Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation v Anderson [2022] NSWSC 1650

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation v Anderson [2022] NSWSC 1650 Hearing dates: 26–27, 29–30 September 2022 Date of orders: 7 December 2022 Decision date: 07 December 2022 Jurisdiction: Common Law Before: Griffiths AJ Decision: See [297] Catchwords: LAND LAW – Claims for possession of lands in New South Wales and Queensland by registered proprietor – Where lands required for divestment purposes pursuant to plaintiff's statutory functions – Challenge to Court's jurisdiction by first defendant LAND LAW – Adverse possession – Required period of possession – Where first and second defendants claim to have occupied and possessed the lands since 2002 – Consensual occupation until 2019 – Claim of adverse possession rejected NATIVE TITLE – Federal Court consent determination in force regarding Queensland land – Common law native title claim in respect of NSW land – Freehold and perpetual leases – No determination made in respect of existence of native title rights and interests in NSW land – Any assumed native title rights and interests in NSW land found to have been extinguished CROSS-VESTING SCHEME – Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Qld) – One parcel of land in Queensland – Court's cross-vested jurisdiction not contested Legislation Cited: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005 (Cth) Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 (Cth) Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) Crown Lands Act 1884 (NSW) Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Foreign States Immunities Act 1985 (Cth) Jurisdiction of Courts (Cross-vesting) Act 1987 (Qld) Land Act 1994 (Qld) Land and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2014 (Qld) Land Title Act 1994 (Qld) Limitation of Actions Act 1974 (Qld) Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) Native Title (New South Wales) Act 1994 (NSW) Native Title (Queensland) Act 1993 (Qld) Pacific Islanders Protection Act 1872 35 & 36 Vict c 19 (Imp) Pacific Islanders Protection Act 1875 38 & 39 Vict c 51 (Imp) Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 1999 (Qld) Western Lands Act 1901 (NSW) Western Lands (Amendment) Act 1934 (NSW) Cases Cited: AB (deceased) (on behalf of the Ngarla People) v Western Australia (No 4) [2012] FCA 1268; (2012) 300 ALR 193 Assets Co Ltd v Mere Roihi [1905] AC 176 Attorney-General (NSW) v Ohlsen (2022) 290 FCR 173; [2022] FCAFC 38 Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604 Bandjalang People No 3 v Attorney-General of New South Wales [2021] FCA 386 Bank of South Australia v Ferguson (1998) 192 CLR 248 Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336; [1938] HCA 34 Commonwealth v Anderson (1960) 105 CLR 303 Coulthard v South Australia (2014) 218 FCR 148; [2014] FCA 101 Eckford v Stanbroke Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [2012] 2 Qd R 324; [2012] QSC 48 Fejo v Northern Territory (1998) 195 CLR 96; [1998] HCA 58 Fortescue Metals Group v Warrie (2019) 273 FCR 350; [2019] FCAFC 177 Knox on behalf of the Yuwaalaraay/Euahlayi People v State of Queensland [2021] FCA 1440 Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1; [1992] HCA 23 Mason v Tritton (1994) 34 NSWLR 572 Members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422; [2002] HCA 58 Munro v Stuart (1924) 41 SR (NSW) 203 Ngurampaa Ltd v Balonne Shire Council [2014] QSC 146 Northern Territory v Arnhem Land Aboriginal Land Trust (2008) 236 CLR 24; [2008] HCA 29 Ohlsen v Attorney-General (NSW)[2021] FCA 169; (2021) 390 ALR 187 Prior v South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council Aboriginal Corporation [2020] FCA 808 R v Bonjon, Supreme Court of New South Wales, 16 September 1841 Risk v Northern Territory [2006] FCA 404 Rrumburriya Borroloola Claim Group v Northern Territory (2016) 255 FCR 228; [2016] FCA 776 Rubibi Community v Western Australia (No 7) [2006] FCA 459 Tjungarrayi v Western Australia (2019) 269 CLR 150; [2019] HCA 12 Walker v South Australia (No 2) (2013) 215 FCR 254; [2013] FCA 700 Western Australia v Ward (2002) 213 CLR 1; [2002] HCA 28 Wicks v Bennett (1920) 30 CLR 80 Wilson v Anderson [1999] NSWSC 8; (1999) 156 FLR 77 Wilson v Anderson (2002) 213 CLR 401; [2002] HCA 29 Texts Cited: Australian Law Reform Commission, Recognition of Aboriginal Customary Laws (June 1986) Brendan Edgeworth, Butt's Land Law (7th ed, 2017, Thomson Reuters) Christos Mantziaris and David Martin, Native Title Corporations: A Legal and Anthropological Analysis (2000, The Federation Press) Melissa Perry and Stephen Lloyd, Australian Native Title Law (2nd ed, 2018, LawBook Co) Uluru Statement from the Heart Category: Principal judgment Parties: Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (Plaintiff) Michael Anderson (First Defendant) Jutta Sapotnik-Eckford (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Docker (Plaintiff) Litigants in person (First and Second Defendants)