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Australia's first indigenous land use agreement under the new federal native title laws, moves into public notification today.
The Area Agreement between Adelong Consolidated Gold Mines NL, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and representatives of the Walgalu and Wiradjuri people in the Tumut and Adelong area of NSW, was the first lodged for registration with the National Native Title Tribunal.
Tribunal Registrar Mr Chris Doepel said under the new Native Title Act, the process of registration with the Tribunal ensures that the Agreement has contractual force.
"If registered, an indigenous land use agreement becomes legally binding on all native title holders in the area," said Mr Doepel.
The NSW Aboriginal Land Council - as the native title representative body - has certified the Adelong Area Agreement, saying it undertook a consultation process to identify the potential native title holders in the area and obtained their authorisation for the Agreement.
The Tribunal has placed advertisements about registration of the Adelong Area Agreement in national, state and local newspapers. The advertisements say people who claim to have native title to the area have until 9 June to lodge an objection to registration of the Agreement.
"The notification process gives other potential native title holders the chance to object to the registration of the agreement on the grounds that the representative body had not met the certification requirements under the Act," said Mr Doepel.
Under the terms of the Agreement, representatives of the Walgalu and Wiradjuri people consent to mining operations by Adelong Consolidated Gold Mines in the area. The agreement also includes the transfer of shares to the Aboriginal community, employment opportunities, cultural heritage protection and environmental monitoring.
"Indigenous Land Use Agreements can, amongst other things, allow developments to proceed in ways that address cultural concerns, before other issues are determined under the Native Title Act," said Mr Doepel.
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