Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council [2018] NSWLEC 26

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council [2018] NSWLEC 26 Hearing dates: 30 November 2017 – 1 December 2017 Date of orders: 08 March 2018 Decision date: 08 March 2018 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pain J Decision: (1) The Applicant's summons dated 12 April 2017 is dismissed. (2) The Applicant is to pay the Respondents' costs of the proceedings unless a notice of motion seeking alternative orders is filed within 14 days. (3) The exhibits are returned. Catchwords: CONSTRUCTION AND INTERPRETATION – statutory construction of s 36(4) of Aboriginal Land Rights Act – 66 Aboriginal land claims do describe and specify land – public inconvenience alleged by Minister not relevant to statutory construction Legislation Cited: Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 ss 3, 4, 36, 36AA, 36B, 90, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168 Aboriginal Land Rights Amendment Act 2014 s 36AA Aboriginal Land Rights Regulation 2014 Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (Cth) s 160 Crown Lands Act 1989 s 78, 87, 90 Interpretation Act 1987 ss 33, 34 Local Land Services Act 2013 s 61 Real Property Act 1900 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (2012) 211 LGERA 100; [2012] NSWLEC 68 Dorrigo Plateau Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (2007) 155 LGERA 307; [2007] NSWLEC 653 Forge v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2006) 228 CLR 45; [2006] HCA 44 Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2011] NSWLEC 95 House of Peace v Bankstown City Council (2000) 48 NSWLR 498; [2000] NSWCA 44 Independent Commission Against Corruption v Cunneen [2015] 256 CLR 1; [2015] HCA 14 IW v City of Perth (1997) 191 CLR 1; [1997] HCA 30 Kruger v Commonwealth (1997) 190 CLR 1; [1997] HCA 27 Murray (on behalf of the Yilka Native Title Claimants v Western Australia (No 5) [2016] FCA 752 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2016] NSWLEC 157 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (2007) 157 LGERA 18; [2007] NSWCA 281 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act and the Western Lands Act (1988) 14 NSWLR 685 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (2016) 219 LGERA 282; [2016] HCA 50 Project Blue Sky v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 State Government Insurance Office (Queensland) v Crittenden (1966) 117 CLR 412; [1966] HCA 56 Tickner v Chapman (1995) 57 FCR 451; [1995] FCAFC 1726 Unsworth v Commissioner for Railways (1958) 101 CLR 73; [1958] HCA 41 Wei v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1991) 29 FCR 455 Texts Cited: New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 24 March 1983 New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 12 November 2014 NSW Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development, Aboriginal Land Agreement Negotiation Framework (August 2016) Pearce & Geddes Statutory Interpretation in Australia (8th ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 (Applicant) New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (First Respondent) Registrar, Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (Second Respondent) Representation: COUNSEL: J Emmett and A Butt (Applicant) J K Kirk and B Lim (First Respondent) M Wright (Second Respondent)