Craig Foster AM on 'Using the Law to Change Society'

You are invited to attend the 2023 Deakin Law School Oration.

This year's Oration, Using the Law to Change Society: Sport, Human Rights and National identity will be presented by Craig Foster AM

The advent of international human rights law in sport has challenged the prevailing paradigms, forced sport to reckon with its supposed 'apolitical nature' and raised the issue of harms previously ignored. Human rights law has allowed athletes an increasing platform to engage on issues of social justice and forced the withdrawal of commercial partners and sponsors from a range of sporting codes including the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

It underpins sport's duty to uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples, including that of First Nations self determination in Australia and has implications on Australia's future as a republic. Using the rights of affected groups, Craig will discuss the path Australia is walking towards a truly inclusive identity.

This event is open to all of Deakin's wider community in support of the Victoria Law Foundation's Law Week 2023.

Craig Foster AM is a former National Soccer captain and played for Australia on 29 occasions.

Off the pitch, he has been a strong advocate for human rights. He is a member of the Multicultural Council of Australia, an Ambassador for Human Rights and Refugees with Amnesty Australia, and works with a vast range of social programs in Indigenous football, homelessness and domestic violence.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2021 for his significant services to multiculturalism, human rights and refugee support organisations, and to football and is the current NSW Australian of the Year for 2023.