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The REAL Mabo Story
Members' Lunch with Bryan Keon-Cohen AM QC
Hosted by:
Prof Ian Dunn AM
August 4, 2022 @ 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
$80.00 – $95For nearly 11 years Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM QC (but then a junior at the Victorian Bar) lived the Mabo experience. Bryan was junior to the late Ron Castan AM QC but the very limited Legal Aid funding meant that Bryan handled huge parts of the case by himself on behalf of Eddy Mabo and the other plaintiffs even without his instructing solicitor at critical times. In 2011 he published an epic book about this, describing the setbacks and barriers, the small victories and greater disasters, the need for his whole family to be moved to Queensland and to assist, and the ultimate triumph in Mabo (2) when the High Court by a 6/1 majority ruled in favour of the plaintiffs, thus setting aside the doctrine of Terra Nullius. Recently returned from the 30 year reunions in Townsville, Bryan Keon-Cohen will reflect about the Mabo saga and its aftermath.
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