Introduction

In this introductory chapter, the authors reflect on the historical invisibility of Indigenous peoples and their legal traditions within Australian legal education, noting the slow progress towards meaningful inclusion. It discusses the recent history of Indigenous people in Australian legal education and practice. The chapter reviews the literature on policy interventions that have contributed to law schools bringing Indigenous voices into curricula. The literature on racism in Australian universities is also reviewed. The authors advocate for the decolonisation of legal education and underscore the critical role of Indigenous knowledge and scholars in achieving this goal. Finally, the chapter sets the stage for the book’s diverse perspectives on what decolonisation looks like in practice.