Focus on Law Societies: QUT Law & Inclusion of Culture (QUT LINC)
Diversity, inclusion, togetherness, love and support. These are the values we cherish at QUT Law and Inclusion of Culture (QUT LINC). We believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity regardless of their caste, colour, creed, race or nationality.
QUT LINC was founded at the end of 2019 by Krittika Mehta and a strong team dedicated to social justice. The team’s aim was to build a supportive community not only for law students but for students from different cultural backgrounds.
We were often told that all societies cater to inclusion so this club would have no effective purpose. Of course, all clubs are inclusive but there is no club whose entire purpose is inclusion. We are all united by our differences and that’s what sets us apart. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same values. There’s a difference in preaching equality and practicing it. Today, many firms have a ‘diversity and inclusion’ section yet many fail to be truly inclusive. During such trying times, it is crucial that we provide support to those affected, particularly students belonging to diverse backgrounds. The Racial Discrimination Commissioner has warned that young lawyers from Asian backgrounds can be stereotyped as technicians, not leaders and therefore be overlooked for promotion. 2016 statistics from the Asian Australian Lawyers Association show that six large law firms (greater than 40 partners) in Australia have no partners with Asian backgrounds and that only 0.8 per cent of the judiciary have Asian heritage. This is an alarming statistic that calls for immediate action. Although this statistic cannot be changed overnight, we hope to provide equal representation to all students that lead to better opportunities in the future.
COVID-19 concerns made it difficult for us to run the events we had initially planned but our brilliant executive team used initiative and flexibility to adapt to the current climate. Our most successful event yet was the Protest Sign Making Event. In light of the horrendous murder of George Floyd, protests began increasing worldwide. There was a massive protest in Brisbane on 6th June 2020, but Covid-19 concerns were still around. This event gave those members who had concerns about attending the protest an opportunity to still do their part in the movement. We made a number of signs and had lots of fun while discussing important issues and having some much-needed socialising! Making a difference is what we are all about. It doesn’t have to be massive - it can be simple, but it matters. After all, it is a billion drops that make an ocean.
Some critics find the idea of these selective groups to be discriminatory. Maybe we can talk about that when culture does not significantly impact the way an individual’s career progresses.
We hope to be a supportive community not only for law students from different backgrounds but for international students in general. At QUT LINC, we believe in the power of unity. Together, we can end racism and inequality. This decade, we choose to try a new approach to achieving equality. Instead of hating oppressors, we choose to love and support those who face these struggles. We aim to tackle this issue delicately and hopefully walk one step closer towards a discrimination free world, where our boundaries can become our strengths. With the establishment of this club, we hope to help link the world of law.
Article written by QUT Law and Inclusion of Culture (QUT LINC)
This article appeared in the Torts Illustrated New Decades, New Horizons (2020) Publication