Presenters

Matthew Pudovskis, Barrister, Francis Burt 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.


Rainer Mathews, Co-Principal Legal Officer, First Nations Legal & Research Services
Rainer joined First Nations Legal and Research Services in November 2019, having worked as a native title lawyer in different parts of Australia since 2006. He has always felt it is a great privilege to do this work, and along the way has met many extraordinary and inspiring people while out on Country.  Day to day, Rainer seeks to empower First Nations people with high quality advice, to be guided by them on how to best assist them on their long paths to self-determination. He is committed to being a healing and trauma informed lawyer and believes in creative and reflexive legal practice.


Tony Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Legal & Research Services
Tony has nearly four decades experience working with First Nations people across the country, including the last 10 years working as a native title lawyer and now CEO of a Native Title Service Provider. Previously Tony worked as Park Ranger at Kakadu and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Parks and for two decades in community development and social work, with a focus on disadvantaged young people. In 2015 and 2016 Tony lived in Mount Isa where he, along with his wife Rebecca, cared for his mother-in-law during the final years of her life. Tony and Rebecca’s experiences of this time are the subject of their co-authored memoir, Growing Pineapples in the Outback.

Presenters

Matthew Pudovskis, Barrister, Francis Burt 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.


Rainer Mathews, Co-Principal Legal Officer, First Nations Legal & Research Services
Rainer joined First Nations Legal and Research Services in November 2019, having worked as a native title lawyer in different parts of Australia since 2006. He has always felt it is a great privilege to do this work, and along the way has met many extraordinary and inspiring people while out on Country.  Day to day, Rainer seeks to empower First Nations people with high quality advice, to be guided by them on how to best assist them on their long paths to self-determination. He is committed to being a healing and trauma informed lawyer and believes in creative and reflexive legal practice.


Tony Kelly, Chief Executive Officer, First Nations Legal & Research Services
Tony has nearly four decades experience working with First Nations people across the country, including the last 10 years working as a native title lawyer and now CEO of a Native Title Service Provider. Previously Tony worked as Park Ranger at Kakadu and Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) National Parks and for two decades in community development and social work, with a focus on disadvantaged young people. In 2015 and 2016 Tony lived in Mount Isa where he, along with his wife Rebecca, cared for his mother-in-law during the final years of her life. Tony and Rebecca’s experiences of this time are the subject of their co-authored memoir, Growing Pineapples in the Outback.