Director of Fisheries (Northern Territory) v Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust [2001] FCA 98

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Director of Fisheries (Northern Territory) v Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust [2001] FCA 98 ABORIGINES – grant of land pursuant to Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) – grant made to low water mark along coast and to line at low water mark joining seaward extremities of rivers, streams and estuaries – whether holder of commercial fishing licence entitled to take fish from waters overlying land by virtue of licence. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – appeals – primary Judge answers separate questions pursuant to Federal Court Rules, O 29 r 2 – whether sufficient facts found to enable questions to be asked – whether power on appeal to substitute amended questions – whether appropriate to do so.

Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth), ss 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, 19, 21, 23, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, Sch 1. Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth), s 22(1)(c). Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Act 1987 (Cth). Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), ss 24, 28, 33C(1). Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978 (Cth). Federal Court Rules, O 29 r 2. Fisheries Act 1988 (NT), ss 4, 10, 11, 22, 23, 25. Crown Lands Ordinance 1927 (NT), s 102. Crown Lands Ordinance 1931 (NT), s 103(1). Aboriginals Ordinance 1918 (NT), ss 3, 5, 19, 19AA. Welfare Ordinance 1953 (NT), s 8(e). Social Welfare Ordinance 1964 (NT), s 10(b). Aboriginals Ordinance 1937 (NT). Welfare Ordinance 1953 (NT), s 45. Social Welfare Ordinance 1964 (NT), s 6(a), 17(3). Social Welfare Ordinance 1978 (NT), s 5. Fisheries Ordinance 1965 (NT), ss 15, 16. Fish and Fisheries Act 1979 (NT), ss 5, 27, 28. Northern Territory Crown Lands Act 1890 (SA), s 6(f). A Raptis & Son v South Australia (1977) 138 CLR 346, referred to. Yarmirr v Northern Territory (1998) 82 FCR 533, referred to Commonwealth v Yarmirr (1999) 168 ALR 426, referred to. R v Toohey; Ex parte Meneling Station Pty Ltd (1982) 158 CLR 327, referred to. Milirrpum v Nabalco Pty Ltd (1971) 17 FLR 141, referred to. Kruger v Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 1, referred to. Kitakoka v Commonwealth (unreported, Supreme Court of Northern Territory, Wells J, 1937), referred to. Harper v Minister for Sea Fisheries (1989) 168 CLR 314, referred to. Bass v Permanent Trustee Co Ltd (1999) 198 CLR 334, followed. DJL v Central Authority (2000) 170 ALR 659, referred to. CDJ v VAJ (1998) 197 CLR 172, referred to. Teoh v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1994) 49 FCR 409, followed. Classic Gourmet Sausages Pty Ltd v Leda Commercial Properties Pty Ltd (2000) 97 FCR 313, followed. White v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2000) 96 FCR 511, referred to. Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Teoh (1995) 183 CLR 273, referred to. CBS Productions Pty Ltd v O'Neill (1985) 1 NSWLR 601, referred to. Attorney-General for British Columbia v Attorney-General for Canada [1914] AC 159, referred to.