Top End (Default PBC/CLA) Aboriginal Corporation v Northern Territory of Australia [2025] FCA 22

Federal Court of Australia Top End (Default PBC/CLA) Aboriginal Corporation v Northern Territory of Australia [2025] FCA 22 Appeal from: The Top End (Default PBC/CLA) Aboriginal Corporation v Baudin Resources Pty Ltd [2024] NNTTA 30 (2 May 2024) The Top End (Default PBC/CLA) Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v Daly Tenements Pty Ltd [2024] NNTTA 41 (28 May 2024)

File numbers: NTD 8 of 2024 NTD 10 of 2024

Judgment of: MOSHINSKY J

Date of judgment: 30 January 2025

Catchwords: NATIVE TITLE – appeal on question of law from decision of the National Native Title Tribunal – future acts – expedited procedure – where the Tribunal determined that proposed grants of exploration licences were future acts attracting the expedited procedure in the Native Title Act 1993 (NT) – where the Tribunal relied on the absence of an "explanation" of the particular significance of the site –where the Tribunal applied a "presumption of regularity" –whether the Tribunal erred in law by adopting an incorrect approach – held: appeal allowed

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (Cth) Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth), s 44 Legislation: Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), ss 22, 24AA, 24JAA, 24KA, 24MB, 24OA, 25, 26, 27B, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 35MD, 38, 39, 43A, 75, 109, 139, 142, 156, 162, 164, 169, 233, 237, 253 Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) Mineral Titles Act 2010 (NT), ss 26, 27, 30, 31 Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989 (NT)