FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Atkinson on behalf of the Gunai/Kurnai People v State of Victoria (No 4) [2010] FCA 907 Citation: Atkinson on behalf of the Gunai/Kurnai People v State of Victoria (No 4) [2010] FCA 907 Parties: ATKINSON ON BEHALF OF THE GUNAI/KURNAI PEOPLE v STATE OF VICTORIA and ORS File number: VID 482 of 2009 Judge: NORTH J Date of judgment: 16 August 2010 Legislation: Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) s 84 Date of hearing: 16 August 2010 Place: Melbourne Division: GENERAL DIVISION Category: No Catchwords Number of paragraphs: 8 Applicant for Joinder: No Appearance Counsel for the Applicant: Mr T. Keely Solicitor for the Applicant: Native Title Services Victoria Counsel for the First Respondent: Mr A.C. Neal SC Solicitor for the First Respondent: Victorian Government Solicitor's Office IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION VID 482 of 2009 BETWEEN: ATKINSON ON BEHALF OF THE GUNAI/KURNAI PEOPLE Applicant AND: STATE OF VICTORIA and ORS Respondents JUDGE: NORTH J DATE OF ORDER: 16 AUGUST 2010 WHERE MADE: MELBOURNE THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 1. The application by Mr Colin Francis Wood to be made a respondent to this proceeding pursuant to s 84 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) is dismissed. Note:Settlement and entry of orders is dealt with in Order 36 of the Federal Court Rules. The text of entered orders can be located using Federal Law Search on the Court's website. IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION VID 482 of 2009 BETWEEN: ATKINSON ON BEHALF OF THE GUNAI/KURNAI PEOPLE Applicant AND: STATE OF VICTORIA and ORS Respondents JUDGE: NORTH J DATE: 16 AUGUST 2010 PLACE: MELBOURNE REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 1 Before the Court is an application under s 84(5) of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) by Mr Colin Francis Wood to be joined as a respondent to this application for a determination of native title. 2 Section 84(5) provides that: (5) The Federal Court may at any time join any person as a party to the proceedings, if the Court is satisfied that the person's interests may be affected by a determination in the proceedings and it is in the interests of justice to do so. 3 In his Form 5 Application, Mr Wood states: I hunt the Public Forests & Land for Deer, Fox, Rabbit and Native Duck and Quail. Pursuant to these activities I hold an A & B Firearms Licence No 613-191-50B & a Game Licence No. 100013390. I won firearms relative to these activities. I fish related waterways and waters for Native and Introduced Fish. I also own & drive a 4WD motor vehicle OLL689 of Public Roadways & Lands within this region. Copies of licences @ Attachment A 4 The applicant for the joinder was given notice of the hearing today and advised that if it wanted to advance its claim it should appear and address argument to the Court. It has not appeared. Order 35A Rule 2(f) of the Federal Court Rules provides that: (1) For this Order, an applicant is in default if the applicant: (f) fails to prosecute the proceeding with due diligence. 5 In the circumstances, the failure to appear amounts to a default within the meaning of this rule. Order 35A Rule 3 of the Federal Court Rules then provides that: (1) If an applicant is in default, the Court may order that: (a) the proceeding be stayed or dismissed as to the whole or any part of the relief claimed by the applicant; 6 By reason of the non-appearance the application for joinder is dismissed. 7 A further basis for such an order is that the application does not satisfy the requirements of s 84(5). In Byron Environmental Centre Incorporated v Arakwal People and Ors (1997) 78 FCR 1 (Byron), Black CJ outlined the types of interests which give rise to a right to be joined as a party. He said (at 7): The nature and content of the right to become a party to proceedings for the determination of native title, with the power as a party in effect to veto the process of mediation and conciliation which the Act favours, suggests that the interests which s 68(2)(a) and the related sections dealing with parties are concerned are interests that are not indirect, remote or lacking substance. The nature and content of the right also suggests that the interests must be capable of clear definition and, equally importantly, that they are of such a character that they may be affected in a demonstrable way by a determination in relation to the application. 8 Mr Wood has not filed an affidavit in support of his application. The details of his interest claimed on the Form 5 are insufficient to support his application, with all the attendant participation in the application which would be the result, as they do not indicate with sufficient detail the location of his activities, nor the frequency of them. Further, it is not made clear that the activities undertaken would be affected in a demonstrable way by a determination in relation to the application. I certify that the preceding eight (8) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice North. Associate: Dated: 16 August 2010