Faculty of Business and Law 1

Honorary Doctorate Awardee

Dr Tony McAvoy SC

Dr Tony McAvoy SC is a trailblazing barrister who became Australia's first Indigenous Australian Senior Counsel, in 2015. Immensely respected as a leader of profound influence and integrity, with an unwavering commitment to advocating for Indigenous rights, he has shaped national policy and fostered a deeper understanding of Indigenous law in the Australian legal landscape.

A Wirdi man from the Clermont region of Central Queensland, Dr McAvoy has had a long and distinguished career in the law, specialising in commissions of inquiry (as co-Senior Counsel assisting two Royal Commissions), treaties, native title and land rights, coronial inquests and administrative, human rights, discrimination, and criminal law. Through his significant service as a legal advocate for Indigenous Australians, and numerous positions concerning Aboriginal affairs and land rights, Dr McAvoy has become a leading role model for Indigenous lawyers and law students throughout Australia.

A QUT alumnus, Dr McAvoy has sustained an ongoing connection with the QUT School of Law, committed to supporting the Indigenous Australian law student community. Over the years he has generously donated his time and expertise in many QUT events, conferences and panel discussions, and as an occasional speaker at a graduation ceremony. His support for nurturing Indigenous legal talent is also evidenced through the various Indigenous lawyers and law students he has mentored and continues to mentor, and particularly for his role in establishing the National Indigenous Legal Conference, which is now in its 16th year and recognised as the premier Indigenous legal talent showcase, and gathering of the Indigenous legal sector.

Key leadership positions have included roles as: Manager, Heritage and Natural Resources Branch of the New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs, 1996-1999; and Registrar of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, 1998-1999. Between 2011 and 2013, Dr McAvoy was Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court.

Dr McAvoy was an elected member of the NSW Bar Council from 2022 to 2024. He has been Chair of the NSW Bar Association First Nations Committee since its inception in 2018, and co-Chair and then Chair of the Law Council of Australia Indigenous Legal Issues Committee since 2014. He is a Board and Council member of the Australasian Institute of Judicial Administration, and co-convenor of its Indigenous Justice Committee.

Dr McAvoy was the Northern Territory Acting Treaty Commissioner from December 2021 to June 2022, and a Commissioner on the NSW Independent Planning Commission from 2021 to 2024. In 2022 and 2023 he was a member of the Referendum Working Group advising the Minister for Indigenous Australians on the referendum for amendment of the Australian Constitution to include an Indigenous voice. In July 2024, he was appointed as a Part Time Commissioner of the Australian Law Reform Commission.

Dr McAvoy has successfully represented various Traditional Owner groups in native title claims in the Federal Court, including, in Queensland, the Quandamooka Peoples (2011), Kalkadoon People (2012), Kullilli People (2014), Pitta Pitta People (2015), the Bailai, Gooreng Gooreng, Koreng and Terribelang Bunda Peoples (2018), Butchulla People (2020), and Barada, Kabalbara and Yetimarala Peoples (2024). In 2016 and 2017, he was co-Senior Counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory. He has been co-Senior Counsel assisting the Yoorrook Justice Commission since January 2022.

Dr McAvoy regularly speaks at conferences and seminars both domestically and internationally on matters related to treaties, truth telling, human rights, and Indigenous rights. He has given evidence on many occasions in the New South Wales and Australian Parliament in relation to various inquiries, on behalf of the NSW Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia, and also in his personal capacity.

In 2022, Dr McAvoy was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Technology Sydney. He was awarded the inaugural National Indigenous Law Award’s Legal Professional of the Year in 2010. He is a Fellow of the Australia Academy of Law.

Dr Tony McAvoy holds a Bachelor of Laws (1988) from QUT. In 2018 he was named the QUT Alumnus of the Year and also received the Faculty of Law Outstanding Alumni Award.

In recognition of his distinguished service to QUT and the community, QUT Council has awarded Dr Tony McAvoy SC Doctor of the University.

Undergraduate awards

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• BIJOY, Diya
• BOTT, Lily May
• COLEMAN, Trent Clifford
• EVERETT, Harry Spencer
• FARRY, Jonah
• GRAY, Isabella Margaret
• HARVEY, Julia Dominique
• KING, Heather Margaret
• KOVACIC, Brendon Dzan
• LOUW, Michelle Amy
• MANUA, Yawingian
• MOJAVERI, Daniyal
• SOURGHALI, Pedram
• TOLEDO, Emma Leigh
• WANG, Vince Shijie
• YEN, Kai Xuan

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• AUNG, Leah J
• BATHERSBY, Jack Wilson
• BAYLISS, Gracie Paton
• BURLEY, Zachary Alisdair
• BURT, Jayden David
• CHISHOLM, Amy Nicole
• CHURCHILL, Lily May
• COURTICE, Claire Lillian
• DE GRAAF, Edward Graham
• DE SILVA, Dylan Shehan
• DIAZ RIVERA, Lina Natalia
• EYEARS, Timothy David
• GHAG, Erynndeep Kaur
• GREGORY, Aaron James
• HARKIN, Sophie Jayde
• HOGAN, Kate Natalie
• JONES, Robert Alexander
• KELLY, Patrick Francis
• KILPATRICK, Ava Leslie
• KUHNEMANN, Nicholas Edward
• LO, Valerie Elanora Anchee
• MCCONVILLE, Matthew Alan
• MCCOSKER, Georgia Lane
• MIKULCIK, Monica Elizabeth
• MOORE, Danielle Christine
• MORIARTY, Heather Grace
• NDAYISHIMIYE, Abigail
• NELSON, Leah Mary
• NG, Ern Tong
• NGUYEN, Han Ngoc Vu
• NGUYEN, Thanh Xuan
• NIELSEN, Austin David
• PARTRIDGE, Amy Rose
• PARTRIDGE, Tiffany
• PATTERSON, Eden Paige
• ROLPH, Lucy Jane
• SHAW, Genevieve Marie Josephine
• SMEATON, Oliver Robert Rasmussen
• STERLAND, Bethany Rose
• THOMSON, Carolyn Mary
• WALSH, Poppy Anna
• WARRENER, Isabella
• WEI, Tongtong
• WHITE, Stella Ann Christie
• WONG, Carol Long Kiew
• ZANETTI, Paul

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• AKAMATSU, Yuina
• AL-SAEDI, Zahraa Mohammed Mejbel
• ARMSTRONG-SMITH, Alexis Dominic
• BALMER, Sarah Margaret
• BARRILE, Ava Lyndie
• BONUTTO, Harry Michael
• BROWN, Cassandra
• CASTLE, Anneliese Caitlin
• COLLS, Sophia
• CONSTANTINOU, Alexandra Joan
• DEMIR, Melissa
• FLANNERY, Liam Nicholas
• FLETT, Lailah Belle
• GARRETT, Campbell Jose Ria
• GUNNING, Jaime
• HOWARD, Michael Patrick
• KARIRA, Pritika Puran
• MACKENZIE, Scout BJ
• NICHOLAS, Jessica Zoe
• QU, Li
• RADAKOVIC, Vanessa
• RANGIIRA, Yentle Tallara Moana
• RITUA, Catherine Xena Gascon
• SCULPHER, Gemma Mae
• SHOSHANI, Rachel
• SWINDELLS, Ryan James
• TICEHURST, Jacinta Kate
• TORMEY, Holly Rose
• TURNER-WOODALL, Holly Margaret
• ZWART, Naomi Jayne

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• BOWDEN, Laila
• DIXON, Jessica Catherine
• DOAN, Michael Man Cong

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• BAARTZ, James Michael
• CROSS, Nicole Casie
• JAKSIC, Delia Catherine
• KELLY, Lachlan
• KUMAR, Kristy Charlene
• MARTIN, Danielle
• MEGOM, Harrison Gregory Leslie
• MILLER, Thomas Alexander
• MORRIS, Ronan Harrison
• O'SULLIVAN, Denis Francis James
• TRAYNOR, Scott James
• WILDIN-SNEDDEN, Jazmine Doone

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• ARTHUR, Madeleine Ruth
• BEDI, Paul Robert
• BOSGRA, Trent Harm
• BROUWER, Joel
• BUCHANAN, Amelia Rose
• CHETTY, Nirvash
• DALUS, Ainsleigh Gretel
• DIAS, Claire
• DUNNE, Katie Jane
• FAN, Yi
• GARCIA, Simone Louise
• GREEN, Elise Mai
• HASSETT, William Charles
• HAYWOOD, Phoebe
• HOGAN, Emma Louise
• HUNT, Mariel Amelia
• JOSEY, Emma Alexandra
• KHOURI, Samuel
• OXLEE, Casper
• PARROTT, Ashlee Grace
• PATTEN, Ryan
• PEEL, Christopher
• PELTO, Marcus Grant
• PINCUS, Carolyn Patricia
• RENNIE, John
• RIVERS, William
• SCOTT, Sabine
• TAMSETT, Joshua Stephen
• TERRY, Tulani Jane
• TRAN, Lachlan
• WANG, Rui
• WATT, Claire Isobel
• WAYE, Kristen Maree
• WILSON, William Alexander
• WOODS, Toni Margaret

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• ANDREWS, John William
• BERLIN, Lachlan James
• BOURKE, Amelia Katharine
• DELABBIO, Isabelle Marie-Jean
• ENGLISH, Dena Jay
• ERBACHER, Damien Patrick
• HAINES, Jacqueline Maree
• HOLT, Charis
• HURRELL, Adam Michael William
• JANCIC, Petar
• LANGFORD-ELY, Jaime Lauren
• LUO, Xueyi
• POTTS, Jordan Bromfield
• SULLIVAN, Paulina Izabela
• WANG, Wei

Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• ADDAE, Louisa Katherine
• FOWLER, Michelle Joy
• HENDERSON, Therese
• JONES, Kirsten Nichole
• MACCRACKEN, Charlotte Iris Kate
• PIDGEON, Samantha Christie
• TINDIGLIA, Savannah Scout

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• BALMER, Vivien Patrice
• PYM, Sarah Caroline Joyce

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• MCEWAN, Jessica Ann
• THUM-DAVIDSON, Euan

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• CROSS, Lucy Marjatta
• FROST, Cameron Harry
• PARSONS, Jonathan
• WYBORN, Amy Jade

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• GRAY, Olivia Ruby
• LUCK, Sara Louise F
• SCOTT, Kate

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• CHAY, Alexander James O'Leary
• FRANCIS, Lachlan Timothy
• HAUGHTON, Natasha Louise
• POULTON COCHRANE, Ella

Bachelor of Behavioural Science (Psychology) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• LAY, Elysia
• SKOURMALLAS, Irini

Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Human Physiology) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• MCGOVERN, Bridie Glynn

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• NGUYEN, Ann

Bachelor of Business (Economics)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• BROCKHURST, Ashley Jade
• KAUR, Manjot
• YABRA, Lissah Brandigan

Bachelor of Business (Finance)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• RYAN, Jack William

Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• PUNIVALU-PALUPE, Chevonne Aomalu Vernier
• SETOSTA, Kimberly Ann

Bachelor of Business (International Business)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• MEHU, Cynnah Haiano
• WALDROFF, Natasha Emma

Bachelor of Business (Public Relations)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• PETROVIC, Verica

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• BLAKE, Grace Elizabeth
• ELWOOD, Caitlin Hannah
• MUNRO, Amy

Bachelor of Business (Economics)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• CAMPBELL, James Douglas Bayton
• IDRIS, Rida
• KUSKIE, Rory Thomas
• MCNAMARA, Quinn
• TAVAKOLI, Nida
• TOMSCOLL, Elizabeth Adrianna Finjac

Bachelor of Business (Finance) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• CUMMING, Saoirse McGovern

Bachelor of Business (Finance)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• KHAN, Amir Akhtar Ali
• RUSSELL, Harry Alexander
• ZUILL, Kiloran Jane

Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• HARDACRE, Priya
• HATIA, Raeesah
• KANE, Madeleine

Bachelor of Business (International Business)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• GAPES, Hunter Paul
• HASTINGS, Benjamin Julian
• REED, Patrick Oliver

Bachelor of Business (Management)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• PARSONS, Jack Mackenzie
• WENZEL, Curtis

Bachelor of Business (Marketing)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• HUYNH, Jacquelyne

Bachelor of Business (Public Relations)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• WILSON, Calanthe Ann

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• WHITE, Lara Rose Charlotte

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• GIBB, Timothy Duke

Bachelor of Business (Economics) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• JACKSON, Shona

Bachelor of Business (Economics)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• SINCLAIR-WADHAM, Samuel Zachary

Bachelor of Business (Finance) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• CONROY, Oliver Flynn

Bachelor of Business (Finance)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• DOAN, Alyssa-Jane
• MCGEACHIE, Cameron Dee
• WADDINGTON, Oskar James

Bachelor of Business (International Business) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• BRENNAN, Troy Lawrence
• FINCH, William Larsen
• KIRKPATRICK, Madison Amy
• MATTHEWS, Zoe
• MUNRO, Emmeline Hope

Bachelor of Business (Management)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• WHITING, Jessica Ann

Bachelor of Business (Marketing) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• BUCHANAN, Jade Wong
• HARDYMAN, Chloe Meg

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• DONOVAN, Grace Amelia
• UY, Li Ann Aiken Allayban

Bachelor of Business (Economics) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• BEALE, Joshua James
• COCKBURN, Thomas Louie Lennox
• WILKINSON, Keely Yates

Bachelor of Business (Finance) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• GAMBLING, Harrison Luke
• PUNJ, Ishita

Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• CHEN, Xintao
• WILLIAMSON, Caitlin Louise

Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• CLARKE, Nell Parer

Bachelor of Business (International Business) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• DEMPSEY, Sam
• LEYBOURNE, Charlize Marlene

Bachelor of Business (Management) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• STEVENS, Grace Catherine

Bachelor of Business (Marketing) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• KARATAS, Sehriban Beyza
• POPE, Mackenzie Eve

Bachelor of Business (Public Relations) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• SHAJI, Chrislyn

Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• ST LEDGER, Gemma Rose

Bachelor of Business (Accounting) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• SIMMONDS, John Louis Coombes

Bachelor of Business (Economics) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• CARR, Declan
• HAMMOND, Chloe Eliza
• SHETTY, Ahana

Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• CHENG, Tracey Ming Foon

Bachelor of Business (Management) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• MANTHEY, Prudence Amy
• PETRACCI, Fraser Enrico

Bachelor of Business (Marketing) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• BARRY-YOUNG, Madeleine Kate
• CRAWFORD, Chelsea Amelia

Bachelor of Communication (Journalism)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• GARRAWAY, William Owen

Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• GOLDER, Janice Margaret

Bachelor of Communication (Digital Media) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• PACE, Kimiko Jade

Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• LASZLO, Teagan Maree
• MCMANUS, Sophie Elizabeth
• TRAN, Sarah Jane Khoi Nguyen

Bachelor of Creative Industries/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• KELMAN, Tom William

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative Writing)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• JUDD, Zoe Maree

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative and Professional Writing)/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• SHEAHAN, Michael Daniel

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative and Professional Writing) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• ROGERS, Eleanor Kate

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film, Screen and New Media) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – First Class Honours

• KRICKER, Allison Rae

Bachelor of Media and Communication – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Third Class Honours

• AMAL, Flor Young

Bachelor of Property Economics – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division B

• DOUGLAS, Georgia Kate

Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• MAGUIRE, Philippa Eva

Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science) – with Distinction/Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Second Class Honours – Division A

• LAKE, Renee Georgia

Postgraduate awards

Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice

• FOWLER, Michelle Joy