Thewesternaustraliangovernment'ssubmission

TheWesternAustralianGovernment'sSubmission

tothe

CommonwealthGovernment'sdrafttermsofreferenceforthe AustralianLawReformCommissioninquiryand reportonthe native titlesystem

June2013

DepartmentofthePremierandCabinet

DumasHouse

2HavelockStreet,West PerthWA6005

Introduction

On7June2013theCommonwealthAttorney-GeneralannouncedareviewoftheNative TitleAct1993(NTA)bytheAustralianLawReformCommission(ALRC)forinquiry andreporton thenativetitlesystem.ThereleasedScopeof Reviewisdirectedtotwo specificareas:

•theconnectionrequirementsrelatingtotherecognitionandscopeofnativetitle rightsandinterests;

•the identification of barriers, ifany, imposed by the Act's authorization and joinderprovisionstoclaimants',andpotentialclaimants':

accesstojustice;and

accesstoandprotectionofnativetitlerightsandbenefits.

TheCommonwealthAttorney-Generalstatedthatinrelationtobothissuesandinlight of thePreambleandObjectsoftheAct,hewasrequestingthattheCommissionconsider what,ifany,changescouldbemadetoimprovetheoperationofthenativetitlesystem.

TheCommonwealthAttorney-Generalinvitedallinterestedpersonstoprovidecomments onthedrafttermsofreferencefortheALRCinquiryby28June2013.Inparticular,he indicatedthattheGovernmentwasseekingviewsonthefollowing:

I. DothedrafttermsofreferencecaptureallofthekeyissuesarisingundertheAct relatingtoconnection,andauthorizationandjoinder?

2. Arethereanyadditionalissuesthatshouldbeincludedintheterms ofreference?

The WesternAustralian Government welcomes thisopportunity tosubmitcomments about thedraft terms of reference. It should be noted that the WAGovernment is concernedabouttheshorttimeavailabletocommentonsuchsignificantmattersasthe termsofreference foran inquiryintothe nativetitlesystem. The WAGovernment thereforereservestherighttoexpandonthecommentsprovidedbelowthataresubmitted atthistimeinordertocomplywiththenominateddeadline.

Reversingtheonusofproofonconnection

While notdirectly addressedintheScopeofReview,thebackgroundmaterialcirculated withthereviewannouncementindicatesthat in examiningtheconnectionrequirements itskeyfocus isto consider whether the currentonus onclaimants to demonstrate a continuedobservanceofatraditionalsystemoflandandcustomshouldbereversedso thatitispresumed thatcontinuity existsandtheonusshiftstootherstodemonstrate whereconnectiondoesnotexist.

Thebackgroundmaterialsummarisescommentsmadeoverthepastfewyearsinsupport ofthismoveaswellasnotingthatamendments tos223oftheNativeTitleAct1993 (Cth)(NTA) toclarifythemeaningoftraditional,modifyingcurrentconnection requirementstolandandwaterssothatitwillnolonger'require physicaloccupationor

continuedorrecentuse',andto'empowercourtstodisregardsubstantialinterruptionor changeincontinuityofacknowledgementandobservanceoftraditionallawsandcustoms whereitisin theinterestsofjusticetodoso'.

Thebackgroundmaterial alsonotesthatthe'draft termsofreferenceareintendedto capturetheseproposalsaswellasotherissuesraisedbystakeholdersaboutthecurrent connectionrequirements'.

Furthermore,thebackgroundmaterialacknowledges thatany 'amendments totheAct affectingconnectionwouldfundamentallyalterthecurrentoperationoftheAct'.

WesternAustralianGovernmentconcerns

TheWAGovernmentisparticularlyconcernedthatthematterscitedinthebackground materialaboutconnectionare one-sidedandareslantedtowardsmakingthecasefor reversingtheonusofproof. Afar-reachingreviewoftheNTAshouldensurethatall aspectsof connectionareexaminedsothatitisbalancedand thattheinterests ofall respondentpartiesaregiven dueconsideration.

Furthermore,thereviewwillalsoneedtoconsider:

•whethertheframingofthedebatearoundthereversaloftheonusofproofhas failed totakeinto accountitsoperationalimplications;

•theimportantsuccessthatisbeingachievedinWesternAustraliaindetermining nativetitleundercurrentconnectionarrangements;

•whethertherearecommonfactsrequiredtoestablishconnectionregardlessofthe onusofproof;

•how the proposed amendments to s 223 will impact on current native title operations;

•whetherreversingtheonusofproofandamendings223willcausesignificant disruptiontothedeterminationofcurrentnativetitleapplicationsandmayleadto thelodgementofsignificantlymoreapplications;and

•theobligationupontheState'toprovidecertaintytoalllandinterests.

It istheWAGovernment'spreferencethattheconnectiontermofreferencebemodified sothatit explicitlystatesthatthereviewwillalsoexaminetheabovepoints.

Accesstojustice

ThesecondtermofreferenceisconcernedtoidentityanybarriersintheNTAthatare imposedonaccessingjustice.

InlookingatthistermofreferencetheWAGovernmentwishestoensurethattheinquiry will examinewhetherthechangestoNativeTitleRespondentFundingScheme compromisestheabilityofrespondentstoaccessjustice.