Professor Anne Poelina

Chair of Indigenous Knowledges and Senior Research Fellow, Nulungu Research Institute

PhD, PhD, MA, MEd, MPH&TM

Email: anne.poelina1@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Prof. Anne Poelina, PhD, PhD, MA, MEd, MPH&TM, Chair of Indigenous Knowledges and Senior Research Fellow Nulungu Institute, University of Notre Dame Australia, is a Kimberley, Nyikina Warrwa Indigenous woman; Chair, Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, an active community leader, human and earth rights advocate, and filmmaker. She holds membership to national and global Think Tanks. A Peter Cullen Fellow, Adjunct Professor, College Indigenous Education Futures, Arts & Society, Charles Darwin University with Visiting Fellowships at the Australian National University, Canberra, Charles Darwin University and the Institute for Post-Colonial Studies, Melbourne.

    Prof. Poelina is the Murray Darling Basin (MDB) inaugural First Nations appointment to its independent Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Sciences (2022). Awarded Kailisa Budevi Earth and Environment Award, International Women’s Day (2022) recognition of her global standing. In 2017 as non-IPCC Scientist gave the Plenary address to UNESCO to speak to the growing uncertainty of Climate Change. Awarded a Laureate from the Women’s World Summit Foundation (Geneva, 2017). Collaboration with His Holiness, Pope Francis’s encyclical entitled Laudato Si: On Care of Our Common Home, with eminent scientific scholars in the Vatican and through the Nulungu Institute, Kimberley Transition’. Poelina continues to collaborate with Indigenous scholars in New Zealand, the USA and Canada and the International Global Aboriginal Research Network GARN.

  • Current research

    Fonds Pacific (French Australian and Pacific Island Nations) research Partnership. Increasingly, international attention is being focused on developing effective ways to improve integrated approaches to land and water management. This is the focus of the Fonds Pacifique Water Governance Project, which aims to identify key issues and opportunities via a scoping project based on a number of case studies in the Pacific, including a Kimberley case study. I am the Team Leader for the Kimberley Case Study.

    Legal and Biodiveristy Values of the Mardoowarra/Fitzroy River. This project aims to develop an understanding of the interactions and feedbacks between the multiple values of biodiversity in the Mardoowarra catchment. It also aims to assess the capacity of existing legal regimes to effectively and equitably regulate the cultural, environmental, social and economic values of biodiversity, and the interactions between these values. This is important to indigenous and non-indigenous stakeholders in the area due to the immediacy of the threats to cultural and biological diversity in the Mardoowarra. Local indigenous communities are working to have the Kimberly included on the World Heritage List and are exploring issues of legal recognition of the Mardoowarra watercourse. This project feeds directly into these aims.

    Stage 1 Study towards the Natural History & Cultural Park, Mardoowarra, Lower Fitzroy River, Kimberley region, WA in a research partnership with VCSRG Research Group to develop a database and baseline for the design of Natural History & Cultural Park for Education and Tourism in Mardoowarra region.

    Exploring Indigenous low carbon development and environmental protection: The nexus of climate change mitigation, environmental justice, and low carbon innovation in partnership with the UK University of Southampton Faculty of Social, Human and Mathematical Sciences.

  • Teaching areas

    Throughout her career Prof Poelina has been a leading role model, a natural teacher and mentor.  Prof Poelina has a proven track record as a senior academic in the development, teaching and evaluation of academic, vocational and community education and training courses. Early in her career Prof Poelina wrote courses and trained Aboriginal Health Workers, where she introduced students to Aboriginal health and wellbeing theory and practice.  Prof Poelina has led many innovations in Aboriginal health, education, and life promotion.

    As the Director, Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services School of Health as well as senior lecturer Indigenous health and education in the following universities: Sydney, Southern Cross, Queensland and UNDA. Most recently, she has developed a pool of remote Kimberley Indigenous researchers by teaching Aboriginal research methods from an Indigenous perspective to Aboriginal people at UNDA Broome campus.  Her participatory action research practice (PAR) involves collaborating with partners from government, industry, and the local Indigenous community. This is supported by process, impact, and outcome evaluation to provide feedback and advice.

  • Research expertise and supervision

    Prof Poelina is a researcher of national and international standing. Her current international research collaborations are many and widespread, as evidenced by co-editorship of the River Research and Applications’ Special Issue entitled Voicing Rivers. Co-edited through a Nulungu and ECU partnership,in this case comprising Wooltorton, Poelina, Guimond and Horwitz with Emeritus Professor Peter Reason of Bath University. ECU and/or Nulungu researchers authored around a third of the articles. The current collaborative editing enterprise, Poelina leads with Professor Yin Paradies of Deakin University,Associate Professor Sandra Wooltorton of Nulungu and Professor Mindy Blaise and Dr Libby Jackson-Barret of ECU’s CPPP, as well as Professor Laurie Guimond of UQAM in Quebec, is a special issue entitled: Indigenous Philosophy in Environmental Education, of the Australian Journal of Environmental Education.

    This is an upwardly mobile Q2 international journal, aiming to extend its global reach in the service of changed socio-cultural environmental learning and teaching across multiple levels from young children to retired and varied contexts from community to schools, universities, towns and cities. In common with the Voicing Rivers special issue, these aims to be transformative of practice as well as ways of doing, knowing and being. Prof Poelina has been invited by Oxford University (UK) to contribute to a Special Compendium of Hope, chapter is titled, ‘An Indigenous Australian Spirituality for Hope’. Between the period 2017-2019 she collaborated to incorporate Art and Science, in the development and production of two international theatre performance, ‘Two Rivers Talking’ and a ‘Song for the Mardoowarra’, performed in France and Belgium as well as Perth and Broome. Prof Poelina believes and actions culture, the arts and science as creative and innovative pathway to share the ecological challenges of people and place across the planet to care for their sacred rivers globally.  In 2010 Indigenous leaders from across the globe met in Redstone Oklahoma, USA where she was a key to drafting the 1st International Summit on Indigenous Environmental Philosophy in 2010, known globally as the “Redstone Statement”. In 2017 she participated with Arturo Escobar and others in meetings resulting in the 2019 publication of the Pluriverse: Post Development Dictionary in which she has a chapter. Prof Poelina continues to generate ‘worlds’ better practice’ through applied research, community, and industry collaborations. Her current work explores First Law and its pathway into legal pluralism, and her global writings on ‘Voicing Rivers’, with the Martuwarra Fitzroy River as author, champion ancestral personhood beyond nature-based earth rights. Her ‘Heal Country, Health Climate’ advocacy seeks investment and partnerships to build entrepreneurial ‘New Economy’ opportunities for Indigenous people along the National Heritage Listed Fitzroy River, in relation to green collar jobs in science, culture, heritage and conservation economies. Prof Poelina is exploring ‘Restoring not Extracting’ carbon as the next big story for the just energy transition required for planetary health and wellbeing. She believes regenerative futures are place-based and exists within a Commonwealth and global framework of Bioregions.

    This, according to Prof Poelina, is the Law of the Land as the original Australians from the beginning of time have managed and nurtured the Australian Nation. Over the last 30 years she has successfully employed a powerful combination of public engagements, academic research, peer reviewed academic papers, podcasts, community meetings, poetry, and storytelling to share the lived experiences of Indigenous people.  Over the last decade, Poelina has written plays, poems, film scripts, distributing broadcast quality documentary films as Executive Producer and Cultural Advisor, through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) process as a researcher, advocate, and community member. During the past three years of her enrolled full time PhD (2017-2021), she mentored undergraduate and postgraduate research students from a wide range of disciplines and universities in relation to an Indigenous perspective.  She is currently a co-supervisor four HDR students. A PhD student enrolled through the Burn Injury Research Node in the School of Health Sciences and a MPhil student exploring cultural and social determinants of health. The other two PhD students are also enrolled with UNDA and a fourth PhD student from the University of South Australia.  Prof Poelina’s cultural expertise provides advice to academic students and staff, government, industry, and the public.

  • Publications

    • Doctoral Thesis: Poelina, A. (2021). Martuwarra First Law Multi-Species Justice Declaration of Interdependence: Wellbeing of Land, Living Waters, and Indigenous Australian People. Unpublished Thesis, The University of Notre Dame, is currently under development for consideration as a book.  Poelina has extensive publication experience and history in through Madjulla Inc. in publishing books in print and multiple formats.
    • Poelina, A. and Nordensvard, J., 2017 Sustainable Luxury Tourism, Indigenous communities and governance in M.A. Gardetti and S.S. Muthu (editors) Handbook on Sustainable Luxury, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation, Springer.
    • Poelina, Anne. 2017, Protecting the River of Life, AUSTRALIA Vatican Museums Ethnological Collection, Vatican City, Rome.
    • Michelle Lim, Anne Poelina and Donna Bagnall (2017) Can the Fitzroy River Declaration Ensure the Realisation of the First Law of the River and Secure Sustainable and Equitable Futures for the West Kimberley, 32 Australian Environment Review.
    • Taylor, KS, Moggridge, BJ & Poelina, A, 2017, ‘Australian Indigenous Water Policy and the impacts of the ever-changing political cycle’, Australasian Journal of Water Resources, vol. 21, no. 1, Available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/twar20/current
    • Poelina, Anne. 2017, Guardians of the Mardoowarra, Bridging Newsletter of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust, No. 20. p 9. http://petercullentrust.com.au
    • Poelina, Anne. 2017, Building research partnerships for sustainable and innovative Indigenous communities in Australia's Kimberley, Bridging Newsletter of the Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust, No. 22. pp.9-11. http://petercullentrust.com.au
    • Poelina, A., p. 1 cited in Vogwill, R., (2015) Water Resources of the Mardoowarra, (Fitzroy River) Catchment, The Wilderness Society, Perth, Western Australia.
    • Alexandra, J., Spencer, M., & Poelina, A., Exploring Water Governance in the Kimberley, Unpublished report, Broome., Western Australia.
    • Poelina, A., 2016, Standing together for Kandri, Book Chapter submitted for publication, University of South Australia, Adelaide.
    • Poelina, A., 2016, Protecting the River of Life, Essay submitted for publication, Vatican City, Rome.

  • Book chapters

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Wooltorton, S., Guenther, J., Poelina, A., Blaise, M., Collard, L., & White, P. (2022). Learning regenerative cultures: Indigenous nations in higher education renewal in Australia. Asia Pacific Education Review. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12564-022-09789-y#citeas
    • Poelina, A. (2022). Martuwarra River of Life to Flow, in Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. In  J.I. Kureethadam, N. Fitzpatrick, & J. Glassman (Eds). Laudato Si’ Reader: An Alliance of Care for Our Common Home (pp.137-141). Liberia Editrice Vaticana.
    • Redvers, N., Y. Celidwen, C. Schultz, O. Horn, C. Githaiga, M. Vera, M. Perdrisat, L.Mad Plume, D. Kobei, M. Cunningham Kain, A. Poelina, J. Nelson Rojas, B. Blondin,(2022). 'The determinants of planetary health: an Indigenous consensus perspective'. The Lancet Planetary Health, Volume 6, Issue 2, 2022, Pages e156-e163,ISSN 2542-5196,https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00354-5. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519621003545)
    • Poelina, A. Wooltorton, S., Blaise, M., Aniere, C., Horwitz, P., White, P and Muecke, S. (2022) Regeneration time - ancient wisdom for planetary wellbeing.Cambridge University Press, Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 1–18 doi:10.1017/aee.2021.34
    • RiverOfLife M., A. Pelizzon, A. Poelina, A. Akhtar-Khavari, C. Clark, S. Laborde, E. Macpherson, K. O’Bryan, E. O’Donnell & J. Page (2021): Yoongoorrookoo: Emergence of Ancestral Personhood, Griffith Law Review, DOI: 10.1080/10383441.2021.1996882 Paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10383441.2021.1996882  
    • Poelina, A., Brueckner, M., & McDuffie, M. (2021). For the greater good? Questioning the social licence of extractive-led development in Western Australia Martuwarra Fitzroy River region. The Extractive Industries and Society, 8(3). Doi: 10.1016/j.exis.2020.10.010
    • RiverOfLife, M., Taylor, K. S., & Poelina, A. (2021). Living Waters, Law First: Nyikina and Mangala water governance in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Australasian Journal of Water Resources, 1-17. doi:10.1080/13241583.2021.1880538
    • Poelina, A., Wooltorton, S., Guimond, L., & Durand, G. S. (2021). Hearing, voicing and healing: Rivers as culturally located and connected. River Research and Applications. Special Issue Paper. Doi: 10.1002/rra.3843
    • Wooltorton, S., Poelina, A., & Collard, L. (2021). River relationships: For the love of rivers. River Research and Applications. Doi: 10.1002/rra.3854
    • RiverOfLife, M., McDuffie, M., & Poelina, A. (2020). Martuwarra Country: A historical perspective (1838-present). Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council & Nulungu Research Institute, The University of Notre Dame. Doi: 10.32613/nrp/2020.5
    • RiverOfLife, M., Poelina, A., Alexandra, J., & Samnakay, N. (2020). A Conservation and Management Plan for the National Heritage Listed Fitzroy River Catchment Estate (No. 1). Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, Nulungu Research Institute, The University of Notre Dame. Doi: 10.32613/nrp/2020.4
    • RiverOfLife, M., Poelina, A., Bagnall, D., & Lim, M. (2020). Recognizing the Martuwarra’s first law right to life as a living ancestral being. Transnational Environmental Law, 9(3), 541-568. doi:10.1017/S2047102520000163
    • Poelina, A., Wooltorton, S., Harben, S., Collard, L., Horwitz, P., & Palmer, D. (2020). Feeling and Hearing Country. Philosophy, Activism, Nature, 14, 6-15. Doi: 10.26180/13461098.V1
    • Redvers, N., Poelina, A., Schultz, C., Kobei, D. M., Githaiga, C., Perdrisat, M., . . . Blondin, B. S. (2020). Indigenous natural and first law in planetary health. Challenges 11(29). Doi: 10.3390/challe11020029
    • Poelina, A. (2020). Becoming Family with Place. In Resurgence & Ecologist, 322. Available at https://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article5596-becoming-family-with-place.html
    • O’Donnell, E., Poelina, A., Pelizzon, A., & Clark, C. (2020). Stop Burying the Lede: The Essential Role of Indigenous Law(s) in Creating Rights of Nature. Transnational Environmental Law, 9(3), 403–427.
    • RiverOfLife M., Poelina, A., Alexandra, J., & Samnakay, N. (2020). A conservation and management plan for the National Heritage listed Fitzroy River Catchment Estate (No. 1). Broome: Nulungu Research Institute. Available at https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/nulungu_research/4/
    • Wooltorton, S., Collard, L., Horwitz, P., Poelina, A., & Palmer, D. (2020). Sharing a place-based indigenous methodology and learnings. Environmental Education Research, 26(7), 917–934. Doi: 10.1080/13504622.2020.1773407
    • RiverOfLife, M., Poelina, A., Alexandra, J., & Samnakay, N. (2020). A Conservation and Management Plan for the National Heritage Listed Fitzroy River Catchment Estate (No.1). Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia: Martuwarra Council, Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3870606
    • RiverOfLife, M., McDuffie, M., & Poelina, A., (2020). Martuwarra Country: A Historic Perspective. Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia: Martuwarra Council, Nulungu Research Institute, University of Notre Dame. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3939394
    • Wooltorton, S., Collard, L., Horwitz, P., Poelina, A., & Palmer, D. (2020). Sharing a place-based Indigenous methodology and learnings Environmental Education Research, 26(7), 917-934. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2020.1773407.doi:10.1080/13504622.2020.1773407
    • Poelina, A., Taylor, K. S., & Perdrisat, I. (2019). Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council: an Indigenous cultural approach to collaborative water governance. Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 236–254. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14486563.2019.1651226
    • Wooltorton, S., Toussaint, S., Poelina, A., Jennings, A., Muecke, S., & Kenneally, K. (2019). Kimberley Transitions, Collaborating to Care for Our Common Home: Beginnings. Nulungu Research Institute. Retrieved from https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/236987027?q&versionId=263919353
    • Heiner, M., Hinchley, D., Fitzsimons, J., Weisenbergerd, F., Bergman, W., McMahon, T., … Kiesecker, J. (2019). Moving from reactive to proactive development planning to conserve Indigenous community and biodiversity values. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 74, 1–13. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S019592551830115X
    • Poelina, A. (2019). Country. In A. Kothari, A. Salleh, A. Escobar, F. Demaria, & A. Acosta (Eds.), Pluriverse: A Post Development Dictionary (Vol. 1, pp. 142–144). Tulika Books. Retrieved from https://www.radicalecologicaldemocracy.org/pluriverse/
    • Lim, M., Poelina, A., & Bagnall, D. (2017). Can the Fitzroy River Declaration ensure the realisation of the First Laws of the River and secure sustainable and equitable futures for the West Kimberley? Australian Environment Review, 32(1), 18–24.
    • Taylor, K. S., Moggridge, B.J., & Poelina, A. (2016). Australian Indigenous Water Policy and the impacts of the ever-changing political cycle. Australasian Journal of Water Resources, 20(2), 132-147. Doi: 10.1080/13241583.2017.1348887

  • Conference presentations

    A Selection of Keynote Addresses for Conferences 2022 – 2020

    • Climate, Culture and Peace, 24th – 28th January 2022, Peace with Indigenous Peoples and with Nature, Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xx4KFhkhMuc
    • Online forum “Environmental Humanities: Living in Critical Jones”- First Law, Collaborative Performances, and Sovereignty: “Speaking back” against resource-intensive industrialisation in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia, XX1V International Conference (24-26 February 2022), Venue International Centre, Goa.
    • WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL BRISBANE: The Rights of Nature Environmental law, Indigenous human rights, litigation, Indigenous human rights, Indigenous science and it being recognised as ‘real’ science, 10 February 2022, Retrieved from https://www.worldsciencefestival.com.au/event-program/brisbane/the-rights-of-nature

    2021

    • Global Online Dialogue – “Making Choices About Water” Keynote: “Not a water Right a Water Wrong” 16th December 2021 Hosted by Civic Ledger, Retrieved from https://water-choices.cynefinaustralia.com.au/index.html
    • The University of Melbourne Dean of Science Annual Lecture 14th December 2021
      Lecture Panel: “Indigenous Knowledge: Linking, learning, respecting”, Retrieved from https://events.unimelb.edu.au/science/event/12761-indigenous-knowledge-linking-learning-and
    • Environmental Institute of Australia and New Zealand Annual Conference 9th November 2021 Keynote: How Indigenous practices of self-governance can be introduced into modern society.
    • Australasian Association of Bioethics and Health Law (AABHL) Annual Conference 19th November 2021. “Our Connections, Conversation and Community” Keynote: Indigenous First Law, First Ethics and Values, Retrieved from http://www.aabhlconference.com/4072
    • National Congress of Women 30th November 2021 Keynote: “Women Rising. Why Women? Why now? – A Wisdom Conversation”. Retrieved from https://www.womensclimatecongress.com/events.html
    • Earth Unbound Activism Symposium Collaborative Action: Climate Change and Climate Justice,  18th November 2021, Keynote: ‘Ancient Wisdom for the modern times’. Retrieved from https://earthunboundcollective.wordpress.com/symposium/
    • Australian Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference(WA) 8th September 2021 Keynote: ‘Indigenous Wisdom, place, people and Country- Place Based Environmental Values + Ethics + Learning +Sharing’, Retrieved from https://www.aaee.org.au/events/aaee-conference/
    • Australian Council for International Development Annual Conference 29th September 2021 Keynote: The Defining Decade: An agenda for civil society led development, Retrieved from https://acfid.asn.au/content/conference-2021
    • Treaty for Peace , 18th September 2021 Panelist Yarning with Mother Earth – Caring for Country  Hosted by Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, School of Social and Political Sciences,
    • Doctors for the Environment (Australia) Annual Conference 15th October 2021
      Keynote: Planet Health and Hope First Nations perspectives on climate change, social justice and impacts on Country. Creating Peace with Indigenous Peoples and with Nature” [Harnessing intersectoral approaches and traditional ecological knowledge to create solutions in the green economy that have economic, health, environmental and other benefits], Retrieved from  https://www.dea.org.au/event/save-the-date-idea-conference/  
    • International Council on Monuments and Sites (COMOS) Annual Conference Caring for Country 7th July 2021 Keynote: Sharing our Commons for our Great Common Good, Retrieved from https://www.icomos.org/en/component/tags/tag/caring-for-country
    • Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies [Annual Native Title Conference] Adelaide – South Australia June 2021 Poelina, A., (Producer), & McDuffie, M. (Director). (2019b). Singing Yoongoorrookoo [Online Video]. Retrieved from Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/376460849
    • Australian Earth Law Alliance [Annual Conference] June 2021 Keynote address – An introduction to First Law – Brisbane Australia, Retrieved from https://www.earthlaws.org.au/events/
    • Laudato Si’ Biodiversity Round Table [Global Online Dialogue Conference] 13th March 2021. Vatican – Rome Poelina, A., & McDuffie, M. (2017a). Mardoowarra’s Right to Life [Film]. Madjulla Association. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/205996720

    2020

    • Women for the Environmental Leadership – Annual Conference July 2020 Keynote address - Governance and Sustainability of our Commons in our time of climate uncertainty for the Greater Good. Poelina, A., Marshall, L., Warbie, J., (Producers), & McDuffie, M. (Director). (2015). Three Sisters, Women of High Degree [Online Video, TV]. doi:10.5281/zenodo.3763387
    • International OzWater Annual Conference - June 2020 Keynote presentation - Voices for the Martuwarra - Indigenous water governance and water management for the Martuwarra Fitzroy River Catchment/Estate. Poelina, A., (Producer), & McDuffie, M. (Director). (2019a). Balkinjirr Poem [Online Video]. Retrieved from Retrieved from: https://vimeo.com/376460849
    • Australian Progress Annual Conference - Keynote: May 2020 - Indigenous science and contemporary practice managing our water and land sustainably for generations to come. Poelina, A., (Producer), & McDuffie, M. (Director). (2015, July 1). Our Shared & Common Future [Online Video]. Retrieved 6 December 2017, from Retrieved from: http://www.magalimcduffie.com/films/2015/9/17/our-shared-common-future

    In 2015 - 2018

    • Guest Speaker and Contributing Author -Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Institute Launch - The Vatican Museum Indigenous Collection, Protecting the River of Life, 7th December 2017 Canberra ACT.
    • Key Note Address - 20th International Riversymposium and Environmental Flows Conference, 18-20 September 2017 in Brisbane. Australia.
    • Guest Speaker 2017, Earth Ball, Earth Watch Institute, 8th September, Melbourne Australia.
    • Key Note Address Australian Women's Leadership Forum, Australian Women's Symposium, 11th May, 2017, Perth, Western Australia.
    • Water Futures: International Dialogue- Art House 26th-28th February 2017, Melbourne, Victoria. Presentations a) Decolonising Climate Change, b) Living Water Project (Indigenous Rights and Actionism).
    • Key Note Speaker - Celebrating Women in Conservation Annual Breakfast, Trust for Nature, 2nd March 2017, Melbourne, Victoria.
    • Progress2015, Mobilisation of Citizen Agendas. Melbourne, 7-9 May.
      Presentation: Understanding the strategies of War for Peace Making: Conflict to Co-operation.
    • 15th World Water Congress, Edinburgh Scotland, May. 
      Presentation: Water identity, intercultural dialogue, and the implications of financing different aspects of assessing large water infrastructure projects.
    • The International Scientific Conference: Our Common Future under Climate Change, Paris, France, July.
      Presentation: Collaboration of Indigenous Science and Western Science to Protect Landscapes and Our Common Futures
    • Sydney Environment Institute Roundtable Discussion, Sydney University, July.
      Presentation: Defence of Country Aboriginal People dealing with the impacts of globalization in Australia.
    • 16th Global Conference on Environmental Taxation – Green Fiscal Reform: Protecting our Natural Resources for a Sustainable Future, University of Technology Sydney,September.
      Presentation: A Case Study for Environmental Tax Offsets: Collaboration of Indigenous Science and Western Science to Value and Protect Cultural and Geo-heritage Landscapes as Culture, Science and Conservation (Green) Economies,
    • Symposium – Leadership and the Construction of Environmental Concerns in Australia, University of Tasmania, December, 2015.
      Presentation: Environmental Leadership in Australia.
    • 16-17 August 2016 Building the new economy, activism and social change. Glebe Town Hall, Sydney NSW.
    • RIGHTS OF NATURE TRIBUNAL AUSTRALIA 2016
      22nd October 2016, Banco Court, Brisbane: CASE 1 – MARDOOWARRA/FITZROY RIVER VS FEDERAL AND WA GOVERNMENTS
      This case will be presented to a Citizen's Tribunal by traditional custodians of the Mardoowarra/Fitzroy River and will include claims that the River must have its legal rights recognised, in accordance with the traditional custodians’ ‘first laws’ and the rights of nature.
    • 3-7 Dec 2016 OneHealth EcoHealth Melbourne Vic.
      "Cultural Issues in land and water management, sustainable agriculture and food security".

  • Original creative works

    • A. Poelina (Producer), M. McDuffie, (Director). 2021., A Voice for Martuwarra, Madjulla Inc., Broome, Available at: https://vimeo.com/424782302
    • A. Poelina (Producer), M. McDuffie, (Director). 2021. Edward Mulligan Nyikina Walmajarri Leader, Dreaming Country, [Online Video]. Madjulla Inc., Broome, Available at https://vimeo.com/638357785/be0fd7a5b5  
    • Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, Madjulla Inc, Poelina, A. (Producers), & McDuffie, M. (Director). (2020). Voices For the Martuwarra. Ngikalikarra Media, Madjulla Inc., Broome, Available at https://vimeo.com/387436447
    • Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council, Madjulla Inc (Producers), McDuffie, M., & King, S. (Directors). (2021). Martuwarra Fitzroy River of Life [Online Video], Madjulla Inc., Broome,  Available at https://vimeo.com/533047074/87705efc9e.
    • Poelina A and McDuffie M (2015) Three Sisters, Women of High Degree. Madjulla Inc., Broome. Available at https://vimeo.com/147866161- Password: Kimberley.
    • Poelina, A., & McDuffie, M., Guardians of the Mardoowarra (2017, 12 mins)
    • Poelina, A., & McDuffie, M., Mardoowarra Right to Life (2017, 10 mins)
    • Poelina, A., Yoongoorrookoo (2017, 7 mins)
    • Poelina, A., & McDuffie, M., Indigenous Food Security (2017, 5 mins)
    • Poelina, A., & McDuffie, M., Pandanus Park Voice of Community (2017 13 mins)

  • Recorded works

  • In the media

    A Selection of Podcasts

  • Community engagement

  • Professional affiliations

      • Visiting Fellow, Institute of Post-Colonial Studies, Melbourne (2022)
      • National Water Initiative Indigenous Advisory Group (WA) Indigenous Water Interest Sub Committee (WA Government Appointment).
      • Department of Water and Environmental Regulations – Aboriginal Advisory Group. (WA Government Appointment).
      • Advisory Committee Member Institute for Water Futures Fenner School of Environment & Society ANU College of Science the Australian National University
      • Murray Darling Basin Authority Advisory Committee on Social, Economic and Environmental Science (ACSEES). [The Committee plays a critical role in providing internal advice to the MDBA].
      • Visiting Fellow, Australian National University, Water Justice Hub, Canberra, ACT

  • Awards

    • KAILASA’s Virtual Global Conclave and the KAILASA Om Earth and Environment Award (2022)
    • Laureate Women’s World Summit Foundation (Geneva, 2011)
    • Peter Cullen Fellow, Canberra, ACT (2010).