Ms Bethany Butchers

Bethany is an Associate Lecturer and conducting their PhD studies at Newcastle School of Law and Justice and is a recipient of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship. Bethany is admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW. Bethany has several years experience in conveyancing law, managing property settlements within all Australian jurisdictions. Bethany has worked in Torts I and Torts II, Property Law, Equity and Trusts Law, Public International Law and Indigenous Peoples, Issues and the law.

Bethany is passionate about social justice and equity. Their research is underpinned by this passion, with their PhD research looking into reparations for intangible losses associated with land dispossession of First Nations Peoples, through the native title system. Bethany's PhD research aims to foster legal change through a reconceptualisation of loss and compensation by the settler-colonial Australian legal system. Prior to commencing their PhD research, Bethany co-authored a journal article for Newcastle Law Review on the Marginalisation of Indigenous Perspectives in International Climate Governance. Bethany has since co-authored the article "Reparations and First Nations’ Legal Rights in Australia" published in the UNSW Law Journal, which won the 2024 Inaugural Australian Legal Research Award for Indigenous Legal Research. Bethany's research interests span across several areas of law and policy such as public law, constitutional law, self-determination, sovereignty and decolonisation. They are also interested in equity, diversity and inclusion and as such, the laws that affect marginalised groups in society.

Bethany is interested in collaborating with others with related research interests and is happy to discuss their research with interested people and/or organisations.