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The National Native Title Tribunal today moved to start mediating five native title applications in North Queensland to help people reach negotiated agreements.
Queensland State Manager Mr Simon Nish said the Tribunal had placed advertisements in The Townsville Bulletin, The Northern Miner and The Courier Mail giving interest holders three months to register as parties if they wanted to join the mediation.
The applications in the Croydon, Richmond, Flinders, and Dalrymple local government areas covered state land and waters only. All applications excluded private freehold land, which was not claimable.
Mr Nish said native title did not threaten the valid rights and interests of other citizens, including private freehold land owners, pastoral leaseholders, and the rights of the public to access national parks.
"We are advertising these applications so that anyone with an interest in the land or waters subject to the application can be involved in discussions about whether native title exists in the area and if so, how it might be recognised and respected in a way that preserves everyone's interests," said Mr Nish.
"Any interest holder wanting to join the mediation needs to contact the Federal Court in Brisbane before 22 November 2000. The Court will then decide who to formally accept as parties and when the Tribunal should start the mediation meetings."
The advertised applications were:
- Kudjala, Jirandali and Mitjumba People's application over Porcupine Gorge National Park in the Shire of Flinders;
- Kudjala and Jirandali Peoples' application over White Mountains National Park in the Shires of Dalrymple and Flinders;
- Santo Clan of the Kudjala People over Great Basalt Wall National Park, near Mt Hope in the Shire of Dalrymple;
- Kudjala People's application over Doongara Holdings near Mount Ross in the Shire of Dalrymple.
- Woolgar Group's application over Middlepark Holdings, southeast of Gilberton in the Shires of Croydon and Richmond.
Further information was available by contacting the NNTT on free call 1800 640 501.
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