ATSIC 12 March 1999 Time to count cost of native title amendments The time has come to examine the impact of the extinguishment of native title and the workability problems emerging from the amended Native Title Act (NTA), the ATSIC Chairman, Gatjil Djerrkura, said today. Mr Djerrkura this morning told the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Native Title and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Fund that it should focus its efforts on these matters, along with the impairment of native title rights and the effect of the NTA on land management. ATSIC's submission to the PJC questioned the timing and direction of the present inquiry. However, ATSIC believes the PJC should use its powers to request information about the extent of extinguishment that is occurring as the states and territories implement the provisions of the amended NTA. "It's about time we found out what indigenous people are losing and what the compensation implications are for the taxpayer," Mr Djerrkura said after his appearance at the PJC. "It's time for some accountability," he said. "I told the PJC that in 1967 the Australian people handed the Commonwealth the paramount responsibility for making laws that benefit indigenous Australians. But with the NTA amendments, the government has breached this trust by handing back responsibilities to the states and territories. "The Australian government will today answer questions from the United Nations about its changes to the NTA. The PJC needs to restore a degree of faith in Australia's regard for indigenous rights by scrupulously monitoring the native title regimes the states and territories are setting up. "The Commonwealth stills holds this responsibility and the PJC must focus its inquiries on the effects of the new processes. I hope state and territory governments cooperate with the Committee, but the PJC has the powers to force compliance where necessary." On the issue of land management, Mr Djerrkura said the question is whether the amended NTA is leading to greater involvement of indigenous people where native title still survives. "This is a legitimate and highly important issue for the PJC to take up with the states and territories. After all, involvement for native title holders in the joint management of land is about the only benefit the amended NTA gives our people. "The emerging workability problems with the NTA include the number and quality of notifications being received by Native Title Representative Bodies, aspects of the new registration test and compensation claims. "I want to restate the fact the ATSIC maintains its opposition to the 1998 amendments to the NTA. We made this clear at the time the Bill was passed. The overall reduction in indigenous rights is unacceptable. "However, we have to deal with the existing processes. And we expect all those who endorsed and advocated the 1998 amendments to bring honesty and integrity to their implementation." Media contact in the Office of Public Affairs: Brian Johnstone 0419 010 687 Martin Freckmann 018 631 045 Craig Sproule Office of Public Affairs Ph: 02 6289 3450 Fax: 02 6282 2854 ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use."
