Chapter 84

I slept fine on Thursday night. I had thought that I might not. I thought the Serpent might visit. Nothing out of the ordinary transpired. Well, I had over six hours till my date with Craig and ... and whoever else I was meeting with.

"Are you OK?," Rachel asked.

"Sure." I looked up. "I'm worried. No. Concerned. I don't think Craig's loony. But I'm not sure he's really thought things through."

"Like what?"

"Well, under the NSW laws, the Bar Association certifies lawyers under the Legal Profession Admission Board. The Board also 'registers Students-at-Law who on passing the Board's exams receive a Diploma in Law and satisfy the academic requirements for Admission as a Lawyer.'"

"OK."

"Well, say I go along with this notion of Craig's. And the Aboriginal Council 'grants' me the right to practice. Where can I practice? There are no aboriginal courts. Can I practice in any NSW court where one party is an aborigine? What if the other party objects?"

"Good questions. Bring 'em up. Maybe there are answers."

"And garb. What about wigs and robes?"

"Tougher. Are there actual rules?"

"You bet! But even with rules, what if we go through this and next year or in five years the Board or the Bar Association declare that my actions show me not to be of good moral character and I'm forever barred?"

"Barred from the bar?" Rachel laughed. "You'd have to do all your toping at home!"

"Very funny."

"Sorry. In some ways it is funny. Magellan's ships didn't fall off the edge of the world. The first anything always has a menu of questions. Try to order your thoughts. Perhaps make a few notes. I'll be here whenever you get home. We'll go out to dinner, so the time doesn't matter."

"Thanks. That helps."

"And remember that I love you."

"And I you."

I only had a snack for lunch and got out to Parramatta quite early. I located a parking spot, fed the meter, and walked a bit up and down the street. At about 14:50 I headed towards the building. Craig was already in the lobby.

"Good to see you," he said as we shook hands. "Nervous?"

"Not really. More uncertain as to what will happen and what the outcome will be."

"Me too."

He ushered me into the offices an then to a standard-looking conference room: rectangular table and a dozen or so chairs. There were three men and a woman standing together.

"Hello, Craig," one of the men said, "will you make introductions?"

"Of course. This is Tina Williams, who represents the North Coast region; Jack Hampton, South Coast; and Roy Ah-See, greater Sydney area. They were all elected in 2011. The next elections will be next year."

I nodded.

"This is Patrick Hollister. He is completing studies in Law at Sydney."

I looked at the remaining man. "And you are?"

"Jason Ardler, I'm General Manager, Aboriginal Affairs, for the State of New South Wales. Let's all sit."

We did. "What do you know about the Council," he then went on.

"Not that much."

"Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act of 1983 and the Regulations of 2002, the Council is the State's peak representative body in Aboriginal Affairs. The NSW Aboriginal Land Council aims to protect the interests and further the aspirations of its members and the broader Aboriginal community."

"And how is this instantiated?"

"Aha! You're not quite an innocent are you?"

"Mr. Ardler, I'm not considering this a game. Craig, if I may call him that, had some ideas. I'm here because he spoke with me – and, I assume, with you – and organised this session."

"Well, put. Craig?"

"OK. Here are my thoughts." He went on for several minutes, pretty much the same exposition he had given me.

"Well, it's true that the Act mentions 'Legal Services, ' but I'm certain this wouldn't fall within the statutory definition."

"Is there one? I haven't found one." Craig was quite firm.

"I know there is one of 'Legal Representation'," Mr. Ah-See said. "But 'Legal Services' may never have been given meaning."

"Um ... Patrick. May I call you Patrick?"

"Of course, Ms Williams."

"What are your thoughts as to what Craig says?"

"I have several. But I don't want to waste your time."

"They're why we're here. We're not planning a walkabout." Mr. Hampton snorted.

"Very well. On the one hand, I really like the idea. It's pulling the nose of the European law that's been imposed on this island. The various administrations since Cook in 1770 – nearly 250 years! -- have been brutal and patronizing to those already here. And there is still hardly a sign that different people do things in different ways. So, I'd like to put the College of Law and the Bar Association; the States and Canberra in an awkward position of their own making.