New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Newcastle Post Office Claim) [2014] NSWLEC 72

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Newcastle Post Office Claim) [2014] NSWLEC 72 Hearing dates: 4 and 5 March 2013 Decision date: 05 June 2014 Jurisdiction: Class 3 Before: Pepper J Decision: Appeal upheld. Orders for transfer of land. Each party to pay their own costs. Catchwords: ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS: whether land is claimable Crown land as at the date of the claim - whether the claimed land was "able to be lawfully sold or leased" - whether the claimed land was "lawfully used or occupied" - whether the claimed land was "needed" "for an essential public purpose" - appeal upheld.

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION: proper construction of s 138(1) of the Crown Lands Act 1989. Legislation Cited: Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, ss 3, 36, 136

Crown Lands Act 1989, ss 3, 6, 34(1), 138, 185(1)

Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913, ss 5, s 6(2), 25A

Heritage Act 1977, s 34(1)

Newcastle City Centre Local Environment Plan 2008, cl 46, Sch 5 Cases Cited: Batemans Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2007] NSWLEC 800

Bindaree Beef Pty Ltd v Riley [2013] NSWCA 305

Coffs Harbour and District Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2013] NSWLEC 216; (2013) 199 LGERA 372

Commissioner of Taxation v Unit Trend Services Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 16; (2013) 297 ALR 190

Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering Crown Lands Act [2006] NSWLEC 180; (2006) 149 LGERA 162