The National Native Title Tribunal is advertising a native title application covering an area of Brue Reef in Western Australia's Kimberley region so that people with interests in the area may have an opportunity to participate in talks about the application.
Tribunal State Manager, Mr Andrew Jaggers, said the native title applicants were seeking legal recognition of their native title rights and interests over 0.74 square kilometres of Brue Reef, located approximately 50 kilometres north of Cape Leveque.
The application, Bardi and Jawi People — Brue Reef, is not located within any local government area. The claimed area lies within the 12 nautical mile limit and within the western boundary of Mayala native title determination application.
On 27 February 2004 a claimant application was filed in the Federal Court seeking a determination of native title over the area covered by the application. The Native Title Registrar has not accepted this application for registration, however it may still proceed to the Tribunal for mediation and/or to the Federal Court for determination.
‘People or organisations with interests in this area can register with the Federal Court to become a party to the application,’ Mr Jaggers said.
He said the key groups and individuals that may have interests in the claimed areas would be those with fishing or government interests.
Any person who thinks they may have an interest in the claim has until 21 December 2004 to apply to the District Registrar of the Federal Court to become a party to the application.
On 7 April 2004, the Federal Court made important orders about this application. A copy of these orders is included in the notices that the National Native Title Tribunal has placed in the West Australian, the Koori Mail and the Broome Advertiser.
Further information is available from the National Native Title Tribunal on freecall 1800 640 501.