The National Native Title Tribunal has today moved to register an indigenous land use agreement about small mining projects, in the Opalton area of Western Queensland.
Tribunal Registrar Mr Chris Doepel said he had decided to advertise the agreement after checking it complied with the Native Title Act.
The agreement, between native title groups, the Gurang Land Council (Aboriginal Corporation), the Queensland Government, the Mining Registrar, 21 miners and the Queensland Boulder Opal Association, covers a total area of about 97 hectares near Opalton, in the Shire of Winton.
The agreement gives the go ahead for the grant of new mining leases without having to go through the right to negotiate process.
Mr Doepel said that if the agreement is registered by the Tribunal, it will become legally binding on all native title holders to the area whether they have been parties to the agreement or not.
The Tribunal has placed notices in The Courier Mail, The Longreach Leader and The Koori Mail, saying that anyone who claims to have native title to the area and has not authorised the agreement has three months to object to its registration.
"The Gurang Land Council (Aboriginal Corporation) has certified the agreement, saying it undertook a consultation process to identify the potential native title holders in the area and obtained their authorisation for the agreement," said Mr Doepel.
"Anyone who claims to hold native title to the area who has not authorised the agreement can object in writing by 6 December 2000 to the agreement being registered."
Mr Doepel said if there were no objections, the agreement would be formally registered in December. |