Native title rights for two Aboriginal claimant groups have today been recognised in a Federal Court hearing at Bloods Creek, near Mt Dare in the far north of South Australia.
Chief Justice Pat Keane made two consent determinations over claims from the Eringa and the Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi claim groups, to recognise their non-exclusive native title rights and interests in an area of approximately 20,000 square kilometres.
National Native Title Tribunal Deputy President Chris Sumner said the consent determination proceedings are the third for 2011 and represent the seventh determination in South Australia and the sixth by consent. Previous consent determinations include Yankunytjatjara/Antakirinja in 2006, Witjira National Park in 2008, Adnyamathanha People in 2009 and Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara People and First Peoples of the River Murray Mallee Region respectively in May and November this year. Next week there will be a further consent determination for the Gawler Ranges claim.
“All the parties involved in the process leading to today’s outcome are to be congratulated for their willingness to work together to resolve the applications and reach agreement about how they will work together and how the Eringa and Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi People rights will be recognised and protected.”
The determinations will finalise three claimant applications by the Eringa People that were lodged in 1996, 1994 and 2010, and part of an application lodged by the Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi in 1997.
The consent determinations recognise the non-exclusive native title rights to access, hunt, fish, camp, gather and use the natural resources, undertake cultural activities, conduct ceremonies and meetings, and protect places of cultural and religious significance.
In conjunction with the consent determinations the SA Government and the Eringa and Wangkangurru/Yarluyandi People will enter into an indigenous land use agreement (ILUA) with pastoral lease holders in the area regarding the co-existence of native title and pastoral lease activities.
Attorney-General John Rau said that the “South Australian Government believes strongly in seeking, where possible, the resolution of major native title issues through consent and ILUA negotiations, in preference to contested litigation”. |