This morning in Perth the Federal Court made a consent determination* recognising the Ngaanyatjarra People’s native title rights over 1,429 sq km of reserves and unallocated land.  It follows a consent determination made in 2005 which recognised their native title rights over most of their traditional lands, and concludes their native title claim lodged in 2004.

The Ngaanyatjarra People are now native title holders of 169,184 sq km of land and waters, the largest area in Australia where native title has been found to exist.

Today’s determination recognises the Ngaanyatjarra People’s exclusive native title rights over most of the 1,429 sq km area.  Their non-exclusive rights have been recognised over the Warburton Range Stock Route, which traverses the determination area.

The Ngaanyatjarra People reached this outcome through negotiations with the State Government and the Shire of Laverton, which resulted in an agreement about their respective rights and interests.   This agreement was ratified under law through today’s consent determination.

National Native Title Tribunal Member, John Catlin, congratulated the parties on negotiating an agreement that finalised the process of recognising the Ngaanyatjarra People’s native title rights and settled any issues associated with the future uses of the land.

Australia-wide 110 determinations have been made, 77 of which have found that native title exists.

*A native title determination is a decision by the Federal Court of Australia that native title does or does not exist over an area of land or water.  If the parties to a native title claim reach agreement, and the Federal Court endorses the agreement, it is called a consent determination.