Talking Native Title archive 

23 December 2010
New contact details
The Tribunal is upgrading its telephone systems, requiring a change of phone numbers. Perth Principal and Western Australia Registries have made the change; the switchboard number for both registries i More...

23 December 2010
Tribunal closed over festive season
All Tribunal registries will be closed for the festive season. Registries will wind down operations from 12 noon on Friday 24 December, and will remain closed until 9am, Tuesday 4 January 2011. Staff a More...

23 December 2010
Summary of recent determinations
There have been a series of determinations over the last four months. Below is a summary of recent determinations of native title.Waanyi People determinationFederal Court Justice Dowsett handed do More...

25 November 2010
Helen Shurven appointed as new Tribunal Member
National Native Title Tribunal President Graeme Neate has advised that the Governor-General has appointed Ms Helen Shurven to be a part-time Member of the Tribunal, based in Western Australia, for 12 m More...

17 August 2010
Update for Talking Native Title subscribers
The Tribunal’s Talking Native Title online news service continues to provide regular news updates about events and developments in the native title sector. Subscribers currently receive a monthly emai More...

06 August 2010
Tribunal registers second Yawuru ILUA
The National Native Title Tribunal has today registered a second indigenous land use agreement (ILUA) relating to the Yawuru People, in Broome, Western Australia. The area agreement between the Yawuru More...

05 August 2010
Jangga local government agreement provides certainty about rights
The Jangga People have been recognised as traditional custodians of their land in an indigenous land use agreement (ILUA) with three north Queensland regional councils that protects cultural heritage a More...

02 August 2010
Central Australia Registry to serve SA and NT
The National Native Title Tribunal now provides services to Northern Territory and South Australia clients from one office, the Central Australia Registry, in Adelaide. The Central Australia Registry More...

26 July 2010
Survey results show client satisfaction with Tribunal services
Tribunal President Graeme Neate has welcomed new research which has shown the level of client satisfaction with Tribunal work has increased. The independent research, undertaken every two years to rep More...

22 July 2010
Tribunal records contribute to Australia's history
The Tribunal’s work in native title is now more firmly established in Australia’s history after working with National Archives of Australia (NAA) to develop a records authority. In 2009 the Tribunal a More...

16 July 2010
Tribunal takes native title information to the regions
Native title stakeholders in regional Western Australia benefited from Tribunal expertise in a series of five native title information seminars, held in May and June. WA Registry future act and nativ More...

07 July 2010
NAIDOC Week—time to acknowledge unsung heroes
‘Unsung heroes—closing the gap by leading their way’ is the theme for this year’s NAIDOC Week, and celebrates the quiet achievers in the Indigenous community, both now and in the past. Tribunal Presid More...

02 July 2010
Torres Strait Islanders’ sea rights recognised
Torres Strait Islanders’ native title rights over about 37,800sq km of sea between Cape York Peninsula and Papua New Guinea were legally recognised today at a Federal Court hearing in Cairns. Justice More...

28 June 2010
Tribunal’s Melbourne office on the move
The Tribunal’s Victoria/Tasmania Registry has moved to the Commonwealth Law Courts building in Melbourne. On 28 June the registry began operating from Level 6 in the Owen Dixon Commonwealth Law Court More...

23 June 2010
Central Australia Registry to provide Tribunal's SA and NT services
The National Native Title Tribunal’s Northern Territory and South Australian native title services will be provided by a single registry based in Adelaide from 2 August this year. The Tribunal’s Regis More...

21 June 2010
National native title issues the focus for AIATSIS conference
National Native Title Tribunal representatives joined Australia’s native title leaders and policy-makers in Canberra early this month for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island More...

27 May 2010
Native title process supports reconciliation
“Reconciliation: let’s see it through” is the call from Reconciliation Australia for this year’s National Reconciliation Week celebrations, to run from 27 May to 3 June. National Native Title Tribunal More...

25 May 2010
Regional and national changes for native title leadership
Native title leadership changes in recent months mean some fresh perspectives have emerged in the native title sector—however these come from leaders with considerable experience. The National Na More...

25 May 2010
Tablelands’ agreement builds on previous success
Building on lessons learned and experience gained under the native title system, traditional owners and the regional council on Far North Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands have developed an agreement t More...

25 May 2010
Tribunal registers Yawuru agreement
 The National Native Title Tribunal has registered the 20th indigenous land use agreement (ILUA) for Western Australia, bringing the total number of agreements on the ILUA register Australia-wide More...

11 May 2010
North West Expo visitors gain from Tribunal’s experts
People with an interest in native title made the most of National Native Title Tribunal experts at the North West Expo, held in Western Australia’s Kimberley town of Broome on 1 and 2 May. About 6,400 More...

22 April 2010
WA-based member to leave National Native Title Tribunal
Western Australian-based Member John Catlin has resigned from the National Native Title Tribunal after more than six years with the organisation. Mr Catlin became a full-time member in October 2003 an More...

22 April 2010
Land ownership book includes Tribunal expertise
The role of property and land title in access to communally-held land and resources is the subject of a new book, edited by Professor Lee Godden and Associate Professor Maureen Tehan from Melbourne Law More...

16 April 2010
Native Title Hot Spots cases now easier to find
Native title cases examined in the Tribunal’s Native Title Hot Spots newsletter are now easier to find with the introduction of a new online search facility. Native Title Hot Spots is published by the More...

08 April 2010
Tribunal report: trend for consent continues
A two-year trend for native title parties to consent to determinations rather than to litigate has continued, according to a status report by the National Native Title Tribunal. The Tribunal has relea More...

26 March 2010
Call for comment on proposed PBC rule changes
Proposed amendments to regulations for prescribed bodies corporate (PBC) under the Native Title Act are now available for public comment. Interested people or organisations have until 30 April 2010 to More...

24 March 2010
Bardi and Jawi appeal upheld
The Full Federal Court has upheld an appeal to a 2005 native title determination by Western Australia’s Bardi and Jawi people. The decision on 18 March overturns part of the previous determination and More...

15 March 2010
More ILUA information now available online
People with an interest in native title and related matters are now able to conduct their own searches of the Register of Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUA Register) through the National Native Titl More...

10 March 2010
The Yawuru People's native title journey
The Yawuru People of the Broome region, in Western Australia, have experienced a long and eventful journey on their road to resolving their native title claims. The people's work began in 1994 when t More...

08 March 2010
We need a moment of your time to help us out
The National Native Title Tribunal wants to know if clients around Australia were satisfied with its work in 2009. We’re conducting a survey to find out—and are keen to hear what you think about More...

26 February 2010
Native title evidence the basis for Noongar history
One of the most challenging tasks facing Indigenous people who have made a native title claim is compiling evidence to prove their ongoing connection to country. It can take years to research all the More...

19 February 2010
Dunghutti People celebrate native title milestone
The first native title holders recognised under the Native Title Act today achieved another milestone when a compensation agreement was finalised for 12.4ha of land at Crescent Head, on the north coast More...

11 February 2010
Report provides overview of Australian Public Service
The Commonwealth Government has recently published its 2008-09 State of the Service Report which provides a comprehensive summary of the workforce trends and capabilities of the Australian Public Servi More...

04 February 2010
Native Title Report 2009: President welcomes practical recommendations
The native title system could be used more effectively if participants changed some of their practices and adopted an interest-based approach to negotiations, said Tribunal President Graeme Neate. “Th More...

25 January 2010
Dulabed and Malanbarra Yidinji achieve long held dream of native title recognition
For Dulabed woman Lorraine Muckan, the legal recognition of her people’s native title rights in far north Queensland on 17 December 2009 was the fulfilment of their elders’ dreams.As she watched Justic More...

18 January 2010
Native title determinations – what happens when conditions apply?
In some cases a determination of native title does not become legally effective until another event has happened or a condition is met. The most common conditions are that a prescribed body corporate More...

12 January 2010
Member celebrates 10 years and reappointment
Being part of a process that can build lasting relationships is one of the most satisfying aspects of work as a National Native Title Tribunal member, says Gaye Sculthorpe. The Melbourne-based member More...

05 January 2010
Tribunal publications help explain native title
Website visitors have access to more than 30 publications produced by the National Native Title Tribunal to explain native title processes. The catalogue of brochures, reports, DVDs and booklets con More...

24 December 2009
Tribunal closes for festive period
The National Native Title Tribunal will close for the festive period at the close of business on Thursday 24 December 2009.              More...

22 December 2009
Member addresses emotion in native title mediation
Members of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) received advice on managing emotion during native title negotiations, in a paper presented by National Native Title Tribunal Membe More...

15 December 2009
Native title progresses in 2009: President
By National Native Title Tribunal President Graeme Neate Achievement and change have been features of native title in Australia and the work of the National Native Title Tribunal in 2009.    More...

10 December 2009
Rights strengthen Gunditjmara identity
The pace hasn't slowed for Victoria’s Gunditjmara People since their native title rights were recognised over 140,000 hectares in the State’s far south-west in 2007.       More...

01 December 2009
Parties see a positive future through telescope agreement
An indigenous land use agreement (ILUA) has been registered by the National Native Title Tribunal that aims for the stars—while also benefiting local traditional owners and Australian advances in scien More...

24 November 2009
Thudgari People celebrate native title recognition
More than 100 people travelled hundreds of kilometres to South Bore at Ullawarra Station in Western Australia’s upper Gascoyne region on 18 November to hear  Federal Court judge Justice Michael Ba More...

16 November 2009
Step-by-step Kowanyama achieve native title recognition
In just a few words native title holder Priscilla Major summed up the mood in the north Queensland town of Kowanyama on 22 October: “Today I feel like dancing through my tears”. The Kowanyama People h More...

01 September 2009
Future act decision protects significant area
There are processes to follow if exploration or mining is proposed on land where native title has been claimed or determined. Many miners and developers recognise that giving native title holders or r More...

01 September 2009
Legal training improves ILUA understanding
A training program developed by the National Native Title Tribunal with the Aurora Project has helped legal staff at native title representative bodies better understand indigenous land use agreements More...

08 August 2009
Native title moves forward in the NT
Agreements between parties to native title applications have led to the resolution of two native title applications in the Northern Territory this year. Consent determinations were made by Justice Joh More...

30 June 2009
MoUs: first step to native title
Native title settlement is a step closer for Queensland’s Pitta Pitta and Kalkadoon peoples after signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with local governments in central and north-west Queensland More...

26 June 2009
Kuuku Ya'u people achieve first consent determination over Queensland seas
The Kuuku Ya’u People of Queensland’s Far North hunt and fish in the Coral Sea as they have done for thousands of years – but now they do so as recognised native title holders under Australian law. More...

11 June 2009
Nyangumarta People gain from positive mediation
The willingness of parties to engage in mediation has paved the way for the recognition of native title rights and interests for WA’s Nyangumarta People. National Native Title Tribunal Member John Cat More...