Combined Gunggandji People v State of Queensland [2009] FCA 979

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Combined Gunggandji People v State of Queensland [2009] FCA 979

NATIVE TITLE – deed of grant of land in trust – whether lease pursuant to s 316A of the Land Act 1962 (Qld) – interpretation and effect of s 361A the Land Act 1962 (Qld) – ownership of improvements by somebody other than the Crown or the holder of the fee simple title pursuant to a deed of grant – whether improvements on land prior to the deed of grant – whether ss 343 and 344 of the Land Act 1962 (Qld) or ss 57 and 61 of the Land Act 1994 (Qld) should be applied as imposing a requirement for ministerial approval of any lease and in fixing its term – application of s 20 of Acts Interpretation Act 1954 (Qld) NATIVE TITLE – deed of grant of land in trust – whether licence pursuant to s 425 Land Act 1994 (Qld) – whether continued occupation of land Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ss 61, 225 Acts Interpretation Act 1910 (Cth) s 8 Land Act 1962 (Qld) ss 5, 21, 236, 237, 238, 343, 344, 361A Land Act 1994 (Qld) ss 57, 425A, 511, 520 Land Act (Aboriginal and Islander Land Grants) Amendment Act 1982 (Qld) Acts Interpretation Act 1954 (Qld) s 20, 32C(a) Commissioner of Main Roads v The North Shore Gas Company Limited (1967) 120 CLR 118 considered Abbott v Minister for Lands [1895] AC 425 considered Australand Corporation (Qld) Pty Ltd v Johnson [2008] 1 Qd R 203 cited Director of Public Works v Ho Po Sang [1961] AC 901 considered Mathieson v Burton (1970) 124 CLR 1 considered NSW Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering The Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act and the Western Lands Act (1988) 14 NSWLR 685 considered Esber v The Commonwealth of Australia (1991) 174 CLR 430 considered Resort Management Services Ltd v Noosa Shire Council (1997) 2 Qd R 291 cited Chang v Laidley Shire Council (2007) 234 CLR 1 considered LESLIE MURGHA AND STEWART ERIC HARRIS ON BEHALF OF THE COMBINED GUNGGANDJI PEOPLE v STATE OF QUEENSLAND, CAIRNS PORT AUTHORITY, CAIRNS REGIONAL COUNCIL, YARRABAH ABORIGINAL SHIRE COUNCIL, PERCY & ALF NEAL, BLACK AND WHITE (QUICK SERVICE) TAXIS PTY LTD, ERGON ENERGY CORPORATION LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED, BRENT ROBERT BASIL BATCH, JM CAMPBELL, WAYNE CHADWICK, NT CHAPMAN, JOHN DEUBLE, WILLIAM DILLON, BARRY EHRKE, DANIEL GARY HUDSON, DON MCKINNON, DONALD ALAN MORRIS, JON NEVILLE, ROBERT PETER RALPH, BRUCE ROSE, ROBERT STEFAN JOHN STANDEN, PAUL RICHARD WILLIAMS, MICHAEL CONNOLLY, VANCE HENRY GORDON, THE PUBLIC TRUSTEE OF QUEENSLAND AS EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF ALAN CONRAD KYNUNA SNR, HARRY BLUCHER LUDWICK, DARRYL RALPH POLLARD AND ELAINE MARINA POLLARD, ALLAN MIMO YEATMAN, FITZROY ISLAND HOLDINGS PTY LTD and QUICKSILVER CONNECTIONS LIMITED