View of Darwin featuring Parliament House and the nearby Supreme Court of the Northern Territory The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) will host the biennial conference – its membership includes legal professionals, academics and students practising within the 56 countries and independent member states that make up the Commonwealth.
The journey to destination selection
Following an initial meeting in mid-2024 with CLA, a joint bid was developed by Northern Territory Business Events (NTBE) and Darwin Convention Centre (DCC), in conjunction with local host partner, the Faculty of Law at Charles Darwin University (CDU) and the local legal fraternity.
In late 2024, site visits were undertaken by CLA representatives to each location to assess capacity, capability and destination appeal as well as meet key city and legal community contacts.
Key local support influences success
In January 2025, Darwin was invited to present to the CLA Committee. The presentation included a compelling video highlighting Darwin and the inspiring NT, along with the region’s 65,000-year-old Aboriginal culture and the extensive support on offer. The video featured personal invitations from the NT Government’s Attorney-General and Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, the Honourable Marie-Clare Boothby and the NT’s Chief Justice, The Honourable Michael Grant.
In February 2025, Darwin was officially confirmed as the host destination for 2027.
“From the outset, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association was deeply impressed by the strength and unity of the Northern Territory’s bidding team – a truly formidable group that included the Chief Justice of the Northern Territory, the Attorney-General and the Presidents of both the Bar Association and the Law Society,” Brigid Watson, Secretary General of the CLA, said. “Their collective commitment demonstrated not only outstanding support within the legal community but also the Northern Territory’s enthusiasm to welcome the Commonwealth legal community.”
Key influences on decision-making
The extensive support from the NT Government and NT legal organisations strongly influenced the selection of Darwin such as the offer of the NT Supreme Court’s Ceremonial Courtroom for the 2027 CLC Moot Competitions.
The ‘Team Darwin’ spirit, supportive NT community and Darwin’s proximity to key Asian aviation hubs, also played their part. Making a meaningful connection to the NT’s ancient Aboriginal culture through the Larrakia People, Traditional Custodians of the Darwin region, and learning about traditional Aboriginal Law, also showcased how the NT would be ‘different in every sense’ for the CLC Conference in 2027.
To learn more about Australia’s Northern Territory, click on this link