AustLII Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback

Indigenous Law Bulletin

Indigenous Law Bulletin
You are here:  AustLII >> Databases >> Indigenous Law Bulletin >> 1999 >> [1999] IndigLawB 64

Database Search | Name Search | Recent Articles | Noteup | LawCite | Help

Beaumont, Techa; Heraghty, Ben; Kwan, Joanna; Pitcher Celia; Simpson, Nardia --- "Recent Happenings" [1999] IndigLawB 64; (1999) 4(22) Indigenous Law Bulletin 24


Recent Happenings

Compiled by Techa Beaumont, Ben Heraghty, Joanna Kwan, Celia Pitcher and Nardia Simpson

1 May

Justice Maurice O’Loughlin of the Federal Court in Darwin granted

standing to Ms Lorna Cubillo and Mr Peter Gunner, both members of the stolen generation, to pursue an action claiming compensation for the lifelong mental harm caused to them by the Federal Government’s removal of them from their families and communities in the 1940s and 50s. (See this issue, p )

3 May

Australia's first national Indigenous credit union, First Nations Advantage Credit Union, opened today in Shepparton, Victoria, home of the Yorta Yorta people. First Nations aims to provide 'culturally focused' banking services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The initiative was set up by Advantage Credit Union, with help from ATSIC and the government-funded CreditCare program for regional banking areas.

4 May

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander Affairs began a week of hearings in Katherine. The purpose of the hearings is to examine the reaction to the Reeves Report which has recommended significant changes to NT Land Rights legislation including the break-up of Central and Northern Land Councils.

4 May

The Full Bench of the High Court commenced hearing an appeal against the Queensland Court of Appeal’s decision in Eaton v Yanner (See 1998 4(15) ILB 21). The appeal will determine whether the Fauna Conservation Act 1974 (QLD) extinguishes Indigenous Australians’ common law native title rights to traditional hunting.

6 May

Justice Lee of the Federal Court ordered the NT and WA Governments to pay the Miriuwung Gajerrong peoples’ legal costs in relation to the case of Ben Ward & Ors v State of WA & Ors (1998) 24 November 1998. The Miriuwung and Gajerrong peoples, the first applicants in the case, were the only successful native title claimants in the case. (See (1999) 4(21) ILB 24). Costs were split between the WA Government (75%) and the NT Government (25%).

6 May

The Journey of Healing, commemorating the inaugural Sorry Day 1998, was launched at Uluru.

7May

It was publicly reported that the NSW Land and Environment Court last month granted the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council title to 4000 ha of former state forest in suburban Glenorie in Sydney’s North-West.

11 May

Handing down its 1999 budget, the Federal Government stated for the first time that it may be liable for hundreds of millions of dollars of compensation for members of the Stolen Generations. It was said that 2200 claims are under way against the Commonwealth. (See this issue p).

The budget increases spending on Indigenous Australians in the following areas: employment ($52 million for an Indigenous Employment Program to encourage jobs in the private sector); health ($21.4 million); education ($16.3 million), and housing ($20 million over four years to send the army to remote communities to install water, sewage and housing facilities).

12 May

Following the sentencing of an Aboriginal man to 12 month’s imprisonment for stealing a towel, Senator Bob Brown announced that he would introduce a private member’s bill overriding the NT’s mandatory sentencing laws in the Senate next month.

13 May

ERA will continue construction at its uranium mine at Jabiluka in Kakadu National Park. The construction threatens to desecrate the Boyweg-Almudj site, sacred to the Mirrar people. The company’s decision directly contradicts a resolution passed at its parent company North Ltd’s 1998 annual general meeting to engage in dialogue with the traditional owners.

13 May

The NT Government has commissioned former Labor Minister Bob Collins to prepare a submission on NT education for the HREOC’s inquiry into the Territory’s unilateral decision to axe bilingual education for Aboriginal students. Collins’ review is expected in August.

13 May

Mr Ossie Cruse, Chairman of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council admitted to the NSW ICAC that he had illegally taken $3 million from the Council’s statutory fund account.

15 May

A tourist was rescued from the summit of one of the domes of Kata Tjuta, a sacred site of the Anangu people. He faces penalties of $1,000 for climbing the dome and for taking commercial photographs.

17 May

Former High Court Judge and Co-Author of the Stolen Generations Report, Sir Ronald Wilson, labelled as offensive the Federal Government's dismissal of the UN CERD Committee’s finding that the Wik legislation should be amended because it discriminates against Aborigines.

17 May

Jim Spigelman, Chief Justice of NSW, called on Aunty Ali Golding, tribal elder of the Biripi people to welcome those attending the ceremonial sitting marking the 175th anniversary of the Supreme Court of NSW.

18 May

SA Attorney-General Mr Griffin announced that mandatory sentencing laws would not be introduced in that state.

18 May

Sam Newman, who settled a racial vilification dispute with Western Bulldogs player Nicky Winmar via a mediation conducted by the AFL Tribunal, stated that the mediation, and resulting apologies, were ‘a charade’.

24 May

National Reconciliation Week

Four Aboriginal women, members of the ‘stolen generation’ were awarded compensation by the Victorian Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal. They had been sexually assaulted while in the care of their white foster families.

24 May

The Goldfields Land Council committee has appointed a woman, Nancy Gordan to its governing board, doubling the number of women on the committee.

26 May

National Sorry Day

The Queensland Parliament officially apologised to victims of the State-sanctioned policies of removing Aboriginal children from their families. At the same time it affirmed its support for Aboriginal self-determination and commitment to reconcilation.

28 May

Senator Robert Hill, Federal Minister for Environment and Heritage, declined to make an emergency declaration of protection in relation to the sacred Boiweg-Almudj site complex on the Jabiluka mineral lease.


AustLII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback
URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/IndigLawB/1999/64.html