-----Original Message----- From: Webcentral <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > 29 March 2000 > >Statement by the Queensland Indigenous Working Group (QIWG) > >Common Sense at Last from the Northern Territory Government > >The Queensland Indigenous Working Group says reports that the NT Government >has decided to abandon its own Territory native title legislation, although >belated, is a "commonsense" response. > >One which should be welcomed by the mining industry and most Territorians. > >The NT will now use the processes of the Commonwealth Native Title Act to >facilitate new mining and mineral exploration. > >This means that new mining and exploration can now get going. However, this >could have happened years ago. > >The NT Government could have used the existing processes of the Commonwealth >Native Title Act at any time over the past few years to allow the grant of >new mining and exploration tenements. > >The NT Government chose not to do so. > >This was despite the substantial gains given to the mining industry by the >Howard Governments 1998 amendments to the Native Title Act. > >But this is by no means a victory for indigenous people. > >The NT government's decision only means that government will no longer seek >to deny native title holders a real say about how new mining and mineral >exploration occurs on their traditional country. > >Until last week's decision, the Territory Government was thought to be >considering re-applying for Commonwealth Senate approval of its legislation. > >The NT government is able to do so under the Howard Government's 1998 >amendments to the Native Title Act. > >Their decision to revert back to the Commonwealth legislation follows the >Senate's rejection of the Northern Territory native title legislation last >August. > >The opposition parties, who hold a majority in the Senate, have indicated >that they would not approve the Northern Territory's legislation. > >The NT Government is at last showing some sense. If only by default. > >Media Comment: Terry O'Shane, Chairman QIWG, mobile: 0417764992 > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------ RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ 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." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/recoznet2%40paradigm4.com.au/
