Belinda Charlton
Belinda.charlton@uon.edu.au]
Dip Mkt, Dip Law (LPAB), GDLP, MEL
Belinda Charlton is a NSW legal practitioner admitted to practice in 2005. She has admissions to the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court of Australia. Belinda began her legal career undertaking paralegal work in local government in 1995 and with leave of the Court, started prosecuting in the local court jurisdiction shortly thereafter.
She runs her own Environmental, Planning and Cultural (Customary) Law Practice and is a referral agency for the Environmental Defenders Office of NSW.
She has a Masters in Environmental Law from Newcastle University, a United Nations Co-certification in Government Approaches to Disaster Risk Reduction (Strategic Disaster Risk Planning and Response), a United Nations Co-certification in Sustainable Development and the 2030 Development Agenda (Strategic Planning Advisory and Consultancy).
Belinda is also a recognised Community Advocate for Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast Regions endorsed by the Centre for Sustainability Leadership and the Office of Environment Energy and Science NSW.
Belinda has qualifications in Climate Change Law and Policy, Anti-Corruption, Marketing and Public Relations and was an Accredited Mediator from 2009-2012.
Belinda has also worked as an Internal Ombudsman for the former Wyong Shire Council and Ombudsman for the Central Coast Water Authority.
Belinda volunteers her time in the furtherance of the Legal Profession participating as a:
* Committee Member of the Environmental Planning Law Association of NSW (EPLA);
* Committee Member of the Law Society of NSW Environmental Planning and Development Committee which delves into all aspects of environment and planning law, raising awareness across the legal profession and the wider community about new and upcoming changes to NSW and national legislation, as well developments in case law and policy, bringing together a network of enthusiastic practitioners to discuss their shared interest in the environment, including the areas of planning, biodiversity, agriculture, climate change, mining, forestry and water.
* (Former) Committee Member of the Law Society of NSW Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee which promotes diversity, equality and inclusion in the legal profession, in particular by progressing initiatives to ensure the equality of opportunity for all members of the profession, regardless of race, ethnicity, heritage, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status.
Belinda represents both public and private sector clients, community organisations, EDO referral clients and undertakes significant pro-bono work on behalf of elderly, disabled and indigenous groups.
She has also undertaken public policy work on behalf of the Commonwealth Government of Australia in the Pacific Island Nation of Kirribati in relation to Strategic Planning, Waste Management, Water Quality, Minimum Public Health Standards, as well as on Climate Change Mitigation.
In 2019 as part of an Externship with the University of Newcastle, Belinda worked on Brazil’s response to the 2030 Agenda reporting framework to the United Nations; significant land and groundwater contamination matters; and on the Brumadinho Mining Disaster. She is also a co-author of a Journal Article on Climate Change, Social Impacts and Indigenous Rights in the context of the recent Land and Environment Court decision of Gloucester Resources Ltd.
Research Interests
Environmental Law, Planning Law, Aboriginal Culture, Aboriginal Land Management Practice, Traditional Aboriginal Cultural Fire Practice, Indigenous Cultural Burning Practice, Natural Resource Management, Natural Hazards, Climate Change, Cultural Disconnection, Self Determination
Research Overview
Aboriginal Land Management Practices and the Notion of Custodianship: Identifying Contemporary Legal and Land Management Failures to Mitigate Increasing Natural Hazards, Climate Change and Cultural Disconnection
This thesis aims to demonstrate through the lens of Indigenous cultural burning practice, that two separate and distinct fire practices can comfortably exist within a legal framework whereby Western practices do not need to dominate over Indigenous practices but instead, the two practices can operate in consonance.
Research Outputs
Journal Articles
Aydos E, Charlton B, Cornett G, Gray K, Scott N, 'Rocky Hill: A Legal Breakthrough in the Consideration of Climate Change and Social Impacts of Coal Mines', Carbon & Climate Law Review, 14 98-106 (2020) [C1] DOI 10.21552/cclr/2020/2/5
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.