Nyikina in the Kimberly, Western Australia. Abbey has a wealth of experience in the field of law, particularly in areas related to native title, heritage, environment, alternate dispute resolution, and working with Aboriginal communities. Since being admitted to practice law in 2009, Abbey has gained experience in the community legal sector, native title representative bodies, private practice, government, and is currently working in the industry and resource sector. Abbey recognises the significance of the role she plays in advocating for Aboriginal rights and contributing to the development and implementation of strategies that promote positive outcomes for Aboriginal People and communities. Abbey’s vision is to see strong, prosperous Aboriginal communities where Traditional Owners are empowered in their decision making guided by lore and culture, and complimented with respect and integrity. Abbey prides herself when it comes to building mutually beneficial relationships with Traditional Owners and resource companies, having been on both sides of the table throughout her career. Abbey’s career path demonstrates her dedication and passion for making a difference in the lives of others.


Greg McIntyre SC, Michael Kirby Chambers
Greg McIntyre SC was admitted to practice in 1974. He gained extensive experience in the first 15 years of practice in criminal law and also practised between 1984 and 1988 in Family Law. Greg was Principal Legal Officer, Aboriginal Legal Service of WA, 1988-90. From 1990-92 he worked in general litigation at Corser & Corser. He has practised solely as a Barrister since 1993. Greg has developed a High Court and Federal Court advocacy practice in the fields of Native Title, Human Rights, Immigration, Environmental law and Administrative law generally. In recent years he has also been engaged in commercial litigation, personal injury cases and legal professional conduct cases. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 2002 and since that time he has been a member of the Professional Affairs Committee of the Legal practice Board. He was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame in 2001 and the University of Western Australia in 2016. He at the University of Notre Dame between 2000 and 2012 and in 2011 lectured at the University of WA on the subject of Indigenous Peoples and the Law and in 2007 lectured in Constitutional Law at Notre Dame. He was awarded the Australian Human Rights Commission Law Award in 2011. Greg is currently President-elect of the Law Council of Australia.


Clare Lawrence, Partner, Ashurst
Clare specialises in Indigenous land law and major project approvals. She works nationally, focusing on native title, Indigenous cultural heritage and the State and Territory based land rights schemes. She acts for government, Traditional Owners, and private sector clients across all industries that require access to land. Her work takes her from remote sites to board rooms, as poor management of Indigenous heritage protection has emerged as a key business risk. Clare continues to cement her status as a market leader in this space by contributing to the reform of key legislation in the field, and spearheading Ashurst's native title thought leadership and seminar programs, which includes Ashurst’s annual publication, Native Title Year in Review. She is ranked as a leading lawyer in Native Title by Chambers Asia-Pacific and Legal 500, and in 2023, was recognized by Best Lawyers as Native Title Lawyer of the Year (Melbourne). In the Ashurst Melbourne Office, Clare is a Reconciliation Champion working to deliver the outcomes from Ashurst's stretch Reconciliation Action Plan in the Victorian context.


Kate Wilson, Director ESG, Ashurst
Kate Wilson is a partner in Ashurst's Risk practice and has over 15 years commercial experience, specialising in practical and solutions-focussed support for clients. Kate is a former senior manager in the resources sector, working for more than ten years in communities and social performance and land access. She has significant experience in negotiating and implementing agreements with Traditional Owner groups, and has established industry partnerships with community organisations to deliver impactful social change. Kate has also worked closely with project teams to deliver multi-billion dollar projects, including mining and infrastructure projects, and is highly experienced in bringing teams together to ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget and in a way that creates meaningful opportunities for communities. Kate has significant experience in ESG risk assessment and management, with a strong focus on assisting clients to implement and embed risk mitigation.