FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Budby on behalf of the Barada Barna People v State of Queensland (No 4) [2015] FCA 629 Citation: Budby on behalf of the Barada Barna People v State of Queensland (No 4) [2015] FCA 629 Parties: LES BUDBY AND CECIL BROWN JNR ON BEHALF OF THE BARADA BARNA PEOPLE v STATE OF QUEENSLAND AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE ATTACHED SCHEDULE OF PARTIES File number: QUD 380 of 2008 Judge: DOWSETT J Date of judgment: 9 June 2015 Legislation: Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) Date of hearing: 9 June 2015 Place: Brisbane Division: GENERAL DIVISION Category: No Catchwords Number of paragraphs: 5 Counsel for the Barada Barna Applicant: Mr K Barlow QC with Mr J Waters Solicitor for the Barada Barna Applicant: Dillon Bowers Lawyers Counsel for the Widi Applicant: Ms S Phillips Solicitor for the Widi Applicant: North Queensland Land Council Counsel for Anthony Mark Henry: Mr A McAvoy and Mr P Walker Solicitor for Anthony Mark Henry: Queensland South Native Title Services Counsel for the State of Queensland: Ms E Longbottom and Ms S Brown Solicitor for the State of Queensland: Crown Solicitor Counsel for the Group 1 Respondents: The Group 1 Respondents did not appear Counsel for the Group 2 Respondents: The Group 2 Respondents did not appear Counsel for the Group 3 Respondents: The Group 3 Respondents did not appear Counsel for the Group 4 Respondents: The Group 4 Respondents did not appear Counsel for the Group 5 Respondents: The Group 5 Respondents did not appear IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION QUD 380 of 2008 BETWEEN: LES BUDBY AND CECIL BROWN JNR ON BEHALF OF THE BARADA BARNA PEOPLE Applicant AND: STATE OF QUEENSLAND AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE ATTACHED SCHEDULE OF PARTIES Respondent JUDGE: DOWSETT J DATE OF ORDER: 9 JUNE 2015 WHERE MADE: BRISBANE THE COURT ORDERS THAT: 1. Anthony Mark Henry be joined as a respondent to the Barada Barna Proceeding subject to the following: (a) that Mr Henry not pursue any Cross-Claim; (b) that, on or before 12pm on Thursday 11 June 2015, Mr Henry file and serve a defence to the Statement of Claim filed by the Applicant in QUD 380/2008 and, if that defence discloses an asserted interest on behalf of Mr Henry in respect of any areas of QUD 380/2008 that are overlapping with QUD 492/2013, a defence to the Statement of Claim filed by the Applicant in QUD 492/2013; and (c) that, on or before 12pm on Thursday 11 June 2015, Mr Henry file and serve an undertaking to be bound by any agreement between the Applicant in QUD 380/2008 and the State of Queensland regarding the extinguishing effect on any asserted native title rights and interests within the areas the subject of the Barada Barna Proceeding. 2. on or before 11 June 2015, the Barada Barna Applicant provide a final response in writing to the State and active Respondents concerning those categories of tenure for which agreement as to extinguishment has been sought, but not yet given; 3. on or before 15 June 2015, the State of Queensland circulate to the Barada Barna Applicant, the Widi Applicant and each active Respondent a further draft of the statement of agreed facts concerning extinguishment, including annexures; 4. on or before 17 June 2015, the Barada Barna Applicant, the Widi Applicant and each active Respondent is to provide to the State any final comments in respect of the draft statement of agreed facts concerning extinguishment and annexures; 5. on or before 24 June 2015, the State of Queensland is to file any statement of agreed facts reached pursuant to s 87 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth); 6. the orders in paragraphs 2 and 4 do not apply to the said Anthony Mark Henry; and 7. there be liberty to apply. Note: Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011. IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA QUEENSLAND DISTRICT REGISTRY GENERAL DIVISION QUD 380 of 2008 BETWEEN: LES BUDBY AND CECIL BROWN JNR ON BEHALF OF THE BARADA BARNA PEOPLE Applicant AND: STATE OF QUEENSLAND AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE ATTACHED SCHEDULE OF PARTIES Respondent JUDGE: DOWSETT J DATE: 9 JUNE 2015 PLACE: BRISBANE REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 1 This application for joinder filed on 2 April 2015 by Anthony Mark Henry comes very late in these proceedings and in circumstances which are not really very well explained. I suspect that to some extent the lateness is attributable to lack of diligence or, perhaps, lack of interest on the part of Mr Henry, but that may not account for all of the delay. The mechanism by which the various representative bodies attend to their responsibilities, and the nature of those responsibilities, inevitably lead to delays and oversights in the way in which their work is performed. I do not mean that in any critical sense. It is the inevitable consequence of the way in which the representative bodies are organized and funded. 2 Such significant delay would normally be disqualifying. The Barada Barna Applicant in the substantive proceedings asserts that it would be prejudiced by any joinder, in that if Mr Henry is joined, he will have to be included in negotiations with the State of Queensland, making such negotiations more difficult. In general that is a consequence, not of late joinder, but of joinder itself. It is not an appropriate basis for refusing joinder, at least in the absence of any clear evidence of decisions made, or agreements reached whilst Mr Henry was not a party. There is only one respect in which such prejudice may arise. Some agreement has been reached as to extinguishment. However I will deal with that problem by extracting an undertaking from Mr Henry. He has agreed to that course. 3 The Barada Barna Applicant also submits that if Mr Henry is joined and successful in the substantive proceedings, there will be no positive outcome in the sense that there will be no Native Title determination. No doubt that proposition is correct. Mr Henry cannot sustain his cross-claim in the absence of an application in the form prescribed by the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth). If Mr Henry successfully opposes the Barada Barna Applicant's claim to a Native Title determination, it will be the consequence of his joinder and his having a valid ground for opposing such a determination. Again, any prejudice will not flow from the delay in seeking joinder. 4 The Barada Barna Applicant demonstrates no prejudice attributable to Mr Henry's delay in seeking joinder. I also note that both the State of Queensland and the Widi Applicant submit to any order that the Court should choose to make. In those circumstances, and given the difficult nature of the litigation, I am inclined to do what can be done in order to allow Mr Henry's claims to be ventilated. That is the best way of resolving the question finally, particularly having regard to the wider operation and application of findings as to the existence of Native Title. 5 However Mr Henry's defence is not presently in a form which is acceptable. He has not dealt with the Widi People's claim, which is being heard in conjunction with the Barada Barna People's claim. As I have said, the cross-claim is not maintainable. Any order that I make for joinder will be dependent upon a proper defence being filed within 48 hours, dealing with all matters in issue in these proceedings. Further, such defence may not include the cross-claim. I shall allow the application for joinder only upon the basis that Mr Henry gives an undertaking that he will abide by any agreement reached between the Barada Barna Applicant and the State of Queensland with respect to the extinguishment of Native Title, including any agreement as to such extinguishment, and any identification by them of issues which remain outstanding in these proceedings. Upon that condition, there will be an order joining Mr Henry as a respondent to the proceedings. The parties will have liberty to apply for further directions in this matter as they may be advised. I certify that the preceding five (5) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Dowsett. Associate: Dated: 8 July 2015 SCHEDULE OF PARTIES Widi Applicant: EILEEN BERYL PEGLER PAUL ROYCE BUTTERWORTH MARILYN JOYCE DUNCAN ATHOL NOEL GOLTZ LORRAINE JOYCE MCLENNAN KENNETH STEWART PETERS GRAHAM IAN SAUNEY OSWALD ALFRED SKEEN LINDA WAILU RONALD JOCK WATSON Group 1 Respondents: COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CENTRAL HIGHLANDS REGIONAL COUNCIL ISAAC REGIONAL COUNCIL MACKAY REGIONAL COUNCIL Group 2 Respondents: NORTH QUEENSLAND LAND COUNCIL ABORIGINAL CORPORATION NANCY RIEHL AMANDA SAUNEY COLLEEN SAUNEY ERROL SAUNEY JOANNE SAUNEY JOSHUA SAUNEY LANCE SAUNEY LINDSAY SAUNEY MAXINE SAUNEY NIKITA SAUNEY ROSS SAUNEY SHANE SAUNEY TONY SMALLWOOD LINDA JOYCE WAILU CELESTE WALSH DALEY WHITE DAMIAN WHITE DANIEL WHITE SAMANTHA WHITE KATHLEEN WINDSOR Group 3 Respondents: ERGON ENERGY CORPORATION LIMITED TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED Group 4 Respondents: ANGLO COAL (GERMAN CREEK) PTY LTD ANGLO COAL (GROSVENOR) PTY LTD BOWEN CENTRAL COAL PTY LTD CAPCOAL MINE JOINT VENTURERS ENERGY MINERALS PTY LTD EXXARO AUSTRALIA PTY LTD MARUBENI COAL PTY LTD MORANBAH NORTH COAL PTY LTD MORANBAH NORTH MINE JOINT VENTURERS NEBO CENTRAL COAL PTY LTD NIPPON STEEL AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED NORTH QUEENSLAND PIPELINE NO 1 PTY LTD NORTH QUEENSLAND PIPELINE NO 2 PTY LTD OLDFIELD EXPLORATION PTY LIMITED PEABODY BB INTERESTS PTY LTD PEABODY COPPABELLA PTY LTD PEABODY MOORVALE WEST PTY LTD PEABODY WEST BURTON PTY LTD PEABODY WEST WALKER PTY LTD QUEENSLAND COAL PTY LIMITED RIO TINTO EXPLORATION PTY LTD SUMISHO COAL DEVELOPMENT QUEENSLAND PTY LTD VALE AUSTRALIA (CQ) PTY LTD VALE AUSTRALIA (IP) PTY LTD VALE COAL EXPLORATION PTY LTD WESTFIELD LTD Group 5 Respondents: ARDAY PTY LTD JOHN THOMAS BAKER MARNIE LOUISE BAKER ANTHONY JOHN BELLA EDWARD MARTIN BELLA MARTIN JOSEPH BELLA PETER ANDREW BELLA REGENA FRANCES BELLA ROBERT JAMES BELLA STEPHEN EDWARD BELLA ROBERT JOHN BORG HAROLD GEORGE BRADFORD RUTH BRADFORD LAWRENCE PAUL DANASTAS MARION CARMEL DANASTAS KATHRYN HEAD THOMPSON HEAD PETER MALCOLM HUGHES RAYE MARILYN O'SULLIVAN ROBERT ALAN O'SULLIVAN WAYNE HOWARD PETTS ALAN GRIFFITHS SYMONDS KIM FRANCES WILLOUGHBY