Page 18 - Indiginous Australians

Mary Alp
Conclusion Land Claims
Although these land claims look generous, a large majority were/are problematic. When we look at Native title we note that there are clauses that make many of these rights tenuous. Besides having to prove continuing connection to land the legal process is expensive & can take many years. Added to this the majority of Native Titles are non-exclusive titles. This means that for many Indigenous Australians living on these lands the future is always uncertain - as one Aboriginal organization points out –‘If the rights of pastoralists, mining companies, federal government, or private owners come into conflict with Native Title rights, they
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create land-based income generated enterprises’.
see that much of this land is in remote & arid areas where productivity could be limited. The future of the 1970s Indigenous inspired Homelands Movement is also tenuous. While this action of self-determination has helped healing & identity, the significant underfunding for these remote out stations is challenging for the
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communities as is their tenure . Despite the positive health findings & despite
the elders wanting to stay on their own lands, the government is considering moving these outstations to new growth centres. To this end the government have reduced funding. Abbotts comment regarding the communities wish to
71 remain on their own land was simply - we don’t finance ‘lifestyle choices’. This
opinion is reflected in the WA state government’s 2015 threat to close 120 outstations before finally relenting. This not only dismisses notions of equality & self -determination, but also disregards the rights of Indigenous Peoples set out
68 Aiatsis,’Land rights’p3.
69 Oxfam Australia,2016, ‘The fight for Aboriginal land rights continues’p2.
70 Creative spirits, ‘Aboriginal homelands & Outstations’; Amnesty International, ’Aboriginal Homelands’; Human rights.gov.au ‘Sustaining Homelands movement communities’..
71 R.Broome,Ibid,pp.367-368; Press-files anu.edu.au ’Experiments in self-determination?’
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supersede Native Title’
Australians self- determination which according to a Kimberly spokesperson – (Native Title)’ affords people very limited ability to control development & to
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. This caveat on Native Title restricts Indigenous
If we look at the map we can