The Mabo Centre is proud to sponsor the 2026 Mabo Lecture and participate in five days of knowledge-sharing and connection building at AIATSIS Summit.
The AIATSIS Summit is one of Australia’s largest First Nations conferences, uniting Elders, leaders, and youth along with academics, legal experts, GLAM professionals and government representatives to collaborate on the issues that matter most to First Nations people.
This year’s theme of “Our Truth. Our Power. Our Future” speaks directly to the Mabo Centre’s mission to equip First Nations leaders with the resources and skills needed for economic self-determination and empowering future leaders. It pays tribute to the lived experience, strength, solidarity, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
From the Mabo Centre – sharing our knowledge
This year, we are proud to have three representatives from the Mabo Centre to present and share their expertise on the sub-theme of Rights, Recognition, and Representation.
Prof. Rodney Carter, Centre Director
- Translating Rights Theory to Working Reality – Introducing the Mabo Centre; Thursday, June 4th, 2026, 11:00 AM
Prof. Rodney Carter is a descendant of Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta people, currently residing on Dja Dja Wurrung Country in Central Victoria.
Prior to joining the Mabo Centre, Rodney was Group CEO of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DJAARA) for over a decade and was a key Signatory and Claimant in negotiating the Dja Dja Wurrung people’s native title settlement in 2013, a landmark outcome under the Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010.
Prof. Matthew Storey, Centre Research Lead
- Translating Rights Theory to Working Reality – Introducing the Mabo Centre; Thursday, June 4th, 2026, 11:00 AM
- In Deep Waters: the Struggle for Traditional Owner Rights in Offshore Waters – and Beyond; Thursday, June 4th, 2026, 1:30 PM
Prof. Matthew Storey was born in Naarm, and lived in the Northern Territory for nearly 25 years.
Matthew is a lawyer and academic with qualifications in law, economics, and business. He has worked with and for Traditional Owners in the areas of native title and land rights, cultural heritage, business development and natural resource management for over 30 years. He has previously worked as CEO of First Nations Legal and Research service, Director of the Office of the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, and as CEO of the National Native Title Council.
Dr Scott Mackay, Centre Training Lead
- Training the native title sector: A Systems Approach; Thursday, June 4th, 2026, 12:00 PM
Dr. Scott Mackay is a non-Indigenous man born in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Scott has spent over 15 years advocating for First Nations rights across Australia and the Pacific. He leads the training program focused on building capability and capacity of the Native Title Sector, Traditional Owners, and the government.
Scott holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, where he has held various academic positions within its Australian Indigenous Studies program.
Find out more
Join us on 1st to 5th of June 2026 at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Full program details here.
May 12, 2026