Page 17 - Indiginous Australians

Mary Alp
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programs affected this body.
Account.
Abbotts’ government’s 2014 funding cut of $534 million to Indigenous 61
1996 saw the Wik Peoples v Queensland62decision where the High Court of Australia ruled that pastoral leases didn’t extinguish Native title in that state. They could co-exist. While this was a victory for Indigenous Australians, it also stated
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that in cases of conflict pastoral rights overrode Indigenous rights.
Definitions of
Land Rights & Native title below.
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Others successful land claims include : 2005 Aboriginal peoples of the Wimmera region of Western Victoria. For the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali & Jupagalk peoples this had been a ten year legal process & was granted because of ’severe suffering & extensive dispossession, degradation & devastation’ as a result of
Broome states that by 2019 Native Title existed on 39% of the Australian continent. One-third was under exclusive title & two-thirds was under non-
(See footnote 62 for definition of Native title & land rights. See
60 Wikipedia, ‘Aboriginal Land rights in Australia’,p2.
61 For example ABC News Budget 2014:$534 million cut to Indigenous programs; SBS 2015 ‘Minister cuts funding to troubled APY council’.
62 Wik Peoples – those living in the North East of Australia.
63 Wikipedia -‘Native Title in Australia’.
64 Definitions. -NATIVE TITLE - ‘arises as a result of the recognition of pre-existing Indigenous rights & interests according to traditional laws & customs’ (Native Title ag.gov.au); Proof of continuing connection to country (as Mabo) & ’claims can only be on vacant government owned lands’ (‘Native title’, Creative Spirits p4); Much of these claims are non-exclusive ie can be challenged by others – can co-exist alongside other rights ); Wikipedia p7, ‘Native title in Australia, re exclusive & non-exclusive possession, ‘Generally speaking Native title rights must give way to the rights held by others’7. LAND RIGHTS – ‘usually comprise of a grant of freehold or perpetual lease title to Indigenous Australians’ (Ibid, ag.gov.au), Land rights & native title – ‘the return of certain Crown lands to Aboriginal peoples as compensation for dispossession & the resulting ongoing disadvantage...p2.) See also
65 Wikipedia, ‘Native Title in Australia’, pp5-6
66 Wikipedia, ‘Aboriginal Land Rights in Australia’; Wikipedia, ‘Native title in Australia’.p3,p5.
67 R.Broome, Ibid, pp361-362.
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In 2004 more land was handed back to Maralinga Aboriginal people.
colonialism.
Other claims such as the Noongar peoples of WA are still on-going. 66
67 map).
exclusive title.