New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 (“Jannali”) [2024] NSWLEC 41

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 ("Jannali") [2024] NSWLEC 41 Hearing dates: 12 and 13 September 2022 and 17 February 2023, 10, 31 March and 5 April 2023 (further written submissions) Date of orders: 23 April 2024 Decision date: 23 April 2024 Jurisdiction: Class 3 Before: Pepper J Decision: The appeal is dismissed with no order as to costs. Catchwords: ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS: whether some or all of the claimed land was "claimable Crown lands" within the meaning of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 as at the date of the claims – whether the claimed land was lawfully used or occupied for the purposes of s 36(1)(b) of the Act – effect of dedication for "public schooling purposes" – meaning of "lawfully" used or occupied – claimed land not lawfully used or occupied – whether the claimed land was needed or likely to be needed for the essential public purpose of education pursuant to s 36(1)(c) of the Act – whether the provision of education by a private provider an essential public purpose – whether a decision to sell the land to a private education provider who has continuously used the land to deliver courses precluded a finding that the claimed land was needed for an essential public purpose – land not claimable Crown land for the purpose of s 36(1) of the Act. Legislation Cited: Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, ss 36, 36(1)(b), 36(1)(c), 36(5A), 36(6), 36(7) Conveyancing Act 1919, ss 88k, 89 Crown Lands Act 1989, ss 6, 10, 34, Pt 5, cl 1 of Sch 8 Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913, s 24 Education Act 1990, ss 3, 4, 5, Pt 7, cl 5(a) of Sch 3 Cases Cited: Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2007] NSWLEC 800 Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 ("Doyalson") [2023] NSWLEC 134 Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act 2016 [2022] NSWCA 275; (2022) 110 NSWLR 535 Daruk Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (1993) 30 NSWLR 140 Daruk Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [No 2] [The Londonderry Claim] (1995) 89 LGERA 194 Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2012] NSWLEC 68; (2012) 211 LGERA 100 Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (1997) 95 LGERA 353 Dorrigo Plateau Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2007] NSWLEC 635; (2007) 155 LGERA 307 Griffith Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2008] NSWLEC 108 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Bathurst Local Aboriginal Land Council [2009] NSWCA 138; (2009) 166 LGERA 379 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council [No 2] [2001] NSWCA 28; (2001) 50 NSWLR 665 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council (1998) 43 NSWLR 249 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council (No 2) [2001] NSWCA 28; (2001) 113 LGERA 148 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Illawarra Local Aboriginal Land Council v [2009] NSWCA 289; (2009) 168 LGERA 71 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council [2012] NSWCA 359; (2012) 193 LGERA 276 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v La Perouse Local Aboriginal Land Council [2012] NSWCA 359; (2012) 193 LGERA 276 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Corporation [2016] NSWCA 253 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v NSW Aboriginal Land Council ("Wagga") [2008] HCA 48; (2008) 237 CLR 285 Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act v Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council (1992) 75 LGRA 133 Minister for Natural Resources v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (1987) 9 NSWLR 154 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council - Little Bay v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act [2022] NSWLEC 142 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council – Little Bay v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act [2022] NSWLEC 142 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2016] HCA 50; (2016) 260 CLR 232 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act and Western Lands Act (1988) 14 NSWLR 685 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crowns Lands Act [2012] NSWLEC 174; (2012) 190 LGERA 171 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2008] NSWLEC 241 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2015] NSWCA 349; (2015) 215 LGERA 103 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (The Department of Education Claim) (1992) 76 LGRA 192 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (The Kinchela Claim) [2009] NSWLEC 46; (2009) 166 LGERA 137 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Newcastle Post Office Claim) [2014] NSWLEC 72; (2014) 204 LGERA 1 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act – Waverton Bowling Club [2022] NSWLEC 130 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (No 2) [2008] NSWLEC 13 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister for Natural Resources (The Tredega Claim) (1986) 59 LGRA 318 Wanaruah Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2001] NSWLEC 20; (2001) 113 LGERA 163 Category: Principal judgment Parties: New South Wales Local Aboriginal Land Council (Applicant) Minister Administering the Crown Land Management Act (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Wright SC (Applicant) R Graycar (Respondent)