91É«Ç鯬

Ms Therese Apolonio

Ms Therese Apolonio

Research Support Co-ordinator

BA (Honours I) History (USyd); BSc Psychology (USyd)

Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA)
School of Humanities & Languages

I am the Research Coordinator of the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group in the School of Humanities and Languages at 91É«Ç鯬 Sydney. As a first-generation settler of Filipina descent, my work is grounded in supporting Aboriginal landholders and communities in advancing land rights, land justice, and land-based governance in environmental and energy transitions.

I am currently part of a multi-partner research project led by Professor Heidi Norman that places Aboriginal land rights at the centre of the renewable energy transition. Working alongside Local Aboriginal Land Councils across New South Wales, we map renewable energy potential on Aboriginal land and identify pathways for employment, enterprise, equity, and care for Country. In collaboration with GIS, renewable energy specialists and land councils, we have co-produced spatial tools and governance resources designed to strengthen Aboriginal decision-making and secure community-controlled benefits.

Previously, I worked on an Australian Research Council-funded project examining the social, economic, and governance impacts of Aboriginal land restitution in NSW. My broader interests include Indigenous governance, environmental history, political ecology, and climate justice.

Location
Room 320, Level 3, Morven Brown Building
  • Book Chapters | 2025
    Apolonio T; Freeman N; Ingrey C; Norman H; Parker M; Scott G; Snape F; Steele A, 2025, 'Local Aboriginal land councils and the Land Negotiation Program', in Land Back: Aboriginal Land Rights in New South Wales, Today and Always
    Book Chapters | 2025
    Apolonio T; Freeman N; Ingrey C; Norman H; Parker M; Scott G; Snape F; Steele A, 2025, 'Local Aboriginal land councils and the Land Negotiation Program', in Land Back: Aboriginal Land Rights in New South Wales, Today and Always
  • Journal articles | 2025
    Norman H; Apolonio T; Yong E; Liu C; Paddam S, 2025, 'Planning for Climate Change in the NSW Local Aboriginal Land Council Estate', Cosmopolitan Civil Societies, 17, pp. 19 - 33,
    Journal articles | 2025
    Norman H, 2025, 'Local Aboriginal Land Councils as Environmental Managers: Practices and Opportunities', Cosmopolitan Civil Societies, 17, pp. 54 - 70,
    Journal articles | 2023
    Norman H; Briggs C; Apolonio T, 2023, 'Advancing Aboriginal interests in the New South Wales renewable energy transition', CAEPR Discussion Paper, 23,
    Journal articles | 2021
    Norman H; Apolonio T; Parker M, 2021, 'Mapping local and regional governance: reimagining the new south wales aboriginal sector', Cosmopolitan Civil Societies, 13, pp. 1 - 14,
    Journal articles | 2020
    Norman H; Krayem M; Bain C; Apolonio T, 2020, 'Are Aboriginal people a threat to the modern nation?: A study of newsprint coverage of a racial discrimination complaint', Australian Aboriginal Studies, pp. 18 - 35
  • Working Papers | 2023
    Norman H; Briggs C; Apolonio T, 2023, Advancing Aboriginal interests in the New South Wales renewable energy transition,
    Working Papers | 2023
    Norman H; Briggs C; Apolonio T, 2023, Advancing Aboriginal interests in the New South Wales renewable energy transition, ,
  • Reports | 2025
    Norman H; Briggs C; Langham E; Apolonio T; Miyake S; Niklas S; Teske S, 2025, Local Aboriginal Land Council Powershift: Sharing the benefits of energy transition, Australian Public Policy Institute, ,
    Reports | 2019
    Norman H; Steele A; Ingrey C; Snape F; Freeman N; Scott G; Parker M; West M; Moran N; Apolonio T, 2019, Local Aboriginal Land Councils’ evaluation of the Land Negotiation Program

  • 2023:Ìý funded by the Australian Public Policy Institute 
  • 2025: Capacity-Building for Aboriginal organisations in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone funded by NSW Energy Corporation 

  • 2018: Charles Trimby Burfitt Prize for the Study of Australian History Prior to 1900 

  • Delivery of Aboriginal capacity-building workshops and regional gathering in the Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone
  • Research for the Local Aboriginal Land Council Review of the NSW Land Negotiation Program
  • Research and editorial assistant for a project analysing news media coverage of Aboriginal political moments, which culminated in the edited book  (eds. Archie Thomas, Heidi Norman and Andrew Jakubowicz). 
  • Archival and oral history research for the NSW State Library exhibition's Exhibition
  • Co-ordination of  to build capacity and knowledge in climate change and renewable energy. 
  • Produced policy overviews detailing land rights and renewable energy policy in New South Wales, , , and to inform discussions at the Roundtables.
  • Coordinator of the for Indigenous and ally undergraduate students