Message Tree Queensland South Native Title Services 2.1 2011 A WORD FROM THE CEO What a year – and it’s only July! The beginning of 2011 saw unprecedented floods through virtually our entire Queensland South region. Whilst the floods pushed back critical timeframes, they did not dampen our spirits. After a week of being locked out of our Brisbane and Bundaberg offices due to floods we got straight back into the thick of things. We trust our clients and stakeholders have also managed to return to some normality after the devastation. There have been a number of highlights over the past six or so months. The authorisation of two Indigenous Land Use Agreements in Woorabinda will establish much needed housing and other Kevin speaking at the National Native Title Conference in June. infrastructure for the benefit of both traditional owners and other front. I will soon be setting up a client relations unit that will report Aboriginal People in the town. directly to me. This unit will assist in the more efficient and effective organisation of meetings. Just as importantly, the team will use QSNTS also co-convened the 12th annual National Native Title this role as an opportunity to directly receive feedback about how Conference with the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres meetings can be better structured and organised. Essentially, we Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). The conference is an excellent aim to improve communication between QSNTS and clients. Almost opportunity to share experiences and showcase best practice in the 15% of our budget is spent on holding meetings to get instructions native title area. A big thank you must be extended to the Turrbal, and give advice, so it makes sense to seize this opportunity to better Jagara, Yuggera and Ugarapul Peoples for helping to make it a engage with you as our clients. success. Each year, the conference is held in different locations around the country and coincides with the historic anniversary of I would commend you to look at the “Compliments and Complaints” the High Court Mabo Judgment. Next year – the 20th anniversary of brochure that can be found on our website. The brochure outlines the decision – the conference will be held in Townsville, a befitting the process of resolving complaints both informally and formally. location as it is the place where Uncle Koiki Mabo initiated the legal QSNTS welcomes your feedback, positive and negative, as that challenge for his Island home of Mer (Murray Island). is important for an organisation to learn and grow. QSNTS is a comparatively ‘young’ organisation and there is bound to be Talking about Island homes, it was fantastic to see the Quandamooka growing pain. Your patience but candid, constructive feedback People of Moreton Bay and Islands achieve native title recognition is important. after a roller coaster ride over 16 long years. This day was momentous for the Quandamooka People but it was also special for QSNTS – it We have also identified that the centralised office model from is our first native title consent determination. Many valuable lessons Brisbane hasn’t helped our communication in the regions. The Board were learned that will make the process of other determinations in the and Executive plan to expand our organisational reach by setting up QSNTS region run much smoother. The next big milestone we are an office in Rockhampton. This is a strategic choice of location as focusing on is the Kalkadoon native title consent determination which many of our clients live in that city and surrounding areas, regional is scheduled for December 2011 in Mt Isa. The ‘fighting Kalkadoon’ Federal Court Directions Hearings are heard there, it is a convenient are legendary for their indomitable spirit and I am sure you will join hub to service western and southern regions, transport is far more with me in congratulating the Kalkadoon in due course. regular and reliable, and the labour market for lawyers, support staff and contractors is very good. Unfortunately for budget reasons, In spite of these wonderful highlights and the massive amount of work we cannot maintain the Bundaberg office as well. I hope to be in a associated with achieving them, I must comment on some negative position to open the new office in the coming months. feedback that QSNTS has been receiving around the very important issue of client communication. The feedback has been across a range The first half of 2011 has been an exciting time, and we’re looking of matters, including staff not returning phone calls, claims not being forward to applying all the lessons learnt to deliver native title commenced or progressed as quickly as clients expected and the recognition for the traditional owners of Queensland South. perennial concern of the need to organise applicant and claimant meetings better. I want to acknowledge those concerns and instead Kevin Smith of offering excuses or explanations, commit to doing better on this Chief Executive Officer 01 National Native Title Conference Statutory Services Reform Agenda Board Update QSNTS were delighted to co-convene Australia’s largest annual Quandamooka Consent Determination – A 16 year battle for The National Native Title Council (NNTC) is an alliance of the After an intense phase of recruitment, Queensland South Native Indigenous policy conference, the National Native Title Conference, native title recognition has seen victory for the Quandamooka People country’s native title representative bodies and service providers. Title Services are pleased to announce the new Board of Directors. in Brisbane in early June. Convened annually by the Australian of North Stradbroke Island in historic consent determinations at QSNTS is a member of the NNTC and CEO Kevin Smith is Deputy Colleen Ma’run Wall has accepted the role as Chairperson of the Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Dunwich on the 4th July. Chairperson of the organisation. Amongst other roles, the NNTC Board, and Michael Cawthorn and Bernie Yates have now joined and this year hosted on the traditional lands of the Turrbal, Jagera, advocates for reforms to improve the native title system. The reform Arabella Douglas and James William as Directors. Yuggera and Ugarapul Peoples, the Conference drew almost 600 The Federal Court determinations recognise the ongoing traditional environment is very active at the moment with an Amendment Bill delegates to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. QSNTS laws and customs of the Quandamooka People, and specify native to reverse the onus of proof and disregard historical extinguishment Michael Cawthorn is Deputy Director of the Museum and Art sponsored 70 traditional owners from throughout the Queensland title rights and interests over land and waters on and around North proposed by Greens Senator Rachel Siewart and consultation Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) Southern Region and South region to be part of the event. Stradbroke Island. CEO Kevin Smith sees the victory as a testament underway concerning traditional owners’ role in the Federal the Strehlow Research Centre. He has previously worked as to the determination of key people in the Quandamooka claim group. Government’s proposed Carbon Farming Initiative. an anthropologist with the Strehlow Research Centre and the In his keynote address, CEO Kevin Smith used the opportunity to Ngaanyatjarra Council in Western Australia. Michael is the manager expose the ‘stark reality’ of native title in the Queensland South “The strength of the traditional laws and customs of the Indigenous Cultural Heritage Acts Amendment Bill 2011 of the Return of Indigenous Cultural Property (RICP) Program for region. Examining the factors at play, Kevin advocated for a range Quandamooka People to survive the colonisation process on the – In February, QSNTS made a submission on the exposure draft the Northern Territory and Vice President of Museums Australia (NT). of reforms including reversing the burden of proof from native doorstep of a capital city is a testament to these people. The native of the Indigenous Cultural Heritage Acts Amendment Bill 2011. His professional experience includes negotiation and land access title claimants to establish continuity of their society from generation title process has been a long, drawn-out and sometimes painful QSNTS has been involved in the public consultation process over agreements, management of research agendas, cultural heritage to generation. fight for the Quandamooka People. There have been a lot of really the proposed amendments to the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act protection and digital repatriation. tough decisions to make. We should see this as an opportunity to 2003 since the original Indigenous Cultural Heritage Acts Review Other speakers included the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander celebrate and honour the fight of Elders past and present to have Paper was published in September 2008. The recent submission “Thank you for the opportunity to work for QSNTS and Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda, Chief Justice of the Federal their rights and interests to their traditional country, both land and makes comments about proposed amendments to the cultural people from the Queensland South region, and contribute to the Court Patrick Keane, CEO of the Aboriginal Housing Management waters recognised by the Australian legal system,” Mr Smith said. heritage agreement making process, the transferring of the Minister’s realisation of land justice and recognition of rights within the Native Association, Canada Andrew Leach and CEO of the Lowitja Institute “Whilst each native title claim must be considered on its individual decision-making powers to the Land Court, and submits that any Title framework. As a Board member I will serve the QSNTS and Dr Kerry Arabena. Visit www.qsnts.com.au to read Kevin’s full merits, this historic breakthrough stands as a powerful example that amendment to the Act should expand the role Aboriginal people play Aboriginal people with integrity and commitment to achieve these keynote address and www.aiatsis.gov.au for further information.