Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Native title rhetoric

By Alison Vivian - posted Monday, 23 June 2008


Aspirational government rhetoric surrounding native title is too often contradicted by the stark inadequacy in outcomes for native title claimants. The State of Western Australia uses particularly positive language. The Premier, Alan Carpenter, has previously declared, “Native title is a great thing for Western Australia. Native title is a great thing for Australia” but was light on detail. Unfortunately, WA’s conduct in the Noongar people’s application for native title discloses much more about its approach to the resolution of native title claims than its rhetoric.

There was commotion in some quarters in September 2006 when Justice Murray Wilcox of the Federal Court handed down the first decision to recognise native title over a capital city, determining that the Noongar people hold native title over the Perth metropolitan area.

Despite Justice Wilcox’s assurances that backyards were safe and that native title would not be a pot of gold for the Indigenous claimants or a disaster for the rest of the community, members of both sides of politics leapt to condemn the decision.

Advertisement

The Federal Attorney General, Philip Ruddock, ignored Justice Wilcox’s explicit reassurance as to the limited impact of native title rights and raised the spectre that non-Indigenous people could be excluded from beaches, waterways and parks but should have been aware that a finding of native title cannot affect the property rights of others.

In announcing WA’s appeal, Alan Carpenter claimed that WA would not have appealed if it believed it didn’t have to. “This isn't a matter of a State Government trying to throw out a decision because we think it's inconvenient or we reject native title. Far from it.” He claimed that the appeal was necessary to provide clarity and consistency in the law but paradoxically, affirmed that the Noongar people are the traditional owners of the south-west of WA.

The Noongar people’s claim over the Perth metropolitan area had a particularly complex and protracted history, culminating in the lodging of the Single Noongar Claim in September 2003. On application from the parties concerned about further delays, especially WA and the Commonwealth, the Court divided the Single Noongar Claim into two portions, deciding to first deal with the portion in and around the Perth metropolitan area in a separate proceeding.

In an astounding turn of events in August 2006, three years after the Single Noongar Claim was filed and after the expenditure of an enormous amount of taxpayers’ dollars, WA filed an application seeking that Justice Wilcox rescind his orders creating the separate proceeding, abandon the work that had been done and start the case again. WA argued that there was serious doubt whether the Single Noongar application was authorised.

Justice Wilcox was surprised at WA’s discourtesy in filing such a dramatic application without any warning, two months after the conclusion of the hearing. He said that at this late stage, it would be expected that the judgment would be well under way.

Further, the Judge was taken aback, as WA’s application represented a complete about face. WA had “actively and dominantly” urged him to hear the separate proceeding. “Wishing to remain polite”, Justice Wilcox described WA’s argument that it did not know that he would not hear all the issues that might arise relating to the separate area as “disingenuous nonsense”. The word “unconscionable” leapt to mind and he questioned WA’s standing as a model litigant. Such language from a judicial officer is rare.

Advertisement

Justice Wilcox also described as “breathtaking” WA’s argument that the application prevented him from dealing with the separate proceeding or making findings on the evidence. His Honour identified eight native title rights and interests which are held by the Noongar community as a whole.

In an example of the increasingly technical nature of native title applications, the Full Court of the Federal Court recently held that Justice Wilcox’s approach was in error. Importantly, the Full Court’s decision is not determinative of whether native title exists over the Perth metropolitan region and the issue will be decided by another judge.

It is not at all clear, however, how the claim will proceed. The Full Court left it to the new trial judge to determine whether to deal with the separate proceeding or consolidate it with the entire Single Noongar Claim. Given the protracted history of the claim and guaranteed complications, it is evident that a negotiated outcome would best serve the parties, which, ironically, is what Justice Wilcox proposed.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. All

This is an edited version of an article which was first published in the National Indigenous Times on May 15, 2008.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

6 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Alison Vivian is a Senior Researcher at the Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology, Sydney.

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 6 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy