This book chapter describes the application of British law to the colony of Australia. Specifically, it looks at the 'attempts to apply and, if necessary, adapt English law to local conditions' (page 90).

Bruce Kercher, 'Colonial Settlement to Colony' in Peter Cane, Lisa Ford and Mark McMillan (eds) The Cambridge Legal History of Australia 87

Following the arrival of the British in 1788, English criminal law was imposed across the colony, although it was initially unclear whether it applied to Aboriginal people. Over time, Aboriginal people were subject to English law overriding and not recognising long-standing Aboriginal legal systems.

Application of criminal law to Aboriginal people

As the colonial legal system developed in the early years of the New South Wales colony, its application to Aboriginal people was inconsistent. There were different approaches to the question of whether Aboriginal people could be tried under the law or were protected by the law.

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Bruce Kercher, 'Colonial Settlement to Colony' in Peter Cane, Lisa Ford and Mark McMillan (eds) The Cambridge Legal History of Australia 87

Application of criminal law to Aboriginal people

Frontier wars and the legal system