President of the National Native Title Tribunal

Mr Graeme Neate has been President of the National Native Title Tribunal since 1999 and is based in Brisbane. He was a part-time member of the Tribunal from 1995 up until he became President.

Before joining the Tribunal, Mr Neate was the Chairperson of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Lands Tribunal in Queensland and a member of the Land Court of Queensland. From 1988 to 1991, he was a senior solicitor in commercial property and environmental law at Freehill Hollingdale & Page, Sydney, and from 1986 to 1988 was the Principal Legal Officer with the Constitutional Commission.

Mr Neate worked with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in Canberra from 1982 to 1986 on a range of Aboriginal heritage and land matters. He became Director of the Legal Advising Section and assisted Justice Toohey with a comprehensive review of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cwlth). Mr Neate also chaired a panel of lawyers assisting the Federal Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal Steering Committee with proposals for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cwlth).

Mr Neate has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (with Honours) from the Australian National University in Canberra. He is admitted to practise as a legal practitioner in the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory, and as a solicitor in New South Wales and Queensland. He is also on the roll of barristers and solicitors in the High Court.

Mr Neate has published a book and numerous articles, chapters and conference papers on indigenous land and cultural heritage matters.