Reaching native title agreement over Tennant Creek
| 03/09/2007 |
At a special sitting today in Tennant Creek the Federal Court recognised the Patta Warumungu people as native title holders of about 27 sq km of land in the town.
National Native Title Tribunal President, Graeme Neate, said today's consent determination is a result of discussions that involved more than just the usual native title issues. The parties drove negotiations to look at wider town issues.
‘The nature of the agreements finalised today not only recognise rights under the traditional laws and customs of the Patta Warumungu people, they also allow for the future development of the Tennant Creek community.’
For the past three years the traditional owners, represented by the Central Land Council, and the Northern Territory Government, in consultation with the Tennant Creek Town Council and various mining companies, worked towards reaching agreement on the recognition of native title rights and interests in the area.
Through these discussions a comprehensive agreement that involved a consent determination was developed. It recognises the Patta Warumungu people's non-exclusive native title rights to live on, travel over and access the land; hunt, gather and take natural resources; and conduct ceremonies and other traditional activities. As part of the agreement, native title has been surrendered in parts of the town to provide for future residential and commercial development.
Mr Neate said that negotiations about the Patta Warumungu peoples' native title rights and interests showed that when mediation is approached with good will positive results for all parties can be achieved.
‘This is the first native title determination in the Northern Territory to be fully reached through a negotiated agreement rather than litigation. It is a significant achievement, particularly as it involves land in a town.’
‘This native title claim progressed much faster than most, taking only three years of negotiations. This is a third of the time it has taken to resolve many native title claims around the country, and the parties have also negotiated an indigenous land use agreement (ILUA).’
The ILUA between the NT Government and the Patta Warumungu people was signed today. It clarifies how the past extinguishment and present surrender of native title rights is to be compensated, and that good faith negotiations will start toward the creation of a park over the Devil's Pebbles.
For further information see our backgrounder and map. |
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