Film Screening: Dhakiyarr vs The King

In 1934 Yolngu leader Dhakiyarr Wirrapanda went missing while being returned to his tribal lands, after the High Court of Australia had quashed his sentence for the murder of Northern Territory police constable Albert McColl, ordering his release.

In 2005, a film about Dhakiyarr’s disappearance, titled Dhakiyarr vs The King and directed by Professor Tom Murray, was released telling the story of the trial from the Yolngu perspective and a remarkable dramatic reconciliation that occurred generations later.

Please join Professor Tom Murray and Professor Thalia Anthony, as they present a film screening of Dhakiyarr vs The King. The film screening is an opportunity to discuss the significance of the High Court’s decision in Tuckiar v R, as an early and still resonate interaction between First Nations people and the formal legal system in Australia.

Technology permitting, Dhakiyarr’s family members will join via AVL from Arnhem Land to answer questions. If you would like to submit a question, please email dppa@nswbar.asn.au with the subject line: Dhakiyarr vs The King by COB on Friday 24 October 2025.

Please note: Only NSW barristers or members of the NSW Bar Association can register for CPDs or webinars