QTIX

Driven by a desire to honour the courage and significance of Edward ‘Koiki’ Mabo’s work, in 2005 the Queensland Human Rights Commission (QHRC) and QPAC partnered to establish The Mabo Oration. This biennial event pays tribute to Eddie Mabo and the landmark High Court decision, which legally recognised that Indigenous people have a special relationship to the land that existed prior to colonisation. The oration features expert voices in the field of native title and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures on subjects ranging from the legal protection of cultural knowledge to meeting the contemporary challenges of social justice. 

In 2023 Professor Megan Davis will deliver the oration in Townsville with guest speaker Professor Henry Reynolds. MC Jeff McMullen will host the event with introduction by special guest Gail Mabo.

Queensland Human Rights Commissioner Scott McDougall says, “as we stand on the precipice of history it will be an enormous privilege to hear one of Australia’s leading voices of change, Professor Davies, as she reflects on the legacy of the great Eddie Mabo. The return of Professor Henry Reynolds to the town where Eddie Mabo began his fight to overturn terra nullius is of special significance, and promises to make this one of 2023’s most memorable occasions.”