Native Title Newsletter August 2015
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Native Title NewsletterAugust 2015 GAIL REYNOLDS-ADAMSON AND ANNIE DABB, CLOSING ‘COMMUNITIES’ MEMBERS OF THE ESPERANCE SIGNING THE NYANGUMARTA UNDERMINES THE TJALTJRAAK NATIVE TITLE INDIGENOUS PROTECTED HUMANITY OF ABORIGINAL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION AREA AGREEMENT LIVES National Native Title Conference 2015 Welcome! Leadership, Legacy and Opportunity to the Native Title 3 An interview with Newsletter Gail Reynolds‑Adamson and The Native Title Newsletter is produced three times a year Annie Dabb (April, August and December). The Newsletter includes Members of the Esperance Tjaltjraak feature articles, traditional owner comments, articles Native Title Aboriginal Corporation 6 explaining native title reforms and significant developments, book reviews and NTRU project reports. The Newsletter is distributed to subscribers via email or mail and is also available Native title rights and interests at www.aiatsis.gov.au/ntru/newsletter.html. We welcome in Indigenous Protected Area your feedback and contributions. For more information, please Management: the Martu and contact: [email protected] or [email protected]. Nyangumarta experience 8 The Native Title Research Unit (NTRU) also produces monthly electronic publications to keep you informed of the latest Native Title Research and developments in native title throughout Australia. Access Service You can subscribe to NTRU publications online, follow @NTRU_AIATSIS on Twitter or ‘Like’ NTRU on Facebook. Closing ‘communities’ undermines 12 the humanity of Aboriginal lives Subscribe Connection to Country: Review of 13 the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) Cover: Kuku Yalanji Dancers, National Native Title Conference Photo credit: Bryce Gray, AIATSIS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are respectfully advised that this The Gibson Desert Native Title 15 publication may contain names and images of deceased persons, and culturally Compensation Claim: Ward v State sensitive material. AIATSIS apologises for any distress this may cause. of Western Australia (No 3) [2015] The views and opinions expressed in these articles do not constitute legal advice. FCA 658 Editors: NTRU Information Services Team, AIATSIS 17 Design and typesetting: Brigitte Russell, Bridging Access, A.C.T. Printed by: Vividprint, Australia © Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) SHIANE LOVELL Conference Manager AIATSIS HE 15TH NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE Conference was co-convened Tby AIATSIS and the Cape York Land Council (CYLC) in Port Douglas, QLD from 16 – 18 June 2015. The gathering attracted over 830 delegates and stakeholders - over half of which were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The National Native Title Conference is the largest Indigenous Policy conference in Australia. For many delegates the National Native Above: Kuku Yalanji Dancers Title Conference each year is Photo credit: Bryce Gray the leading annual professional development event for staff of agreements and claims, repatriation, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander native title representative bodies/ research, resource extraction and Social Justice Commissioner, service providers and relevant empowerment, resource mining , Mick Gooda presented this government agencies, as well as social impact, traditional ownership year’s Mabo Lecture. ‘A new independent native title practitioners and youth engagement. conversation regarding Indigenous and academics. land and economic development’ The Conference featured outlined some of the feedback The Conference program included four keynote addresses and that was received from the recent keynotes and plenary speeches, presentations. Mary-Anne Port roundtable meeting, convened by the dialogue forums, technical and Jim Turnour, Chairperson and Commission with Indigenous leaders workshops, topical workshops and Chief Executive Office of Jabalbina of leaders on economic development Indigenous talking circles. Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation and economic rights. gave the keynote address for Under the theme of Leadership, the NTRB and PBC Program. Federal Minister of Indigenous Legacy and Opportunity, NNTC 2015 Their keynote ‘Jabalbina Yalanji Affairs, the Hon. Nigel Scullion featured some 190 presenters Aboriginal Corporation: our addressed delegates about new across diverse topics as; access experiences of native title’ explored funding for PBCs ‘native title support to cultural materials, agreements, Indigenous Land Use Agreements to boost development’. Minister building relationships, carbon implementation, and the challenges Scullion also used the Conference to farming, caring for country, climate traditional owners face, the progress announce $20 million in additional change, community development, that has been made in country funding to better support native title comprehensive agreements, based planning, ranger programs, constitution, cultural materials and governance and the limitations Below: Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tour values, demographics, economic it imposes. Photo credit: Andrew Turner development, governance, Indigenous Protected Areas, heritage, land management, land and sea, land and tenure, law and policy, leadership, nation building, native title law and recognition, opportunities, PBCs, policy development, regional Native Title Newsletter August 2015 edition | 3 holders to effectively engage with Support from sponsors this year RNTBC potential investors. enabled over 80 Indigenous people to attend the conference as speakers, Noel Pearson, the Founder and facilitators or delegates. NATION Director of Strategy of Cape York Partnerships presented Public With significant assistance and Program Day 2 keynote address planning from the Cape York Land BUILDING ‘in pursuit of a regional, reciprocal Council, this year’s NNTC featured responsibility, settlement for Cape a stunning welcome reception with York: what is the right package over 40 dancers and performers SUMMIT of reforms for Indigenous social, representing the four corners of the political, economic and cultural Cape; including the Kuku Yalanji, development?’ Mr Pearson outlined Wik, Lockhart and Torres Strait how Indigenous people want to Islander dancers. take charge of their own affairs and develop their own agendas. Each year, the Conference also includes an exciting cultural A Dangerous Ideas Panel saw five program that offers an opportunity prominent identities pitching a for delegates to engage with local challenging, controversial ground traditional owners, experience breaking concept to conference local cultural activities and learn delegates. They included Australian more about economic or business Human Rights Commissioner, initiatives on traditional country. Tim Wilson; Regional Development Corporation Managing Director, In 2015, over 150 delegates attended Bruce Martin; Kimberley Region two very significant offsite cultural Economic Development CEO, events. One group went to the Wayne Bergmann; Indigenous Mossman Gorge Voyages Centre Advisory Committee Member, - an Indigenous eco- tourism Ricky Archer; and AIATSIS development within the southern Director of Research Strategy, part of the World Heritage Listed, Dr Lisa Strelein. Daintree National Park Mossman Gorge. Delegates met with The conference hosted three traditional owners, before heading Indigenous Talking Circles; off on a personal tour through Women’s, Men’s and the Trials the rainforest. and Terrors of the Indigenous Advancement Scheme. These Other delegates also visited Cooya sessions were for Indigenous Beach for a Kuku Yalanji Cultural delegates only, and provided a space Habitat Tour. The unique tour is run to discuss important issues in a by Linc and Brandon Walker who closed session. educate visitors about their Kuku Yalanji culture through a guided tour Presentations are available to view of Cooya Beach (Kuyu Kuyu) - which on the AIATSIS website: is a special place and traditional www.aiatsis.gov.au fishing ground of the Kuku Yalanji. Delegates and guests were invited to attend the special screening of (From top left to bottom): ‘Mabo’ the movie on the evening Mabo Movie prior to the NTRB and PBC Program. Photo credit: Marni Pilgrim The ‘Mabo’ movie was introduced PBC Meeting by Gail Mabo, the daughter of the Photo credit: Andrew Turner late Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo and Rachel Youth Forum Photo credit: Andrew Turner Perkins, the Director of the ‘Mabo’ Mary-Anne Port, Jim Turnour movie who shared their stories about Photo credit: Andrew Turner making this very significant movie. Based on recommendations from people about the native title sector, hard work from the Cape York Land PBCs at previous conferences, leadership and how to contribute Council and the Kuku Yalanji people this year’s conference hosted the towards the future wellbeing for making this year’s conference National PBC Meeting for the third of communities. another inspiring conference. consecutive year. The meeting provided a space for PBC Chairs, As well as participating in the wider “Your staff and your advice has Members and Staff to discuss conference session, youth delegates been critical for us to organise this PBC business in a closed session. spent a day at the Mossman Gorge year’s Conference.” Representatives shared information Voyages Centre speaking with and knowledge from their traditional owners and custodians. Mr Taylor also acknowledged experiences around the country. the contributions of the North The meeting attracted over 90 The Youth Forum was supported by Queensland Land Council and people, representing 51