ALL ABOUT HONOUR
YARRABAH’S NEW LEGAL EAGLE FLIES
NIKITA Sellin is a woman with the weight of expectation sitting firmly on her shoulders, but it’s a burden she’s happy to bear.
The Yarrabah product became only the second person in her family to graduate from university and yesterday she was formally admitted as a lawyer in the Cairns Supreme Court.
Completing a law degree is no mean feat in anyone’s books, but doing so as a single mother-of-two from a community where tertiary studies are far from commonplace made her achievements even more special.
“I’ve got to be a role model now for the younger generation to come and the indigenous community,” she said.
“I want to get more involved with the community and give back.”
The former Woree State High School student said she did a Justice Administration diploma through TAFE, but when a teacher suggested she continue on to study law, she initially baulked.
Some years later she reconsidered and managed to juggle raising daughter Kwintana, 11, and son Trent, 8, with four years of study through James Cook University, including a year in Canberra with the National Audit Office.
She also suffered the heartbreak of losing her father Christopher Selwyn while in her third year.
Ms Sellin, who has earmarked either native title or criminal law as her preferences, said she owed so much to her family, including mother Delwyn who looked after her children while she was in Canberra, and her three younger sisters. Delwyn held back tears as she spoke of the pride for her daughter yesterday.
“It’s been hard, she lost her father during that time,” she said. “I believed education was key so (my children) got out and got good jobs so they could stand on their own two feet.
“And if it wasn’t for family it would have been much, much harder.”
Yarrabah mayor Ross Andrews was among about 40 supporters who attended court for her admission yesterday and said it was a big moment for the community.
“I think it’s very important to have indigenous people involved in the legal system,” he said. Justice Jim Henry also singled out Ms Sellin for praise during her admission, speaking of the importance of having indigenous voices in the court system.