Drill on behalf of the Purnululu Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2020] FCA 1510

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Drill on behalf of the Purnululu Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2020] FCA 1510 File numbers: WAD 401 of 2018 WAD 536 of 2018 WAD 65 of 2019

Judgment of: MORTIMER J

Date of judgment: 22 October 2020

Catchwords: NATIVE TITLE – separate questions – overlapping claims – onus of proof – whether certain apical ancestors had native title rights and interests in overlap area – whether rights and interests were exclusive of other apical ancestors – contested genealogies – whether rights and interests acquired through classificatory relationships

Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 136 Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) ss 47B, 190B, 190C Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) Aborigines Act 1905 (WA) Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (NT)

Cases cited: Akiba on behalf of the Torres Strait Islanders of the Regional Seas Claim Group v State of Queensland (No 2) [2010] FCA 643; 270 ALR 564 Aplin on behalf of the Waanyi Peoples v State of Queensland [2010] FCA 625 Attorney-General of the Northern Territory v Ward [2003] FCAFC 283; 134 FCR 16 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar [2012] HCA 17; 247 CLR 345 AVQ15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCAFC 133; 266 FCR 83 Banks v State of Western Australia [2009] FCA 703 Britten v State of Western Australia [2001] FCA 1256 Britten v State of Western Australia (No 2) [2002] FCA 163 Commonwealth v Fernando [2012] FCAFC 18; 200 FCR 1 Croft on behalf of the Barngarla Native Title Claim Group v State of South Australia [2015] FCA 9; 325 ALR 213 Dempsey on Behalf of the Bularnu, Waluwarra and Wangkayujuru People v Queensland (No 2) [2014] FCA 528; 317 ALR 432 Dodd v State of South Australia [2012] FCA 519 Drury on behalf of the Nanda People v State of Western Australia [2018] FCA 1849 Farrer on behalf of the Ngarrawanji Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2019] FCA 655; 369 ALR 324 Farrer on behalf of the Ngarrawanji Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2020] FCA 929 Gordon on behalf of the Malarngowem Native Title Claim Group Part B v State of Western Australia [2020] FCA 1149 Griffiths v Northern Territory [2006] FCA 903; 164 FCR 300 Griffiths v Northern Territory (No 2) [2006] FCA 1155 Harrington-Smith on behalf of Wongatha People v State of Western Australia (No 9) [2007] FCR 31; 238 ALR 1 Jango v Northern Territory of Australia [2006] FCA 318 Jessell on behalf of the Goorring Native Title Claimants v State of Western Australia [2018] FCA 2047 John on behalf of the Malarngowem Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2019] FCA 697 Jones v Dunkel [1959] HCA 8; 191 CLR 298 Lek v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs [1993] FCA 411; 43 FCR 100 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; 52 NSWLR 705 Mitchell v MNR [2001] 1 SCR 91 Murray on behalf of the Yilka Native Title Claimants v State of Western Australia (No 5) [2016] FCA 752 Narrier v State of Western Australia [2016] FCA 1519 Neowarra v Western Australia [2003] FCA 1402 Ngalpil v Western Australia [2001] FCA 1140 O'Connor v Western Australia [2019] FCA 330; Lovett v Victoria (No 5) [2011] FCA 932 Peterson v State of Western Australia [2013] FCA 518 Peterson on behalf of the Wunna Nyiyaparli People v State of Western Australia [2016] FCA 1528 Peterson on behalf of the Wunna Nyiyaparli People v State of Western Australia [2017] FCA 1056 Plaintiff M47/2018 v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] HCA 17; 265 CLR 285 Purdie on behalf of the Yurriyangem Taam Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2019] FCA 696 Risk v Northern Territory of Australia [2006] FCA 404 Rubibi Community v Western Australia (No 7) [2006] FCA 459 Sagacious Legal Pty Ltd v Wesfarmers General Insurance Ltd [2011] FCAFC 53 Starkey v South Australia [2018] FCAFC 36; 261 FCR 183 State of Western Australia v Ward [2000] FCA 191; 99 FCR 316 Sturt on behalf of the Jaru Native Title Claim Group v State of Western Australia [2018] FCA 1923 Ward on behalf of the Miriuwung and Gajerrong People v Western Australia [1998] FCA 1478; 159 ALR 483 Ward v State of Western Australia [2006] FCA 1848 Widjabul Wia-Bal v Attorney General of New South Wales [2020] FCAFC 34; 376 ALR 204 Wotton v State of Queensland (No 5) [2016] FCA 1457 Wyman on behalf of the Bidjara People v State of Queensland (No 2) [2013] FCA 1229 Yarmirr v Northern Territory [1998] FCA 771; 82 FCR 533