{"id":61398,"date":"2026-08-13T17:51:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T07:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.latrobe.edu.au\/mylatrobe\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=61398"},"modified":"2026-08-13T17:51:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T07:51:27","slug":"sir-john-quick-public-lecture-2026","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/www.latrobe.edu.au\/mylatrobe\/event\/sir-john-quick-public-lecture-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Sir John Quick Public Lecture 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\n\t\t\tSeptember 15\t\t<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t @ \t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t6:00 pm\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t – \t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t7:00 pm\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Who\u00a0Owns\u00a0the\u00a0Water? From Colonial Control to Indigenous\u00a0Water\u00a0Justice<\/strong>

Presented by Travis Lovett,\u00a0<\/strong>proud Kerrupmara Gunditjmara, Boandik man and Traditional Owner<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing on Traditional Owner voices and Travis’ own reflections, this lecture identifies three reforms needed to achieve Indigenous water justice: improving water efficiency, formally recognising Indigenous water rights, and embedding those rights within Treaty negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is more than a conversation about water. It is about power, wealth, sovereignty and justice, and who holds the authority to determine the future of our rivers and waterways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s water governance was built on exclusion. Terra nullius denied Aboriginal ownership of land; aqua nullius denied the enduring rights, authority and relationships of Traditional Owners to waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This compelling lecture critically examines Sir John Quick\u2019s constitutional legacy. As a leading Federation advocate and member of the Constitutional Committee, Quick contributed to a Constitution that preserved significant State control over water while failing to recognise the pre-existing sovereignty, laws and water rights of Aboriginal peoples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Water infrastructure supported extensive gold extraction; the lecture explores how colonial control of land, waters and resources generated immense public and private wealth while Traditional Owners were dispossessed and excluded from ownership and decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bringing together history, law and lived experience, this lecture invites audiences to consider what genuine reconciliation requires, and why Indigenous\u00a0water\u00a0justice is central to Australia’s future.


Where: The Capital Theatre, Bendigo, with post-event drinks and nibbles at the La Trobe Art Institute (LAI)
Cost: Free

Register now!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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