Aboriginal Uni Grads Break Records In WA

Ricki-Lee Walley, 24, has wanted to be a lawyer ever since she was little.

To what does she attribute that drive? “TV shows,” she told Student Edge, not to mention the fact that she’s “analytical” and “a little feisty.”

She now leaves the University of Western Australia with a Bachelor of Arts with majors in law and psychology, as one of seven Indigenous graduates from the law faculty.

That number marks a new record for UWA, which last year saw one Indigenous law graduate. Prior to 2016, only 52 Aboriginal students had left the university with degrees in law.

UWA has about 250 Aboriginal students, making up approximately one per cent of the entire student population (a figure consistent across the country).

Ricki-Lee, however, is heartened by the fact that this year marks a number of record-breaking achievements for the uni and its School of Indigenous Studies (including six Indigenous graduates in medicine).

“One per cent may not be a lot to other people, but at the School of Indigenous Studies there’s at least, I think, 250 students, and that’s a big jump and big improvement from the previous generation,” she explained.

“This generation, now we’re setting the precedent for the next generation. So, it’s really actually encouraging to see a lot of other Indigenous students, because, we can become this generation’s doctors, lawyers.”

She believes the support of the School of Indigenous Studies, which is working to increase enrolments of Aboriginal students, is a key factor in that growth.

“I know that for some Indigenous students, when they come down from up north—not myself, but people that I know—they said that because of the networks that are there, the family structure and the support systems that are in place, it helps them get through university,” she said.

"The School of Indigenous Studies does a lot of high school programs, so that really starts [students] thinking at a younger age when they’re at high school about coming on campus and pursuing their dreams of higher education.”

Next, Ricki-Lee is planning on spending the next three years gaining her doctorate.

“I just think that’ll give me a big opportunity to practice law and do what my passion is,” she said, floating the possibility of even studying or moving overseas.

However, she has big aspirations back home before uprooting entirely.

“I’d like to do one of three things: Either start my own law firm, become involved in policy-making or go into criminal law,” she explained.

Though all three beckon, she says that policy-making could make the biggest difference. “Definitely for Indigenous issues, just because we haven’t had that full control in decision-making for our people,” she said.

“I’d like to maybe work with policy-making from the ground up to create change.”

Photo: Supplied