Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
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14 July 2014 The Executive Director Australian Law Reform Commission GPO Box 3708 Sydney NSW 2001 [email protected] AIATSIS submission to Australian Law Reform Commission Review of the Native Title Act Issues Paper 45 of March 2014 The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) in its review into the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA). AIATSIS is one of Australia’s publicly funded research agencies and is dedicated to research across the broad spectrum of native title law, policy and practice and where possible, this submission draws on this broad evidence base. AIATSIS includes the Native Title Research Unit (NTRU), established following the Mabo decision. Through the NTRU, AIATSIS seeks to promote the recognition and protection of the native title of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through independent research and assessment of the impact of policy and legal developments. In our response, AIATSIS has sought to promote a principled approach to reform. We have sought to highlight the primary underlying principle that Indigenous peoples have a right to own and inherit their traditional territories; to make decisions about, and benefit from, their traditional territories and resources; as well as to maintain their culture. The importance of the recognition and protection of native title to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the broader Australian community cannot be overstated. We appreciate that the ALRC’s review of the NTA, and any government response to subsequent recommendations, is intended to enhance the opportunity for addressing and reducing barriers to the recognition of native title while providing greater certainty in the way native title interacts with other interests in land and 1 waters. It is this interaction that provides the opportunity for sustainable long-term benefits. Broader issues of intergenerational land justice exist outside the current native title framework and AIATSIS seeks to promote recommendations from this Review that lead to a redesigned legislative scheme, expanded to accommodate and ameliorate some of the existing situations of injustice. The substance of the discussion provided with the questions, including the thematic distinctions within the Review are well supported by the ALRC’s thorough engagement in this most complex area of policy and law. AIATSIS would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the ALRC on their excellent issues paper and we look forward to the release of the upcoming Discussion Paper. We offer the following comments, and responses against the 35 questions posed by the ALRC in our capacity as the leading legal and policy research organisation in the native title sector. If you would like further information on this submission, please contact me, on 6246 1155 or [email protected]. Yours sincerely Dr Lisa Strelein Director of Research AIATSIS submission to Australian Law Reform Commission Review of the Native Title Act Issues Paper 45 of March 2014 Table of Contents Synopsis of the ALRC Review of the Native Title Act ...........................................................1 Attachments ...........................................................................................................................2 Defining the scope of the Inquiry ..........................................................................................3 Question 1 ..........................................................................................................................3 Question 2 ..........................................................................................................................8 Question 3 ....................................................................................................................... 12 Question 4 ....................................................................................................................... 15 Connection and recognition concepts in native title law .................................................. 31 Question 5 ....................................................................................................................... 31 Presumption of Continuity ................................................................................................. 33 Question 6 ....................................................................................................................... 33 Question 7 ....................................................................................................................... 35 Question 8 ....................................................................................................................... 36 Question 9 ....................................................................................................................... 37 The Meaning of ‘Traditional’ .............................................................................................. 38 Question 10 ..................................................................................................................... 38 Question 11 ..................................................................................................................... 40 Native title and rights and interests of a commercial nature ........................................... 41 Question 12 ..................................................................................................................... 41 Question 13 ..................................................................................................................... 41 Question 14 ..................................................................................................................... 43 Question 15 ..................................................................................................................... 43 Physical occupation, continued or recent use ................................................................... 43 Question 16 ..................................................................................................................... 43 Question 17 ..................................................................................................................... 44 AIATSIS SUBMISSION – ALRC ISSUES PAPER 45 - J u l y 2 0 1 4 P a g e | 2 Substantial interruption ..................................................................................................... 45 Question 18 ..................................................................................................................... 45 Question 19 ..................................................................................................................... 48 Question 20 ..................................................................................................................... 48 Other Changes ..................................................................................................................... 50 Question 22 ..................................................................................................................... 50 Authorisation ...................................................................................................................... 51 Question 23 ..................................................................................................................... 51 Question 24 ..................................................................................................................... 53 Question 25 ..................................................................................................................... 53 Question 26 ..................................................................................................................... 54 Question 27 ..................................................................................................................... 55 Question 28 ..................................................................................................................... 55 Question 29 ..................................................................................................................... 56 Question 30 ..................................................................................................................... 57 Joinder ................................................................................................................................. 57 Question 31 ..................................................................................................................... 57 Question 32 ..................................................................................................................... 59 Question 33 ..................................................................................................................... 59 Question 34 ..................................................................................................................... 60 Question 35 ..................................................................................................................... 61 AIATSIS SUBMISSION – ALRC ISSUES PAPER 45 - J u l y 2 0 1 4 P a g e | 1 Synopsis of the ALRC Review of the Native Title Act This submission addresses the questions, put by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) in its 2014 Issues paper 45, Review of the Native Title Act (the Review). The Review sought submissions about the following