The Australian Indigenous rights movement has lost one of its most formidable warriors with the passing of Paul Coe, a Wiradjuri man whose relentless advocacy reshaped land rights battles. He died at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy of legal and political triumphs for Aboriginal sovereignty.
A Life of Resistance and Advocacy
Coe emerged as a pivotal figure during the 1970s, a period marked by growing Indigenous activism. He co-founded the Aboriginal Legal Service in NSW, ensuring legal representation for First Nations people entangled in a discriminatory justice system.
Landmark Legal Challenges
In 1979, Coe made history by launching a groundbreaking lawsuit asserting Wiradjuri sovereignty over Australia—a case that, though unsuccessful, forced national reckoning with colonial dispossession. His later work included fighting for sacred site protections and equitable land treaties.
Tributes Pour In
Prominent Indigenous leaders have hailed Coe as "a giant who walked softly but carried the weight of his people." His family described him as a "loving mentor" whose fire for justice burned until his final days.
Funeral arrangements will follow cultural protocols, with a public memorial expected in Canberra.
