Our Director - Professor Lindon Coombes

The Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research is guided by three central principles - the self-determination of Indigenous peoples and communities, their sovereignty, and Indigenous led research. Our commitment to excellence, agility and genuine outcomes shapes our understanding of shifting landscapes and how to effect change within them to benefit Indigenous peoples and communities. We know our impact is greatest for our communities when focused on their stories, knowledge and experiences that consolidate our teams’ rich sets of skills and expertise towards a shared goal. 

We carefully choose work that is driven by Indigenous peoples and contributes — whether directly or indirectly — to their strength, sustainability and wellbeing.  

Lindon Coombes

Through our work, Jumbunna Research has provided significant contributions to the well-being of First Nations communities nationally in the areas of law and justice, employment, archives and data stewardship, cultural resilience, child protection, nation building, land justice and Indigenous policy more broadly.

In recent years, Jumbunna Research has grown significantly in size and impact. In 2002 a major Laureate Fellow was awarded to Distinguished Professor Larissa Behrendt, the largest ARC Discovery Grant UTS has ever received.

Examples of our impact include our ongoing advocacy work for a national prohibition of spit hoods in law in all places of imprisonment and detention across Australia which has led to recommendations or commitments to banning their use, and our continuing work advocating for First Nations leadership and self-determination in truly independent, impartial, and transparent coronial inquests and investigations.

Our work with the ACT Government led to the establishment of the territory's first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Commissioner in 2022. That year we launched the online Call It Out Register with the National Justice Project to record all forms and levels of racism and discrimination experienced by Indigenous peoples. In 2023 we contributed Indigenous worldviews and perspectives through two professional development training modules for the public library sector.

In 2024 we are working with the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration to produce an online resource to better inform federal judicial officers, the legal profession and the broader community about, and to promote best practice in, providing justice and legal assistance services to Indigenous peoples in the criminal and civil justice system.

Our vision includes larger intakes of Indigenous PhD candidates engaged as part of the Jumbunna Research team to help grow the future of Indigenous-led research and academic expertise. 

In 2023 Larissa stepped down as Director and I was appointed to lead Jumbunna Research.

I am proud to lead the outstanding Jumbunna Research team building on the legacy of Jumbunna’s work over decades.

Lindon Coombes