Aplin on behalf of the Waanyi Peoples v State of Queensland [2010] FCA 625

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Aplin on behalf of the Waanyi Peoples v State of Queensland [2010] FCA 625 Citation: Aplin on behalf of the Waanyi Peoples v State of Queensland [2010] FCA 625

Parties: DAWN APLIN, MALCOLM GEORGE, EUNICE O'KEEFE, FRED O'KEEFE AND ADA WALDEN ON BEHALF OF THE WAANYI PEOPLES v STATE OF QUEENSLAND, MOUNT ISA CITY COUNCIL, BURKE SHIRE COUNCIL, THE NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA, CARPENTARIA LAND COUNCIL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION, GREGORY LLOYD PHILLIPS, ERGON ENERGY CORPORATION LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED, MMG CENTURY LIMITED (FORMERLY OZ MINERALS CENTURY LIMITED), MOUNT ISA MINES LIMITED and AA COMPANY PTY LTD, BEZUMA PASTORAL CO PTY LTD, GAMBAMORA INDUSTRIES PTY LTD, LINDSAY WRAY MILLER, VIVIAN RAYMOND MILLER, STANBROKE PASTORAL COMPANY PTY LTD, VENLOCK PTY LTD, ALAN JAMES WEBBER

File number: QUD 6022 of 1999

Judge: DOWSETT J

Date of judgment: 18 June 2010

Catchwords: NATIVE TITLE –claim group membership – traditional laws and customs – whether certain ancestor was a member of a particular indigenous society – whether descendants part of particular indigenous society – power of Court to determine composition of claim group

Legislation: Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ss 61, 62, 251B, 253 Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976 (Cth) Aboriginal Land Act 1991 (Qld)

Cases cited: Cameron v Hogan (1934) 51 CLR 358 discussed Baldwin v Everingham [1993] 1 Qd R 10 applied Edgar and Walker v Meade (1916) 23 CLR 29 discussed Clarke v Australian Labor Party (South Australian Branch) (1999) 74 SASR 110 referred to Thornley v Heffernan (unreported, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 25 July 1995 per Brownie J) cited Sharples v O'Shea (unreported, 18 August 1999, Supreme Court of Queensland per Atkinson J) cited Tucker v Macdonald [2001] QSC 296 cited Galt v Flegg [2003] QSC 290 cited Coleman v Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division (No 2) [2007] NSWSC 736 cited Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v State of Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422 applied Mabo v The State of Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1 applied Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v State of Victoria (2001) 110 FCR 244 referred to Sampi v State of Western Australia [2005] FCA 777 discussed Sampi v State of Western Australia [2010] FCAFC 26 discussed Ngurli Ltd v McCann (1953) 90 CLR 425 cited Cachia v Westpac Financial Services Ltd (2000) 170 ALR 65 cited Gambotto v WCP Pty Ltd (1995) 182 CLR 432 referred to Alexander v Automatice Telephone Company [1900] 2 Ch 56 cited Menier v Hooper's Telegraph Work (1873-74) LR 9 Ch App 350 cited