First Things First

Melissa Lucashenko is a Goorie (Aboriginal) author of Bundjalung and European heritage. Her first novel was published in 1997 and since then her work has received acclaim in many literary awards. Killing Darcy won the Royal Blind Society Award and was shortlisted for an Aurealis award. Her sixth novel, Too Much Lip, won the 2019 Miles Franklin Literary Award and the Queensland Premier’s Award for a work of State Significance. It was also shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, the Stella Prize, two Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards, two Queensland Literary Awards and two NSW Premier’s Literary Awards. Melissa is a Walkley Award winner for her non-fiction, and a founding member of human rights organisation Sisters Inside. She writes about ordinary Australians and the extraordinary lives they lead. Her latest book is Edenglassie.

Professor Marcia Langton AM is an anthropologist and geographer, and since 2000 has held the Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne. She has produced a large body of knowledge in the areas of political and legal anthropology, Indigenous agreements and engagement with the minerals industry, and Indigenous culture and art. Her role in the Empowered Communities project under contract to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and as a member of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Australians are evidence of Professor Langton's academic reputation, policy commitment and impact, alongside her role as a prominent public intellectual.

Her 2012 Boyer lectures titled: The Quiet Revolution: Indigenous People and the Resources Boom is one of her recent contributions to public debate, and have added to her influence and reputation in government and private sector circles.

In 1993, she was made a member of the Order of Australia in recognition of her work in anthropology and the advocacy of Aboriginal rights. Professor Marcia Langton is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia, a Fellow of Trinity College, Melbourne and an Honorary Fellow of Emmanuel College at The University of Queensland. In 2016 Professor Langton is honoured as a University of Melbourne Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor. As further recognition as one of Australia's most respected Indigenous Academics, in 2017 Professor Marcia Langton is appointed as the first Associate Provost at the University of Melbourne.  

Associate Professor Sandra Phillips is an engaged academic with research interests in Indigenous story and voice in a range of creative and media forms. Descended from the First Nations of Wakka Wakka and Gooreng Gooreng (QLD), Sandra co-ordinates university-wide Indigenous higher degree by research at UTS through the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. Before a full-time career in the academy Sandra worked in publishing and freelanced in writing, editing, research, evaluation, speaking, and facilitation. Sandra has three adult sons and one granddaughter.

Ciaran O’Faircheallaigh is Professor of Politics and Public Policy at Griffith University, Brisbane. For over 20 years he has worked with Indigenous organisations and governments in Australia, Canada, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea on social impact assessments and on negotiation of agreements with resource development companies. From 2011 to 2016 he acted as Negotiations Adviser to the Autonomous Bougainville Government.