20 June 2013
The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is extremely proud that Sandra Wendlandt has received the 2014 Justice James Muirhead Churchill Fellowship.
Sandra Wendlandt is a criminal lawyer in NAAJA’s Darwin office.
The Fellowship will enable Ms Wendlandt to travel to New Zealand, Canada, UK, Belgium, Germany, South Africa. “It is an incredible honour to be given this opportunity. I am really looking forward to this challenge and hope my Fellowship can make a real difference on the ground”, said Ms Wendlandt.
The Justice James Muirhead Churchill Fellowship was established in 2012.
Justice James Muirhead (24 April 1925 – 20 July 1999) was passionate about improving outcomes for Indigenous people who had entered the legal system and he worked to improve the system in which they were tried.
Justice Muirhead’s ultimate vision was to empower people, communities, agencies and the government to reduce the number of Indigenous Australians entering the justice system.
The family of Justice Muirhead decided to honour his memory and his life’s work by sponsoring a Churchill Fellowship for award in the Northern Territory. The successful applicant will present a clear and practical topic of research that will enhance the capacity of people, communities, agencies and/or government in the Northern Territory to reduce the negative impacts of the justice system on Indigenous people (including strategies that reduce contact with the justice system in the first place).
Ms Wendlandt’s project will explore alternative and culturally specific programs which aim to divert Indigenous first time offenders from the criminal justice system. She was also the recipient of the Law Institute of Victoria’s ‘Rising Star of the Year’ award in 2012 which she received for her work defending clients charged with people smuggling.
The purpose of the Fellowship is to see what the NT can learn from promising initiatives in those countries to address Aboriginal over-representation in the justice system. In Canada, for example Aboriginal people comprise 4% of the population yet 23% of the prison population.
“NAAJA is very proud of Sandra’s terrific achievement in being awarded the 2014 Justice James Muirhead Churchill Fellowship. We look forward to hearing about diversionary strategies that are being used in other countries, and that could be used here to help our clients”, said NAAJA CEO, Priscilla Collins.
Contact:
Sandra Wendlandt
ph. 0487869991
Background:
The Churchill Trust was established in 1965 to honour the memory of Sir Winston Churchill by awarding overseas research Fellowships known as ‘Churchill Fellowships’. Since its inception The Churchill Trust has awarded Churchill Fellowships to more than 3,700 Australians who, like Churchill, are innovative, filled with a spirit of determination and possess a strong desire to benefit their community.
Churchill Fellowships allow you to design your own research project, travel the world and further your knowledge in your chosen field, before returning to make a real contribution to Australian society.
Justice James Muirhead worked tirelessly to improve justice outcomes for Aboriginal people and was a distinguished Supreme Court Justice from 1974 to 1985, as well as Administrator of the Northern Territory from 1990 to 1993.