BA (Hons) Qld

Junior Anthropologist / Researcher

Linda has a Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design (1992) and a BA (Hons) in Anthropology (UQ 2002).

Linda’s honours thesis was titled "Indigenous Land and Resource Management and the Process of Reconciliation in Australia". The thesis centred on the conflicting views held by the Australian Government and Indigenous Australians as to what is considered important and necessary in achieving reconciliation. While the current Government believes that reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians will only be achieved through the implementation of ‘practical’ policies and programs, Indigenous Australians claim that, in addition to practical measures, an understanding of the deeper underlying issues of disadvantage is required, in particular, the recognition of Indigenous peoples’ continuing relationship with the land, sea and natural resources.

Linda’s interests lie in the areas of Indigenous rights, cultural heritage, land issues and reconciliation. She is particularly interested in Aboriginal social issues such as alcohol abuse and deaths in custody. Over the last year, Linda has been involved in a number of projects including the “Indigenous Mobility in Discrete and Rural Settlements” Project in which she conducted fieldwork in two Aboriginal communities to find out about people’s travel patterns so as to determine what further support and facilities are needed in remote communities. She is also working on a project funded by the CRC for Sustainable Tourism which is looking at the utilization of mining project infrastructure to support sustainable Indigenous tourism activities in Northern Australia.

PUBLICATIONS, REPORTS & THESES

Brereton, D., Memmott, P., Reser, J., Buultjens, J., Thomson, L., Barker, T., O’Rourke, T. and Chambers, C. 2007 “Mining and Indigenous Tourism in Northern Australia: An Exploration of Avenues and Opportunities for Indigenous Communities to Support Sustainable Indigenous Tourism Activities Utilising Mining Infrastructure.” CRC for Sustainable Tourism.

Memmott, P., Chambers, C., Go-Sam, C. and Thomson, L. 2006 “Good Practice in Indigenous Family Violence Prevention – Designing and Evaluating Successful Programs” in Australian Domestic & Family
Violence Clearinghouse Issues Paper 11, June.

Memmott, P., Long, S., Thomson, L.  2006 “Mobility of Aboriginal people in rural and remote Australia”, AHURI Research & Policy Bulletin, Issue 69, May, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Melbourne.

Memmott, P., Long, S. and Thomson, L. 2006 “Indigenous Mobility in Rural and Remote Australia.” (Final Report) for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Queensland Research Centre, St Lucia,     March. Also at:  http://www.ahuri.edu.au/general/project/display/dspProject.cfm?projectId=108         [accessed 11/4/06].

Memmott, P., Go-Sam, C., Thomson, L.  2004 “Aboriginal Land and Sea Report: Southern Gulf of Carpentaria, Being a Report on the Envirofund Workshop held at Mornington Island, 15-16/9/04”.  [Prepared for Carpentaria Land Council on behalf of the Traditional Owners of the Southern Gulf of Carpentaria], 1/12/04.

Memmott, P., Channells, Go-Sam, C., Stacy, R., Spring, F., Taylor, S., Chambers, C. & Thomson, L. 2004 “Evaluation Report of National Indigenous Violence Family Violence Grants Programme of the Office of the Status of Women”, Paul Memmott & Associates in association with AERC, University of Qld, August.

Thomson, L. 2002 “Indigenous Land and Resource Management and the Process of Reconciliation in Australia.” Thesis (Hons), School of Social Science, University of Queensland.