Please describe your doctoral studies. 

My thesis examined the link between native title, deliberative democracy and democratic participation for Aboriginal people. I examined how the recognition of native title in Australia created an unintended 'deliberative democratic' space for Aboriginal people to contest public policy, enter into agreements with governments and rebuild Indigenous governance. 

Why did you choose to undertake a PhD in law at ANU?

When looking for a supervisor I wanted someone with knowledge of deliberative democracy and Indigenous legal issues. Professor Ron Levy at the ANU College of Law was one of the few scholars with such expertise. In addition, I had professional relationships with other academics doing research in relation to Indigenous policy at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research at ANU.

How have you felt about moving to / living in Canberra? 

My wife is from Canberra and has her family here. I also have family in Queanbeyan so moving from Melbourne to Canberra was not too difficult. I found the relocation to be really enjoyable and we feel very settled here. Canberra is underrated in terms of liveability and being a great place to live and work.

What have been some of the highlights studying law at ANU?

Being supported by my colleagues (in law and elsewhere at ANU) and people being genuinely happy to see me succeed in finishing my PhD. 

Are there any scholars who have been influential to you throughout your doctoral studies? 

There have been many and all in very different ways. Of course, my supervisor Professor Levy was the most influential in both helping me to articulate my ideas and arguments and helping me manage my nerves and concerns as I got closer to submission. 

Have there been any challenging moments? How did you overcome these?

The biggest concern was trying to tie all my thoughts together as I got closer to submission. A PhD is a long time to work on a single piece of work and your thinking can frequently change and be influenced by other ideas and scholars. I found that bringing my PhD to a conclusion rather than introducing new ideas and arguments was definitely a challenge. 

What is your advice for prospective law students?

Given I am Indigenous, my advice to Indigenous students would be to think about doing postgraduate study because there are many gaps in knowledge that need to be filled to better explain the experiences of Indigenous people with law, governance and democracy.  

What is next for you beyond graduation?

I am very fortunate that the ANU College of Law has offered me a Postdoctoral Fellow position so I can continue to research and write on my areas of interest (native title, Indigenous rights, legal and political theory).