Native Title Report 2006

Community Guide

Report Contents

• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1: Indigenous Perspectives on Land and Land Use
• Chapter 2: Economic Development Reforms on Indigenous Land
• Chapter 3: The Australian Government and the Minerals Council of Australia Memorandum of Understanding and the East Kimberley Regional Partnership Agreement
• Chapter 4: South Australia’s State-Wide Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) Framework
• Chapter 5: The Argyle Participation Agreement
• Chapter 6: Ngarda Civil and Mining
• Chapter 7: The Yarrabah Housing Project
• Appendix 1: Possession rights and subsurface rights to land and seas under land rights legislations, Australia 2006
• Appendix 2: National funding and programs to support Indigenous economic development
• Appendix 3: Recommendations and relevant international human rights law
• Acknowledgments
• Note on use of the terms ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ and ‘Indigenous peoples’

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Chapter Downloads

Media Pack and Information Sheets

Also see

• Social Justice Report 2006

Transmittal Letter

05 April 2007

The Hon Philip Ruddock MP

Attorney-General

Parliament House

CANBERRA ACT 2600

Dear Attorney

I am pleased to present to you the Native Title Report 2006.

The report is provided in accordance with section 209 of the Native Title Act 1993. In light of recent developments in land rights during the reporting period, I have also examined the enjoyment and exercise of human rights by Aboriginal persons and Torres Strait Islander persons in accordance with section 46(1)(a) of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986.

The report examines the Australian Government’s economic reform agenda on Indigenous communal land by assessing the appropriateness of the reforms to the geographical and human contexts of remote Indigenous Australia. I also provide an assessment of the land leasing provisions in the amended Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) and an analysis of the Australian Government’s Indigenous home ownership and enterprise development policies.

The report makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving economic development opportunities for Indigenous people. It also includes five case studies that document a range of Australian agreements and enterprises aim to stimulate economic development on Indigenous land.

I look forward to discussing the report with you.

Yours sincerely

Mr Tom Calma

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Social Justice Commissioner