'Protest group Te Waka Hourua redacted the English text of the Treaty of Waitangi, which hung across from Te Tiriti o Waitangi in the ‘Signs of a Nation’ exhibit at Te Papa, in 2023.

The Crown has dropped all charges against the man accused of damaging a Treaty of Waitangi exhibit at Te Papa Tongarewa, in 2023.

Te Wehi Ratana, 31, from Nelson, was facing two charges of obstruction of police, and intentionally damaging an art installation, when the group, Te Waka Hourua, entered the museum and used spray paint and a power tool to damage the exhibit.

Ratana’s charges were dropped on Tuesday after his defence lawyer, Julia Spelman, had given the Crown a draft of a defence expert’s evidence for the future trial.

The judge was told the Crown Solicitor decided it was not in the public interest to proceed despite their thoughts the prosecution had evidence to prove both charges.'
https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360949419/crown-drops-charges-against-man-accused-damaging-treaty-waitangi-exhibit
#nzlaw #nzpol #treatyofwaitangi #IndigenousIP

Indigenous Australian VRES Summer Report. Last week, it was great to share the summer research work of several Indigenous students from the QUT Faculty of Business and Law with our research partner Triple A First Nations Media and their chief executive Renita Anderson. Ryan Menner has been the very capable steward and partnership-builder behind this programme for a number of years. The research topics this year included

Artificial Intelligence and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP)​
Student: Nikolas Marchetti (Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law) supervised by Prof. Matthew Rimmer​

Digitising First Nations Voices, examining the ethical. cultural and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) dimensions of digitising Triple A's archival works​
Student: Ruby Van Tongeren (Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Behavioural Science), co-supervised by Prof. Matthew Rimmer and Dr. Edwina Luck.​

Engaging First Nations Youth, examining the Original 100's reach to a youth audience, including through digital media and platforms ​
Student: Ethan Munns. (Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Law) supervised by Dr. Edwina Luck

The Case for Standalone Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP)​
Student: Belle Toohey (Bachelor of Communications/Bachelor of Law) supervised by Prof. Matthew Rimmer​

Photograph - Matthew Rimmer Ryan Menner Nikolas Marchetti, Ruby Van Tongeren Renita A. of Triple A & Ethan Munns. Belle Toohey was also part of this programme.

#IndigenousIP #auslaw #auspol #AI #digitisation #datasovereignty #digitalmedia

Two Visions, One Challenge: Building a better Australia
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/bigideas/thomas-mayo-ray-martin-building-a-better-australia/106341060 Natasha Mitchell
Thomas Mayo invites us to imagine a reconciled Australia that has learned from its history and forged new pathways forward.
Ray Martin is demanding we stop talking and start acting on social justice for Aboriginal people.
Two voices. Two generations of advocacy. One urgent question: who will we become?
The Walyalup Oration is a centrepiece of the City of Fremantle's annual Truth-telling and Focus First Nation Films Program. In The Walyalup Oration leading thinkers in the fields of Indigenous/colonial relations offer their insights into creating a fairer, (re)conciled and more prosperous future for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
The Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration is presented by Communities in Control

Speakers
Thomas Mayo
Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander human rights advocate and renowned author among other books of Always Was, Always Will Be (2024) and Dear Son: Letters and Reflections from First Nations Fathers and Sons (2021)
Ray Martin
Award-winning journalist and television presenter who has reported for and/or presented some of TV's highest-profile current affairs and variety shows of recent decades
#auspol #auslaw #IndigenousIP

First Nations leaders call for federal treaty and truth-telling to follow Victoria's lead
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-22/call-for-federal-treaty-truth-telling-victoria/106372296
Conference organisers penned an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese which described "a unifying federal-level Treaty and truth-telling process" as critical.

"Many of the decisions that most affect First Nations peoples — including around Country, water, climate and cultural heritage — sit with the federal government," the letter read.

"Without a federal process, responsibility is fragmented and recognition remains inconsistent."
#IndigenousIP #VoiceTreatyTruth #auspol #auslaw