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.
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.
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
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.
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
Roach v Electoral Commissioner [2007] HCA 43
Larkin, Dani and Crowe, Jonathan (2021). Roach v Electoral Commissioner [2007] HCA 43. Indigenous legal judgments: bringing Indigenous voices into judicial decision making. (pp. 245-259) edited by Heather Douglas and Nicole Watson. London, United Kingdom: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003174349
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.
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
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
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
Constitutionally entrenched Voice to Parliament: representation and good governance
Larkin, Dani and Galloway, Kate (2021). Constitutionally entrenched Voice to Parliament: representation and good governance. Alternative Law Journal, 46 (3), 193-198. doi: 10.1177/1037969x211019807
Uluru Statement from the Heart: Australian public law pluralism
Larkin, Dani and Galloway, Kate (2018). Uluru Statement from the Heart: Australian public law pluralism. Bond Law Review, 30 (2), 335-245. doi: 10.53300/001c.6796
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:
Larkin, Dani and Lino, Dylan (2023). Diversity in teaching. UQ Law School ECA/HDR Development Program, St Lucia, QLD, Australia, 21 April 2023.
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.
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
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
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
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
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 .
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
Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices
Larkin, Dani and Davis, Megan (2021, 12 02). Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices National Indigenous Times
Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices
Larkin, Dani and Davis, Megan (2021, 11 30). Voter law could silence Indigenous Voices The Western Australian
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.
Larkin, Dani (2021, 11 08). Why voter ID requirements could exclude the most vulnerable citizens, especially First Nations people The Conversation
Larkin, Dani (2021, 07 19). Excessive strip-searching shines light on discrimination of Aboriginal women in the criminal justice system The Conversation
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
What did the public say about the government’s Indigenous Voice co-design process?
Larkin, Dani , Buxton-Namisnyk, Emma and Appleby, Gabrielle (2021, 07 06). What did the public say about the government’s Indigenous Voice co-design process? The Conversation
Indigenous Voice Co-Design Process: An Expert Analysis of the NIAA Consultations
Appleby, Gabrielle , Buxton-Namisnyk, Emma and Larkin, Dani (2021). Indigenous Voice Co-Design Process: An Expert Analysis of the NIAA Consultations. Sydney, Australia: Indigenous Law Centre, UNSW.
Representation and good governance: institutional transformation via Voice to Parliament
Galloway, Kate and Larkin, Dani (2021, 06 18). Representation and good governance: institutional transformation via Voice to Parliament Indigenous Constitutional Law Blog
Constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament fills institutional gap
Galloway, Kate and Larkin, Dani (2021, 04 17). Constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament fills institutional gap Griffith Law Futures Centre Blog
Membership Models for an Indigenous Voice: What does representation mean for First Nations?
Larkin, Dani (2021, 03 11). Membership Models for an Indigenous Voice: What does representation mean for First Nations? Indigenous Constitutional Law Blog
Voices must be heard so that Constitution becomes inclusive
Larkin, Dani (2021, 02 19). Voices must be heard so that Constitution becomes inclusive National Indigenous Times
Silencing the Voice: How government is failing the Uluru Statement from the Heart
Larkin, Dani (2021, 01 22). Silencing the Voice: How government is failing the Uluru Statement from the Heart IndigenousX
Larkin, Dani (2020). The law and policy of Indigenous cultural identity and political participation: a comparative analysis between Australia, Canada and New Zealand. PhD Thesis, Faculty of Law, Bond University.
Larkin, Dani and Maguire, Amy (2020, 07 08). Lidia Thorpe wants to shift course on Indigenous recognition. Here’s why we must respect the Uluru Statement The Conversation
Think slavery in Australia was all in the past? Think again
McGaughey, Fiona , Maguire, Amy and Larkin, Dani (2020, 06 18). Think slavery in Australia was all in the past? Think again The Canberra Times
Think slavery in Australia was all in the past? Think again
McGaughey, Fiona , Maguire, Amy and Larkin, Dani (2020, 06 17). Think slavery in Australia was all in the past? Think again The Conversation