Area as big a Tassie given to Kimberley Aborigines

[Kiwi]

THE Ngurrara people of the southern Kimberley have been recognised as native title holders over an area of Western Australia bigger than Tasmania.

Federal Court Justice John Gilmour travelled to Pirnini, near the Kurlku community in the Great Sandy Desert, to deliver the determination.

As native title holders, the Ngurrara people have the right to own and occupy about 76,000 square kilometres of unallocated crown land south of Fitzroy Crossing to the exclusion of all others.

They can also now use the flowing and underground waters for hunting, fishing and other traditional activities.

The claim was first lodged in 1996 but was amended several times to deal with an overlap of land with the neighbouring Martu native title claim area.

Native Title Tribunal member Daniel O'Dea mediated the claim between the Ngurrara people, the State Government, the Shire of Derby and West Kimberley and the Martu people.

Mr O'Dea said negotiations moved quickly once agreement was reached on the Ngurrara people's connection to the land.

"After 11 years, in May this year it was settled that the Ngurrara people had maintained a strong connection to their land,'' Mr O'Dea said.

"It then took only six meetings for the rights and interests to be agreed on and the resultant consent determination.''

More than 5,600sq km of overlapping land with the Martu native title claim around the Percival Lakes region has been acknowledged as a common shared area between the claimant groups.

Kimberley Land Council Executive Director Wayne Bergmann, who acted for the Ngurrara people, said securing native title would help the traditional owners look after their culture and environment while also generating jobs.

"Being recognised as the rightful owners of our traditional lands means Aboriginal communities can take control of country and of our own future and that is why traditional owners work so hard to secure native title,'' Mr Bergmann said.

"We live in the modern world, and we need to find ways to combine the modern world with our history and culture.''

About 25 per cent of WA now has native title determination over it, the highest proportion in the country.

AAP


What out Boere they will be giving away your house next 

[newman]

Well I'm sure they'll put it to good use and do something highly constructive and productive and then become independent and not take our welfare mon........................ BUWAAHHHHAAAHHHAAA!!!!!!!!

Nearly got through it without laughing!

[Kiwi]

Good try 

[AussieJTFer]

I'd rather they have that land than the muslims or the white nationalist types of imbeciles who should all be put to death.

[newman]

I'd rather they have that land than the muslims or the white nationalist types of imbeciles who should all be put to death.

They won't do anything productive with it but they won't wreck it either. At least they're Aussies. Better to give an abbo vacant land than give white trash a house.

[AussieJTFer]

Exactly, I couldn't give a bloody toss about what they do to it, I know the muslims would destroy it like they destroy the environment wherever they go. I hate white nationalists moreso than muslims, most muslims have been brainwashed from birth to believe in their garbage, white nationalist pigs choose to be evil, every last one of them should be slowly killed. I would not hesitate in slitting the throats of any white nationalist, male or female.

[Kiwi]

Well heres my throat go for it mate...........You are only 45 minutes away from me, I have time to have a coffee and Tim Tam. 

I am White and I am a Nationalist, therefore White Nationalist, because thats what you are talking about, use the correct terms, if you are refering to Neo Nazis do so, because you know jack about the movement.

Naive statement Aussie, if you were a killer half of Melbourne would be died, then again I could shop around better with less people in the city.

[newman]

Nationalism does not equate to anti-semitism. Neo-nazis have just hijacked the lable. Nationalism is simplp putting one's own nation and countrymen first and recognising the need to keep hostiles/incompatibles out.