Chisholm, Helen; Hanson, Cameron; Murphy, Joanne; Sinclair, Danny --- "Recent Happenings" [1996] AboriginalLawB 58; (1996) 3(83) Aboriginal Law Bulletin 11

• Recent Happenings
• 14 July
• 15 July
• 17 July
• 17 July
• 18 July
• 18 July
• 27 July
• 27 July
• 27 July
• 28 July
• 29 July

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Recent Happenings

Compiled by Helen Chisholm, Cameron Hanson, Joanne Murphy and Danny Sinclair

14 July

The Attorney-General for the Northern Territory, Mr Denis Burke, vowed to press ahead with plans to give greater recognition to Indigenous customary law in the Territory. He urged other Attorneys-General to follow his example, citing amongst other reasons the need to reduce the number of Indigenous Australians in prison.

15 July

CRA withdrew its request for special Queensland and federal Government ‘enabling legislation’ for its proposed Century Zinc mine in far north Queensland. The company announced that it now intends to negotiate with the relevant Aboriginal communities within the framework of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth). The move drew angry responses from both the Queensland premier, Mr Bob Borbidge, and Aboriginal leader, Mr Murandoo Yanner.

17 July

The chairwoman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Ms Lois O’Donoghue, called for the greater use of shaming Aboriginal juveniles before their families and communities, in order to reduce recidivism rates among Indigenous children.

17 July

The Federal Minister for Communications, Senator Richard Alston, was criticised for claiming that the Australian Broadcasting Commission gives to much emphasis to issues such as racism and Indigenous affairs in its reporting services.

18 July

The Western Australian Aboriginal Legal Service claimed before the National Native Title Tribunal that the Western Australian Government was not negotiating in good faith with the Njamal people as required under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), and contrary to a recent Federal Court decision requiring it to do so. The State Government rejected the claim, arguing that it had tried to get the various parties together to negotiate, and that it was willing to be involved in talks.

18 July

The Catholic Church apologised for its role in the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children form their families, and its assistance with the implementation of assimilationist Government policies and practices. The Church said it provide any records needed for Indigenous people seeking to trace their family histories, but warned that in many cases the records may be insubstantial or else non-existent.

27 July

The Carpentaria Land Council announced a refusal of its earlier refusal to negotiate with CRA over the proposed Century Zinc mine site, after a treat from CRA that it might withdraw it offer of $60 million compensation for Indigenous owners from the Gulf of Carpentaria.

27 July

Mark and Wendy Chapman, the developers involved in the Kumarangk/Hindmarsh Island Bridge saga, asked the South Australian police to investigate some Indigenous groups for fraud, because of their opposition of the construction of a bridge at the site for spiritual reasons.

27 July

It was reported that widespread opposition by Indigenous people to the Northern Territory’s voluntary euthanasia legislation has damaged confidence in modern medical services, and has lead to fear of ‘legal genocide’ among many Indigenous groups.

28 July

The Victorian Minister for Planning intervened in a dispute between Kraft Foods Manufacturers and local Indigenous groups near Kow Swamp. The Indigenous groups have been opposed to Kraft Food’s intention to construct a pipeline next to the Kow Swamp Indigenous burial ground.

29 July

Assault charges against nine Indigenous people from Jigalong community in Western Australia were dropped. The people has been charged with assaulting two women, aged 14 and 25, for breaking tribal law. The jury found that the women had consented, or is believed to have consented, to the punishment for breaking Martu law by riding on a truck with the body of the 14 year old woman’s deceased grandfather.