Role of the National Native Title Tribunal

Key functions of the Tribunal are to:

• Provide mediation assistance to parties addressing native title applications

• Apply the registration test to existing and all new claimant applications

• Help people reach various agreements, including indigenous land use agreements

• Arbitrate where agreement is not reached over the grant of mining leases, exploration licences, and certain compulsory acquisitions of native title interests in land (future acts)

• Maintain official registers of native title applications and indigenous land use agreements.

The Tribunal has registries in every capital city except Hobart, and a regional office in Cairns. Tribunal members are appointed by the Federal Government to conduct the mediation of native title applications, or to decide future act matters.

Further information is available through our media unit.