Defending the defenceless : Indigenous self-determination and legal services in Australia / Eddie Cubillo ; with a foreword by Gary Foley.

Carlton, Vic. : The Miegunyah Press, 2026.

1st edition

203292

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service (Qld) Ltd.

Indigenous peoples -- Australia -- Legal status, laws, etc.

Social justice -- Australia.

Law reform -- Australia.

Indigenous peoples -- Civil rights -- Australia.

Aboriginal Australians -- Legal status, laws, etc -- Australia.

Torres Strait Islanders -- Legal status, laws, etc.

Foreward / by Gary Foley

Introduction

1. My life in the law

2. Approaching self-determination

3. Settler colonialism, self-determination and aboriginal legal services in Australia

4. Troublemakers, activists and lefties : the need for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services, and the challenges they face

5. Insights from the field : working for self-determination, cultural strength and community control

6. Where to now? Concluding thoughts on the history and future of ATSILS

Appendix A: ATSILS employment statistics

Appendix B: Interviews.

For generations, Indigenous peoples in Australia have faced systemic barriers to justice and are often denied the right to determine their own legal and cultural futures. Defending the Defenceless is a powerful exploration of Indigenous self-determination within the legal system, offering a deeply personal and critical perspective on the intersection of law, identity and advocacy. Drawing from lived experience, community leadership and academic expertise, Eddie Cubillo examines the challenges and triumphs of Indigenous legal services, exposing the structural inequalities that persist while highlighting pathways toward meaningful change. Through innovative methodologies and compelling storytelling, this book is both a vital scholarly contribution and an urgent call to action. Engaging, thought-provoking and deeply rooted in the realities of Indigenous justice, Defending the Defenceless is essential reading for scholars, legal practitioners, policymakers and anyone committed to truth, justice and Indigenous rights in Australia. - Publisher's website.

Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this item may contain names, illustrations of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

9780522881714

xi, 276 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm