NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL Ngan Aak-Kunch Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC V Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd and Another [201
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NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL Ngan Aak-Kunch Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd and Another [2016] NNTTA 22 (10 June 2016) Application No: QO2015/0078 IN THE MATTER of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) - and - IN THE MATTER of an inquiry into an expedited procedure objection application Ngan Aak-Kunch Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (native title party) - and – Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd (grantee party) - and – The State of Queensland (Government party) DETERMINATION THAT THE ACT IS AN ACT ATTRACTING THE EXPEDITED PROCEDURE Tribunal: Mr JR McNamara Place: Brisbane Date of hearings: Directions hearings 12 October 2015 and 11 March 2016 Date of determination: 10 June 2016 Catchwords: Native title – future act – proposed grant of mineral development licence – expedited procedure objection application – whether act likely to interfere directly with the carrying on of community or social activities – whether act likely to interfere with sites or areas of particular significance – whether act likely to cause major disturbance to land or waters – expedited procedure attracted – non-disclosure orders – confidential material– native title protection conditions – NTPC – Aurukun Project Representatives of the Mr David Yarrow, Counsel native title party: Mr Adam McLean, Cape York Land Council Aboriginal Corporation Mr Philippe Savidis, Cape York Land Council Aboriginal Corporation Representatives of the Ms Bernadette Wrafter, Crown Law Government party: Ms Rebecca Rowling, Crown Law Representatives of the Mr Dominic McGann, McCullough Robertson Lawyers grantee party: Mr Liam Davis, McCullough Robertson Lawyers Mr Julian Farrugia, Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd 2 Legislation: Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld), ss 181, 194, 194AAA, 194AC, 231A, 231G Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ss 29, 31, 32, 150, 151, 155, 237 Cases: Cheinmora v Striker Resources NL (1996) 142 ALR 21 (‘Cheinmora v Striker Resources’) Gilla v Western Australia [2002] NNTTA 35 (‘Gilla v WA’) Isaac Hale and Others on behalf of Bunuba #2 v Mings Mining Resources Pty Ltd and Another [2015] NNTTA 49 (‘Hale v Mings Mining Resources’) Little and Others on behalf of the Badimia People v Oriole Resources Pty Ltd [2005] FCAFC 243 (‘Little v Oriole Resources’) Tjurabalan Native Title Lands Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v Rich Resources Investments Pty Ltd and Another [2016] NNTTA 16 (‘Tjurabalan v Rich Resources’) Walley v Western Australia (2002) 169 FLR 437 (‘Walley v Western Australia’) Wik Peoples v Queensland [2004] FCA 1306 Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v FMG Pilbara Pty Ltd and Another [2014] NNTTA 8 (‘Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation v FMG’) Ward v Northern Territory (2002) 169 FLR 303 (‘Ward v NT’) 3 REASONS FOR DETERMINATION Introduction [1] This is not a decision to grant mineral development licence MDL2001 to Glencore Bauxite Resources Pty Ltd (Glencore) or anyone else. This is because the Tribunal does not have the power to grant MDL2001, or any other tenement. [2] The matter the Tribunal must decide, by reference to specified criteria in the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (the Act), is whether the State of Queensland can grant MDL2001 to Glencore using a fast-tracked process known as the ‘expedited procedure’, or whether parties must follow the right to negotiate process set out in the Act, to ensure the validity of its grant. [3] The State’s website says that a mineral development licence allows the holder to carry out further studies of a resource and to assess the development potential of a site, once the holder has discovered that minerals or coal exist. In addition to activities allowed under exploration permits, the permitted activities include the conduct of feasibility studies, geoscientific programs (for example drilling, seismic surveys), engineering design studies and other studies to evaluate the development potential of the resource. [4] Glencore wishes to further study the bauxite resource and assess its development potential in an area of land which is approximately 30 kilometres north east of Aurukun and approximately 573.6 square kilometres in size. The proposed licence falls within the Aurukun Project area, which is subject to special provisions of the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld) (see Chapter 5 Part 2). The native title party, Ngan Aak-Kunch Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (‘Ngan Aak-Kunch’), highlights that these provisions were enacted to ‘facilitate the commercial development of the Aurukun bauxite resource’1. [5] Ngan Aak-Kunch holds exclusive native title rights and interests over an area of land which includes the area of the proposed licence. It holds these rights and interests on behalf of the native title holders, the Wik and Wik Way People (see 1 Explanatory notes to Mineral Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2006 4 Federal Court determination Wik Peoples v Queensland). Approximately 99.67 per cent of the licence application area is subject to the native title determination. [6] If the expedited procedure applies, the State can grant the licence without the State, Glencore, and Ngan Aak-Kunch and any other native title parties needing to negotiate about the grant of the licence. Both Glencore and the State assert the expedited procedure applies. Ngan Aak-Kunch has asserted that the expedited procedure does not apply and it lodged an objection application with the National Native Title Tribunal on 8 September 2015. No other objection applications were received. Although there are other native title parties for the licence area, Ngan Aak-Kunch is the only party who lodged an objection. [7] The licence cannot be validly granted while there is an objection on foot. The objection can be finalised if, for instance, the native title party withdraws the objection (this often occurs where parties have reached agreement). If the objection has not been withdrawn or otherwise finalised, the Tribunal is to make a decision through an arbitral inquiry process as to whether or not the expedited procedure applies (see s 32 of the Act). Shortly after the objection application was received, Glencore requested that directions be set for the arbitral inquiry. Correspondence received from parties details various interactions and confirms that the parties did not reach agreement. I was appointed by the Tribunal’s President, Ms Raelene Webb QC, to make this arbitral decision. [8] Parties submitted written material to the Tribunal in accordance with directions I issued. Ngan Aak-Kunch made a request under s 155 of the Act to restrict parties’ use of certain documents. After seeking comments from the other parties, I directed that parties’ use of those materials provided by Ngan Aak-Kunch (Annexures 15-17 to NTP Contentions 13 January 2016) be restricted. [9] In conducting an inquiry, I am to decide whether or not I can make my determination in the absence of the parties using the written material provided, rather than holding a hearing (see s 151(2)). Ngan Aak-Kunch initially requested that a hearing be held and provided submissions which characterised the issue as whether or not a set of Queensland conditions, known as the native title protection 5 conditions (NTPCs), apply to the licence (NTP Submissions 23 February 2016). Paragraphs [4] to [5] of that request read as follows (most footnotes omitted): 4. The ultimate issue for determination by the Tribunal is whether the proposed future act, being the grant of mineral development licence MDL 2001 to the Grantee Party (GP) is an act attracting the expedited procedure. 5. An intermediate issue for the Tribunal’s determination is whether the proposed future act to be assessed against the criteria of NTA s.237 is a mineral development licence which is subject to the “Native Title Protection Conditions” or one which is not. This matter is contentious between the NTP and the Government Party (GVP), and not addressed by the GP in its contentions. [Footnote reads: ‘Grantee Party merely asserts that the Native Title Protection Conditions will apply if the proposed mineral development licence is granted...’] [10] On 24 February 2016, taking account of the matters raised at [9] above, I issued new directions requiring all parties to provide their view on the holding of a hearing. Glencore’s view was that a hearing was not necessary, whereas the State thought it was. After considering all parties’ viewpoints and the written material before me, I convened a directions hearing on 11 March 2016 to discuss the management of the inquiry. On the morning of the directions hearing, party representatives discussed their views amongst themselves and then informed me that they agreed that the decision could be made ‘on the papers’. Having considered the circumstances, I am satisfied that I can make the decision on the papers. Further detail about the directions hearing is provided at [20]-[22] below. [11] In making my decision, I have also considered a map of the licence and surrounding area prepared by the Tribunal’s Geospatial Services, to which no party objected. [12] I must consider whether the grant of the licence is likely to: interfere directly with the carrying on of the Ngan Aak-Kunch’s community or social activities; interfere with any areas or sites of particular significance to Ngan Aak- Kunch, in accordance with their traditions; and involve major disturbance to, or create rights which, if exercised, would involve major disturbance to, relevant land or waters (see s 237 of the Act). [13] If all three of those factors are answered in the negative, then the expedited procedure applies. If any one or more of them is answered in the affirmative, then the expedited procedure does not apply and the negotiation parties will need to enter 6 into good faith negotiations about the grant of the licence (see ss 31 and 32(5) of the Act). [14] A table of key events relevant to this inquiry is attached to this determination at Appendix A. A list of the documents and material received from the parties in relation to the inquiry appears at Appendix B.