After the Referendum: Professor Dr Megan Davis AC in conversation with Voice from the Heart Alliance discussing rights and justice for First Nations Peoples since 2023

Image: Megan Davis AC with Aunty Pat Anderson AO

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Dr Megan Davis AC

Scientia Professor Dr Megan Davis AC grew up in Eagleby and Hervey Bay, Qld and is a Cobble Cobble woman of the Barunggam Nation. Prof. Davis is the Pro Vice-Chancellor Society (PVCS) at UNSW Sydney. Professor Davis is also a UNSW Scientia Professor of Law and holds the BalnavesChair in Constitutional Law. Professor Davis has held the Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University and Visiting Professor, Harvard Law School and the 20252026 Bok Global Visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Penn Carey Law School.

In 2025 Prof Davis was awarded Australia’s highest civilian honour, the Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).

Professor Davis is a renowned constitutional lawyer and public law expert. She has been the leading Australian lawyer on constitutional recognition of First Nations peoples for two decades and designed the Referendum Council’s deliberative process that led to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Prof Davis was a Commissioner on the QLD Commission of Inquiry into Youth Detention Centres in 2016 and was the Chair and author of ‘Family is Culture’, an inquiry into NSW Aboriginal Out of Home care (2017-2019).

She is a globally recognised expert in Indigenous peoples rights and was elected by the UN Human Rights Council to the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples based in Geneva in 2017 and again in 2019 (2017-2022) and was previously elected by the United Nations Economic and Social Council to the role of expert member and Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN Headquarters in New York (2011-2016).

She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.

Prof Davis is an Acting Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court. She is a Commissioner on the Australian Rugby League Commission, a Director on the North Qld Cowboys Community Foundation Board, a Commissioner for the South Australian Rugby League Commission.

Prof Davis has been named on TIME Magazine’s TIME NEXT100 list of the Next Generation of Global leadership under the category of “Leaders”.  She has also won the Overall prize for the annual AFR 100 Australian Women of Influence awards, won the Public Policy category for the AFR100 WOI, named as the “Powerhouse of the Year” at the Annual Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards, one of Australia’s top 5 Legal Power Brokers and on the AFR Annual Culture list.

Aunty Pat Anderson AO

Pat Anderson is an Alyawarre woman known nationally and internationally as an advocate for the rights and health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Ms Anderson has extensive experience in Aboriginal health, including community development, policy formation and research ethics.

Aunty Pat was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2014 for distinguished service to the Indigenous community as a social justice advocate, particularly through promoting improved health, and educational and protection outcomes for children. In 2018, the national NAIDOC Committee recognised Ms Anderson’s life-long contribution with the Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2021 she was awarded the ACT Senior Australian of the Year. Ms Anderson was Co-Chair of the Referendum Council that released its final report in 2017,and has since led the work of the Uluru Dialogue in partnership with the ILC UNSW.

Brydie Zorz

Brydie is a Wiradjuri woman from Central West New South Wales. She is a Project Officer to the Pro Vice-Chancellor Society UNSW, and an Uluru Youth Dialogue Ambassador. Brydie is also currently studying a Bachelor of Laws/Arts (majoring in Politics and International Relations) at UNSW.