Mick Dodson

Michael James "Mick" Dodson, AM (born 10 April 1950, in Katherine, Northern Territory) is an indigenous Australian activist, lawyer and teacher. He is the director of the National Centre for Indigenous Studies at the Australian National University. He is also a professor of law at the university's College of Law. He was previously director of the Indigenous Law Centre at the University of New South Wales. He was named Australian of the Year in 2009.
Dodson was born in Katherine, in the Northern Territory. He is a member of the Yawuru people, who are the traditional owners of the land around Broome, in Western Australia. His brother is Patrick Dodson, who has become a well-known Aboriginal leader as well. Their parents died when they were still children. When this happened, Mick moved to Monivae College, a boarding school in Hamilton, Victoria. He graduated in law from Monash University in 1974. He was the first indigenous person to graduate from law in Australia.
Dodson has been an important advocate of land rights and other issues affecting Indigenous Australians. He was a commissioner with the Australian Human Rights Commission from April 1993 to January 1998. From August 1988 to October 1990, he worked with the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. He is currently a chairperson of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).