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The National Native Title Tribunal says it is getting ready to begin processing Northern Territory mining and exploration tenement applications through Federal native title law.
President Graeme Neate said he had boosted staff in the Tribunal's Darwin office to prepare for the influx of more than 1,000 mining and exploration tenement applications following the Territory Government's decision to work within Federal native title laws in the face of Senate opposition to its alternative scheme.
He said the Tribunal was preparing to deal with any new native title applications made by Aboriginal people where mining or exploration was proposed, as well as the Territory's existing backlog of mining and exploration tenement applications.
Mr Neate said the Tribunal had five years of experience around Australia in processing mining and exploration applications on land where native title might survive.
"Federal native title law does not give Aboriginal people a veto on development. But it does provide them with the right to have a say on mining or exploration proposals that might have an adverse impact on their prospective native title rights and interests."
Mr Neate said he was pleased the Territory Government had indicated it was prepared to work closely and in good faith with the land councils to bring about the grant of the mining tenements.
"In the Tribunal's experience, the workability of the system is as much about goodwill and the commitment of everyone involved to negotiation as it is about the legal framework," he said.
"To date, nationwide, seven out of 10 exploration and other low impact applications have been granted without the requirement for native title negotiation."
Mr Neate said he was confident Northern Territory mining and exploration tenement applications could be handled in a timely and efficient way if the parties were committed to an orderly and co-operative process.
"The Tribunal will assess what additional resources it needs to devote to Northern Territory matters in light of the volume and rate of work generated," he said.
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