Holding Redlich recognises that we have a responsibility to take genuine action to engage in and promote reconciliation.
Holding Redlich respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of Australia. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the diversity, resilience and strength of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Holding Redlich recognises that we have a responsibility to take genuine action to engage in and promote reconciliation. We are committed to taking meaningful steps to respect cultures, build relationships and create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We strive to be a culturally safe and inclusive law firm.
In April 2019 we launched the firm’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Known as a ‘Reflect’ RAP, it involves scoping and deciding on a vision for reconciliation and preparing our firm for reconciliation initiatives and RAPs in the future. The RAP provides a framework for us to support the national reconciliation movement by:
The enactment of our RAP is being overseen by a Reconciliation Implementation Group. We also have a Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group with representatives from all Holding Redlich offices to support the implementation of the RAP.
In March 2019 Holding Redlich issued a joint public response with 17 other law firms in support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a national Indigenous consensus position on Indigenous constitutional reform, which includes a call for a First Nations Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the Commonwealth Constitution. You can view the Uluru Statement from the Heart here.
The consensus reached through the Statement from the Heart was a major milestone in the journey towards constitutional reform. The establishment of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative body as a voice to Parliament would be a meaningful step towards reconciliation. It would empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and ensure that they have a greater say on the laws, policies and programs that shape their lives. Please see this article on the joint law firm response – Law firms back Uluru Statement in the AFR on 22 March 2019.
Holding Redlich has a long and demonstrable history of commitment to promoting human rights and social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
We have represented Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in some of the most important legal test cases in Australia, including:
We often represent individuals and organisations seeking representative rights under State land use and cultural heritage legislation. We also have a very experienced Native Title and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage legal practice to assist our clients to comply with native title and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage laws.
We have relationships with a number of community legal centres that provide legal assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including:
We also provide legal assistance to a number of Indigenous organisations, including:
In addition to our legal work, as part of our commitment to strengthening our relationships with Indigenous businesses, we have formed an alliance with Indigenous law firm, Marrawah Law, a Supply Nation certified business with offices in Cairns and Brisbane.
We also have a partnership with Flying Arts Alliance to help showcase artists from across rural and remote Queensland, including many Indigenous artists. This includes sponsorship of the Flying Arts Alliance's Queensland Regional Art Awards.