This media statement is listed on behalf of the National Native Title Council of which the GLSC is a member

The NNTC is encouraged by the communiqué from last Friday’s meeting of Commonwealth, State and Territory native title ministers in Perth but would be disappointed if significant change to the existing native title system does not result.  

The main outcome was agreement to establish a joint working group of officers from all jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth, which will report back in 12 months.  

“We have concerns about the time that will take, and also that the working group’s brief is to not override existing processes of individual States and Territories for negotiating native title settlements, but complement those processes.  

“A major problem thus far has been inconsistency between the approaches of various states and the relegating of indigenous people’s interests by some States to where they are the lowest priority stakeholder,” said Chairperson Brian Wyatt .  

“The need for change is urgent, so that the frustration of high costs and delays that all native title parties are experiencing can be eliminated, and the estimated 30-year wait for processing of existing claims can be significantly reduced.  

“The design of any changes to the system must have input from Aboriginal people, whose interests have been treated as secondary by the existing native title system ever since the Mabo judgement.  

“Just outcomes for all parties, including Aboriginal people, must be the goal. The reshaping of the native title system cannot be limited to what a working group of government officers comes up with,” Mr Wyatt said.  

Last week the NNTC submitted a four-point plan to the Federal Government for overhauling the native title system:  

1.                  Development of a National Policy Framework for settling native title by agreement;

2.                  Improving native title processes and outcomes;

3.                  Maximising economic outcomes from native title agreements; and

4.                  Acknowledgement of the changed role of Native Title Representative Bodies (NTRBs) and Native Title Service providers (NTSs) and better resourcing for them.

Media contact:   Brian Wyatt  0417 970413; David Berry 0417 963089