We are honoured to announce the 2025 Liberty Victoria Empty Chair Award will be dedicated to the late Uncle Percy Lovett, in recognition of his fight to pass Poccum’s Law and seek justice in relation to the death in custody of Veronica Nelson.
Veronica Nelson was a Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman who was put in prison for minor shop lifting related charges because of Victoria’s failed bail laws. It is likely that Veronica would be alive today if Victoria had a bail system that properly protected human rights, including the rights of First Nations Peoples.
In the aftermath of Veronica’s passing, Uncle Percy Lovett (together with Aunty Donna Nelson) fought tirelessly for Poccum’s Law until his passing last year. Uncle Percy sat in Court every day of the inquest into Veronica’s passing and was relentless in his fight for justice for Veronica. The Allan Government has wound back reforms made after Veronica’s and Uncle Percy’s death, a mockery to them both.
From Sarah Schwartz’s reflections of Uncle Percy on his passing:
“Veronica was everything to him. He loved living with her on Yorta Yorta country and making Aboriginal artifacts with her late father, Rusty Walker. The way she died, and the cruelty, injustice and abject neglect of her final moments, never left him. None of it, including the impact on him, will leave me either.
Percy didn’t have to take up the hard fight for Veronica. But he wanted to do it for her, and for all the women inside. Almost every time we met he asked, ‘Sez, do you think I’m doing the right thing? I’m doing right by her aren’t I?’.
Percy never believed the cover up of Veronica’s death, and never gave up pushing for the truth, even when the Court berated us for it. In the end, the truth came out. It was his advocacy, with Veronica’s mother’s – Aunty Donna’s, which led to changes in prison healthcare and bail laws changes which have led to the lowest numbers of women in Victoria’s prisons.
Percy, you did right by Veronica and then some. It’s because of your fight that we’re all more free.”
We look forward to hearing further from Sarah at our Voltaire Awards Dinner on 14 November, as she has generously offered to share her reflections on Uncle Percy and the issues for which he fought so hard,
The Empty Chair Award is awarded to an individual or group who have made a significant contribution to the cause of human rights and civil liberties, but are unable to attend our award ceremony. In recognising Uncle Percy we also recognise the continuing injustice of the disproportionate rates of incarceration of the indigenous people of Australia.
Please join us to celebrate at the Voltaire Awards Dinner on November 14th, 2025.
Book here: https://trybooking.com/DAMXD