Inquiry into the Native Title Amendment Bill 2009
Information about the Inquiry
On 19 March 2009, the Senate referred the provisions of the Native
Title Amendment Bill 2009 to the Standing Committee on Legal and
Constitutional Affairs for inquiry and report.
The Bill amends the Native Title Act 1993 to implement
institutional reform to give the Federal Court a central role in managing
native title claims. This will give one body control over the direction of
each case and should encourage more negotiated settlements of native title
claims. Under the proposal, the Court would determine whether the Court,
the National Native Title Tribunal or another individual or body should
mediate.
The amendments are intended to:
- change the powers of the court in relation to
statements of facts agreed between the parties and will enable the
Federal Court to appropriately make consent orders that deal with
matters beyond native title;
- extend the rules of evidence to allow the
Evidence Amendment Act 2008 provisions that concern evidence given
by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply to some
existing native title claims;
- expand the current assistance provisions to allow
assistance in relation to all mediations;
- improve the operation of the representative body
provisions by streamlining and improving these processes; and
- make a number of minor and technical amendments.
The reporting date for this inquiry is 7 May 2009.
The Committee invites written submissions by
Thursday, 9 April 2009. Submissions should be sent to:
Committee
Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
Department of
the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament
House
Canberra ACT
2600
Australia
The committee
encourages the lodgement of submissions in electronic form. As the
secretariat is in the process of implementing a new system for lodging
submissions via the Parliament's website, you will find a link to submit
online in the box below. Alternatively, intending submitters requiring
further information could also contact the secretariat before lodging your
submission.
Notes to assist in preparing submissions are available
from the website
https://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/index.htm
or telephone the secretariat on 02 6277 3560, fax: 02
6277 5794, or e-mail at the above address.
Once the committee accepts your submission, it becomes
a confidential committee document and is protected by Parliamentary
Privilege. You must not release your submission without the committee’s
permission. If you do, it is not protected by Parliamentary Privilege. At
some stage during the inquiry, the committee normally makes submissions
public. Please indicate if you want your submission to be kept confidential.
Inquiries from hearing and speech impaired people
should be directed to the Parliament House TTY number (02 6277 7799). Adobe
also provides tools for the blind and visually impaired to access PDF
documents. These tools are available at: http://access.adobe.com/. If you
require any special arrangements in order to enable you to participate in a
committee inquiry, please contact the committee secretary.
For further information, contact:
Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Legal and Constitutional Affairs
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia
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