Overview
Background
Dr. Dani Linder is a Bundjalung, Kungarakany woman from Grafton, New South Wales, a public lawyer, and a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Queensland, Australia (UQ), where she teaches "Foundations of Law" and "Law and Indigenous Peoples". As an Indigenous legal academic, feminist, and advocate for constitutional reform and political empowerment of First Nations, her research interests include Indigenous self-determination and cultural identity, electoral law and policy reform, Indigenous political participation and representation, comparative constitutional law, and international human rights.
Dr. Linder is an admitted lawyer with a Bachelor of Laws degree, a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, a Master of Laws degree which specialises in Corporate and Commercial Law and Practice, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Law. Her Ph.D. thesis is titled "The Law and Policy of Indigenous Cultural Identity and Political Participation: A Comparative Analysis between Australia, Canada, and New Zealand". During her Ph.D., Dr. Linder was selected as a 2017 Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate visiting Fellow for Comparative Constitutional Law at the University of Melbourne under Professor Adrienne Stone and soon after, became a commentator on issues of First Nations justice in the national media and scholarly publications.
Availability
- Dr Dani Linder is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Law, Griffith University
- Diploma of Legal Practice, The College of Law
- Masters (Coursework) of Law, Bond University
- Doctor of Philosophy of Law, Bond University
Research interests
-
Indigenous political participation and representation
Dr. Linder welcomes expressions of interest for Research Higher Degree supervision (MPhil or Ph.D.) on a range of topics in Indigenous political participation and representation and recognition. Projects could explore: (i) International and national recognition of Indigenous cultural identity, self-determination, and self-government rights; (ii) Indigenous express and implied constitutional rights that impact Indigenous political participation and representation as expressed and exercised through voting and candidacy; (iii) Indigenous women and the law with a particular focus on Aboriginal women and their experiences with disenfranchisement; (iv) Indigenous citizenship rights, particularly following the Love v Commonwealth; Thoms v Commonwealth High Court Cases,
Research impacts
Since completing her Ph.D. Dr Linder has published in scholarly journals and edited collections, as well as making submissions for law reform in the field of First Nations justice. Dr. Linder has also served in the Senior Uluru Dialogue Leadership that holds the cultural mandate and authority for the Uluru Statement from the Heart for several years, a role that has seen her travel the country and engage with Indigenous communities and community leaders. Dr. Linder is a leading Indigenous legal advocate for enhancing Indigenous political participation and representation within Australian law and policy decision-making processes within Indigenous, legal, and academic communities as well as in the broader media.
Prior to becoming an Indigenous legal academic, Dr. Linder also previously worked as a lawyer in a number of different areas of law for several Commonwealth and State government agencies. This experience, alongside her grassroots upbringing on Bundjalung land and her connection to her Aboriginal community, and cultural identity, influenced her passion, drive, and commitment to advocating for Indigenous social justice issues and human rights. Dr. Linder has authored on complex constitutional law issues, both alone and in collaboration, numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, an expert analysis report of the consultative process of the government’s co-design process for an Indigenous Voice, op-eds published in national print and online media. Dr. Linder has also presented in a number of webinar series that have discussed the importance of establishing a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament and she is an experienced commentator in the national media on the Uluru Statement and has presented her scholarship as an expert for the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, various radio and television news broadcasts, at the Sydney Bar Association, before Federal Indigenous Senators and Members of Parliament, the NSW Crown Solicitors Office, multinational corporations and the Cambridge University Decolonizing Criminology Network.
In 2021, when the Morrison government sought to reform the Commonwealth Electoral Law Act 1918 to add further red tape to voter I.D laws which would disproportionately impact Indigenous voter outcomes, Dr. Linder was a prominent Indigenous legal advocate who supported the rejection of that proposal as evidenced through her activism and commentary in The Conversation, The National Indigenous Times, the Western Australian Newspaper, and the Electoral Regulation Research Network. Dr. Linder has also provided expert advice on Indigenous voting and candidacy representation for the UNSW Indigenous Law Centre and Public Interest Advocacy Centre's "Towards Truth" project which is a world first-of-its-kind interactive information database that maps legislation and policies that have impacted upon First Nations’ lives throughout Australian history to enable truth-telling about our history.
Works
Search Professor Dani Linder’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Book Chapter
The Disenfranchisement of Aboriginal Women
Linder, Dani (2024). The Disenfranchisement of Aboriginal Women. The Feminist Legislation Project. (pp. 62-76) London: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003372462-7
2023
Other Outputs
After the Voice referendum: how far along are First Nations treaty negotiations across the country?
Linder, Dani and Hobbs, Harry (2023, 10 25). After the Voice referendum: how far along are First Nations treaty negotiations across the country? The Conversation
2023
Journal Article
Reparations and First Nations’ Legal Rights in Australia
Butchers, Bethany, Linder, Dani and Maguire, Amy (2023). Reparations and First Nations’ Legal Rights in Australia. University of New South Wales Law Journal, 46 (3), 791-835.
2023
Other Outputs
Australia counts down to landmark vote on Indigenous Voice
Linder, Dani (2023, 10 13). Australia counts down to landmark vote on Indigenous Voice Al Jazeera
2023
Other Outputs
Uni of Queensland's Linder on Australia Referendum Vote Expectations
Linder, Dani (2023, 10 13). Uni of Queensland's Linder on Australia Referendum Vote Expectations Bloomberg TV
2023
Other Outputs
It will be 'embarrassing' if Australia doesn't vote for the Voice
Linder, Dani (2023, 10 13). It will be 'embarrassing' if Australia doesn't vote for the Voice Newsable
2023
Conference Publication
Indigenous arguments for a Voice and ways in which membership structures can best represent Indigenous communities
Linder, Dani (2023). Indigenous arguments for a Voice and ways in which membership structures can best represent Indigenous communities. Talking about the Voice: A conversation without the noise, Online, 6 September 2023. Monash University:
2023
Journal Article
The Voice is a simple and enduring idea with a past - and a promise
Fox, Laurel, Larkin, Dani and Orr, Graeme (2023, 08 04). The Voice is a simple and enduring idea with a past - and a promise The Conversation
2023
Conference Publication
Diversity in teaching
Larkin, Dani and Lino, Dylan (2023). Diversity in teaching. UQ Law School ECA/HDR Development Program, St Lucia, QLD, Australia, 21 April 2023.
2023
Other Outputs
Submission on the Constitutional Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023
Ananian-Walsh, Rebecca, Billings, Peter, Cassimatis Am, Anthony, Larkin, Dani and Lino, Dylan (2023). Submission on the Constitutional Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 . Submission Number 77. Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum .
2023
Conference Publication
Indigenous disenfranchisement at Commonwealth elections
Hill, Lisa, Larkin, Dani and Orr, Graeme (2023). Indigenous disenfranchisement at Commonwealth elections. Who gets to vote? An inclusive electoral franchise for contemporary Australia: A Parliamentary Library Symposium, Canberra, ACT Australia, 14 April 2023.
2022
Other Outputs
How do the major parties rate on the First Nations Voice to Parliament? We asked 5 experts
Larkin, Dani, Synot, Eddie, Lee, Emma, Blackwell, James and Nakata, Sana (2022, 05 19). How do the major parties rate on the First Nations Voice to Parliament? We asked 5 experts The Conversation
2022
Journal Article
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, law reform and the return of the states
Larkin, Dani, Hobbs, Harry, Lino, Dylan and Maguire, Amy (2022). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, law reform and the return of the states. University of Queensland Law Journal, 41 (1), 35-58. doi: 10.38127/uqlj.v41i1.6353
2021
Other Outputs
Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices
Larkin, Dani and Davis, Megan (2021, 12 02). Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices National Indigenous Times
2021
Other Outputs
Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices
Larkin, Dani and Davis, Megan (2021, 11 30). Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices The Western Australian
2021
Other Outputs
Federal voter ID laws
Orr, Graeme, Dixon, Rosalind, Larkin, Dani, Brent, Peter and Green, Antony (2021). Federal voter ID laws. ERRN and Democratic Audit of Australia Working Paper Series. Number 76. Electoral Regulation Research Network, The University of Melbourne.
2021
Other Outputs
Why voter ID requirements could exclude the most vulnerable citizens, especially First Nations people
Larkin, Dani (2021, 11 08). Why voter ID requirements could exclude the most vulnerable citizens, especially First Nations people The Conversation
2021
Other Outputs
Excessive strip-searching shines light on discrimination of Aboriginal women in the criminal justice system
Larkin, Dani (2021, 07 19). Excessive strip-searching shines light on discrimination of Aboriginal women in the criminal justice system The Conversation
2021
Journal Article
State and territory legislative vulnerabilities and why an Indigenous Voice must be constitutionally enshrined
Larkin, Dani and Rigney, Sophie (2021). State and territory legislative vulnerabilities and why an Indigenous Voice must be constitutionally enshrined. Alternative Law Journal, 46 (3), 205-211. doi: 10.1177/1037969x211032734
2021
Other Outputs
Half-measures won’t do on the Voice, minister: Australians have spoken
Appleby, Gabrielle , Buxton-Naamisnyk, Emma and Larkin, Dani (2021, 07 07). Half-measures won’t do on the Voice, minister: Australians have spoken The Sydney Morning Herald
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Dani Linder is:
- Available for supervision
Before you email them, read our advice on how to contact a supervisor.
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Dani Linder directly for media enquiries about their areas of expertise.
Need help?
For help with finding experts, story ideas and media enquiries, contact our Media team: