We are a non-profit organisation established in 2015 to promote discussion of how Australia can recognise indigenous Australians without disturbing the way that the Constitution operates.

The organisation is committed to promoting its Charter.

To contact us about any general enquiries, email info@upholdandrecognise.com.

Our staff

We employ a fulltime executive officer, David Allinson.
david@upholdandrecognise.com

David Allinson is the Executive Officer of Uphold & Recognise. He is currently completing a Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne. He has previously served as an Aurora Project legal intern at Miriwoong Gajerawoong Aboriginal Corporation, lecturer and tutor in bioethics, philosophy, and practical ethics at the University of Sydney, and policy officer in the Queensland Government’s Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships.

Our part-time administrative officer can be contacted at aimeelee@upholdandrecognise.com

Our corporate structure

Our corporate structure is a company limited by guarantee.

Current Directors

Damien Freeman

Damien Freeman is a founding Director of Uphold & Recognise. He is a lawyer, writer, and philosopher, who is currently a visiting fellow at the Australian Catholic University’s PM Glynn Institute and Governor-General’s Prize Director for the Constitution Education Fund Australia. He also lectures on ethics and aesthetics at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Together with Cape York Institute’s Shireen Morris, he edited The Forgotten People: liberal and conservative approaches to recognising indigenous peoples, which was launched by the Hon. Jeff Kennett AC at Melbourne Town Hall on 1 June 2016.

The Hon. Lloyd Waddy AM RFD QC

Lloyd Waddy is the Chairman of Uphold & Recognise. He was a Justice of the Family Court of Australia and is well known for his public service through involvement with Australians for Constitutional Monarchy, the King’s School, St Paul’s College, the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the Royal Australian Airforce Reserve, and many other good works.

Former Directors

Julian Leeser MP

Julian Leeser was a founding director of Uphold & Recognise. He resigned as a Director upon being preselected as the Liberal candidate for the federal seat of Berowra. Together with Damien Freeman, he wrote The Australian Declaration of Recognition, which was launched by Noel Pearson at the State Library of New South Wales on 13 April 2015.