The 16th Annual Native Title Conference is your leading national forum bringing together practitioners, Traditional Owners, advisers, government and industry stakeholders from across the Native Title sector. You will gain a fullday exploration of the legal, commercial, and practical issues shaping practice in 2026. From agreementmaking and compensation to recent court decisions, insights from the ALRC on the Future Acts Regime, heritage protection developments and emerging challenges, this national forum delivers practical guidance, expert analysis, and realworld perspectives for those working at the coalface of Native Title.

Presenters

Kado Muir, Aboriginal Cultural Awareness & Heritage Consulting
Kado Muir is a distinguished Ngalia cultural leader, anthropologist, archaeologist, and entrepreneur from the central deserts of Western Australia. As one of three remaining fluent speakers of the Ngalia language, Kado brings unparalleled authenticity and depth to cultural awareness work. He bridges ancient wisdom with modern economic and technological realities. Kado is a "scholar-practitioner" who speaks both "Boardroom" and "Bush" with equal fluency. Unlike generic cultural awareness programs, Kado's work combines lived experience as a traditional cultural leader with rigorous academic training. His approach addresses real-world challenges and delivers practical, actionable insights backed by decades of successful negotiations and partnerships with corporations, government agencies, and Traditional Owner groups. Kado challenges the paradigm of managing poverty in favor of managing wealth through equity ownership, bringing a unique perspective to conversations about First Nations economic development and environmental justice.

Lauren Garvey, Senior Client Manager, Abbott Native Title Trustees (ANTT)

Alex Rorrison, Principal, Meaghan Rorrison Legal & Consulting
Alex has practised exclusively as a native title lawyer for the last 27 years having worked for the Northern Territory, Western Australian and Commonwealth governments. Alex has extensive experience in conducting and resolving native title determination and compensation claims, negotiating a wide range of native title agreements and providing technical and strategic legal advice on native title and related issues. Alex specialises in the emerging area of native title compensation, having been both junior counsel and instructing solicitor in a number of compensation test cases both in the Federal Court and High Court. Alex is recognised nationally as a leading lawyer in the practice of native title law and was included in Doyle's Guide 'Leading Native Title Lawyers – Government & Traditional Owner Bodies – Australia' in 2017 and 2023.

Dr Debbie Fletcher, Director, Fletcher Advisory and Consultancy Services
Debbie was appointed as a member of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Committee in September 2022. She has held numerous senior positions in State and Commonwealth governments over the last 30 years in the fields of native title, Aboriginal affairs and land access and holds a PhD in history and anthropology. Debbie works as a consultant and is an Independent Director on the Boards of the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation and The Keeping Place.

Tessa Herrmann, Barrister, Francis Burt Chambers
Tessa Herrmann accepts briefs in respect of native title, statutory interpretation, public and administrative law, resources, and contracts. Tessa’s considerable native title experience includes: claimant and non-claimant native title applications; compensation applications and negotiations; future act, land access and heritage matters, including ILUAs; and prescribed bodies corporate. Tessa was listed in the Doyles Guide national list of leading native title barristers for 2020, 2022 and 2023, and is included on the Federal Court of Australia’s list of National Native Title Mediators. She is also an author for Lexis Nexis’ Native Title Service.

Mel Watts, Director, M Watts Legal
Melissa has more than 20 years’ experience practicing in relation to all aspects of resources and land access law, native title and Aboriginal heritage issues. She holds degrees in Law and Commerce from Murdoch University. She was admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia and High Court of Australia in 2004. Formerly a partner at a Western Australian law firm, Mel established her own firm, M Watts Legal in August 2013, where she represents a broad range of clients, from traditional owner groups to major mining/petroleum companies, State Government agencies, pastoralists and industry groups.  Mel regularly appears in the National Native title Tribunal Federal Courts and Warden’s Court, as well as providing general legal and strategic lead negotiator services. Mel is recognised both locally and internationally as a leading native title lawyer.  Mel has been twice recognised as “Lawyer of the Year – Native Title Perth” in the Best Lawyers in Australia – (2022) and (2018). She is currently recognised by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Native Title Law, Litigation, Mining and Natural Resources Law, Mel was ranked by Chambers and Partners Asia Pacific Region in 2024 in the practice area of native title.

Lisa Eaton, Member, National Native Title 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.

Rewi Lyall, CEO, Yued Aboriginal Corporation
Rewi Lyall is the Chief Executive Officer of Yued Aboriginal Corporation. Prior to this, Rewi represented the interests of Martu as both the Chief Operating Officer and in-house Counsel at Jamukurnu Yapalikurnu Aboriginal Corporation (JYAC). In 2024, Rewi stepped in as the Interim Chief Executive Officer at JYAC. While at JYAC, Rewi oversaw the development of JYAC’s 'Palyaninpa Jimarti Baju (Building Wealth for Martu)' economic development strategy. The strategy was informed by NIAA commissioned analysis of the Western Desert economy, and identified key areas for economic activity for Martu including building construction and maintenance, tourism and agriculture. During this period, Rewi formed part of the team that negotiated the Karlkayn Airstrip Stage One agreement with Rio Tinto Winu. Rewi is a senior solicitor with a strong background in government and the private sector, specialising in ethical public policy, law and regional and remote development. Rewi’s combines his extensive knowledge of First Nations culture, business and Native Title law with a passion for empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to lead strategies to improve communities, employment and education outcomes.

Robyn Glindemann, Principal and Director, Lantegy Legal
Robyn Glindemann is Counsel in the Perth office of Clifford Chance. She has been advising a variety of resources companies and government agencies in Australia and Canada on environmental and land access issues for over 17 years. Robyn was part of the team advising the WA Government on the development of the Browse LNG Precinct in the Kimberley and has advised a wide range of companies, including miners, oil and energy companies and agro-chemical companies on environmental and broader project approval issues. She has also acted for banks and foreign entities in relation to investments in Australian resources and energy projects. Robyn is a member of the Environment Committee and Water Issues Group of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy in WA and is a Past President of the National Environmental Law Association of Australia. She is also a member of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law.

Matthew Maxted, General Manager & Delegated Trustee, Abbott Native Title Trustees (ANTT)

James Back, Client Development Manager, Abbott Native Title Trustees (ANTT)

Sue Meaghan, Principal, Meaghan Rorrison Legal & Consulting
Sue is an experienced policy advisor and legal practitioner, with over 25 years working in the native title sector. Sue’s broad experience includes senior native title policy and leadership roles within both the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments, as well as in-house legal roles for a native title representative body. Sue has also worked as an independent consultant focusing on capacity building, facilitation and community engagement. Sue works with a focus on engagement and partnership approaches to deliver sustainable outcomes. She is also an experienced facilitator and trainer and uses these skills to provide understandable and practical legal advice. Sue has in-depth knowledge of native title law and emerging policy opportunities at a local and national level. Sue was the Institute of Public Affairs Australia (WA)'s Policy Practitioner of the Year in 2022.