Mary is a Kombumerri person (Gold Coast) through her father’s heritage and affiliated with Wakka Wakka (South Burnett) through her mother’s people.
Mary has worked across several government agencies, community organisations and universities including: Department of Community Services, Aboriginal and Islander Childcare Agency, the University of Queensland and the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action. Mary has also worked extensively for the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, as a Native Title Researcher and was also a Regional Counsellor for the former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission.
Mary has been a lecturer with The University of Queensland, teaching Aboriginal history, politics and comparative philosophy. She has also lectured nationally on these subjects, and developed and implemented ‘Aboriginal Perspective’s’, ‘Aboriginal Approaches to Knowledge’ and at the post-graduation level ‘Aboriginal Politics’ into university curricula.
Researcher biography
OCCUPATION:
Consultant in Aboriginal Community Planning and Development and Occasional Lecturer.
PUBLIC POSITIONS:
- President at Murri Mura Aboriginal Corporation
- President at Indigenous Directions and Development (IDD)
- Board Member at Centre for Indigenous Cultural Policy (CICP)
- Member Elders’ advisory group to the 2018 Commonwealth Games
- Commissioner for Queensland Corrective Services (1992-3)
- Councillor, ATSIC Regional Council, SEQ Region
PUBLICATIONS AND WRITINGS
Published Materials
Johnson, M, Brigg, M, Graham M, 2016. 'Pearson and Responsibility: (Mis-)Understanding the Capabilities Approach', Australian Journal of Politics and History. 62( 2), pp.251-267.
Graham, M. 2014. ‘Aboriginal Notions of Relationality and Positionalism: A Reply to Weber’. Global Discourse: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Current Affairs and Applied Contemporary Thought, 4, 1: 17-22.
Graham, M., M. Brigg, P. Walker. 2011. Conflict Murri Way: Managing Through Place and Relatedness. Mediating Across Difference: Oceanic and Asian Approaches to Conflict Resolution. M. Brigg and R. Bleiker. Eds. Honolulu, University of Hawai'i Press: 75-99.
Brigg, M. and M. Graham. 2009. ‘Take a Page Out of Own Book - Whitefellas Must Change to Survive. The Sydney Morning Herald, March 2, Op-Ed.
Graham, M. November 2008. ‘Some Thoughts on the Philosophical Underpinnings of Aboriginal Worldviews’. Australian Humanities Review 45.
Graham, M. 1999. "Some thoughts about the philosophical Underpinnings of Aboriginal Worldviews." Worldviews: Environment, Culture, Religion 3(2): 105-118.
Community Development Guides, Manuals and Reports
Graham, M. 2006. Introduction to Kummara Conceptual Framework: A Discourse on a Proposed Aboriginal Research Methodology, Kummara Stronger Families Community Organisation.
Graham, M. ‘Working Together Program: Cross Cultural Understanding in the Workplace’.
Graham, Mary. 2001. Training Manual – “Cross Cultural Guide for Police “.
Graham, Mary. Development and Production of a Training Guide Manual for the Queensland Local Government Association (QLGA), on Cultural Awareness.
Graham, Mary. 1996. Development and production of the Queensland Indigenous Film-Makers Forum Report "Ye-ama" for Film Queensland.
Development of the Review of TAFE Qld Service Delivery and Policy for Indigenous Australians
Unpublished/Self-published materials
Graham, M. Watson, L. and Walker, P. 2009. ‘Indigenous Community Centered Planning (CCP): Strategy Scoping Paper. Presented at Building Community Centered Economies. Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Queensland, Australia.
Graham, M. 2007. Proposed Aboriginal Research Methodology on Place. Unpublished Paper.
Graham, M. February 2001. ‘Application of the Oslo Model for Relations Between States and Indigenous People’. Paper presented at the Indigenous Peoples and Racism, Regional Conference of Indigenous Peoples, University of Sydney.
Graham, M. 1995. ‘On Customary Law: An Outline of the Philosophical Underpinnings of Western Law and Customary Law’. Self Published.
Graham, M. 1990. ‘On Correct Behaviour’. Brisbane. Unpublished paper.
Development and Presentation of Teaching and Training Modules
Graham, Mary and Lilla Watson. Ongoing. Conceptualisation, Development and Presentation of the BlackCard Course http://theblackcard.com.au/home/4578131244
Graham, Mary, Juanita Bailey and Lin Morrow. 1993. Cross-Cultural Training Modules. Adult and Community Education sector, Australian National Training Authority.
Development of 5 Training Modules for the Department of Education
Employment and Training (DEET) addressing Cross Cultural Awareness.
OTHER WORK:
Script development for Murriimage (ATSI film & video production company).
Executive producer on documentaries: "Same Place, My Home" and "Makin' Tracks".
Workshop “An Aboriginal World" formulated and presented widely as cross cultural awareness education.