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Editors --- "Recent Happenings" [1998] IndigLawB 7; (1998) 4(8) Indigenous Law Bulletin 17

Recent Happenings

2 October

It was announced that the Senate privileges committee would investigate whether the Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams improperly influenced the Australian Law Reform Commission not to present a highly critical submission of draft native title laws to the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Native Title.

8 October

The Federal Government gave approval for the development by the company Energy Resources of Australia Ltd of the Jabiluka uranium ore body. The Jabiluka mine is on the edge of the World Heritage-listed Kakadu national park. The Mirrar traditional owners of the land signalled their determined opposition to the mine.

9 October

Queensland police brought four Aboriginal youths, aged fourteen and fifteen, to a court in Brisbane wearing leg-irons. Police alleged that the youths had been 'boisterous' in the holding cells. The Queensland Police Minister, Russell Cooper, requested an explanation of the incident but defended the police actions. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president, Ian Dearden, said he was appalled by the incident..

9 October

A native title claim was lodged in relation to Shelburne Bay, by the Cape York Land Council, on behalf of the Wuthathi people. The Wuthathi people claimed that failure by the Queensland and Commonwealth. Governments to recognise and progress the Cape York Land Use Agreement, which wouldhave enabled resolution of native title issues through negotiation and coexistence, resulted in the need to lodge the claim.

17 October

Australia's first native title agreement relating to an area of sea was signed between the Northern Land Council and an international pearling company, Barrier Pearls, at Croker Island in Darwin.

17 October

The National Indigenous Working Group (NIWG) called for Indigenous rights to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution, as is the case in Canada. NIWG member, Peter Yu, called for the issue to be considered-by the upcoming Constitutional Convention, and also called for a parallel Indigenous Peoples Convention.

21 October

The fifth report of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Dodson, was released.

20 October

The High Court, in the hearing of the native claim by the Miriwoong and Gajerrong peoples, ruled that Aborigines have the right to have evidence of secret men's and women's business withheld from the .,opposite sex in native title cases.

24 October

Former Chief Justice Sir Anthony Mason publicly rebuked the Federal Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, for his lack of vigour in defending the High Court from political attacks;

24 October

The Makah American Indians received approval from the International Whaling Commission to hunt grey whales in the Pacific. The Makah tribe claimed that their right to hunt whales dates back to 1855.

25 October

Prime Minister John Howard' rejected an offer by South African President Nelson Mandela to mediate between Indigenous people and the Federal Government over native title.

25 October

Prime Minister John Howard received, a letter during the week from a cross-party human rights group' of British parliamentarians expressing great concern over the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997 (Cth).

27 October

The majority and minority reports of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Native Title were tabled in Parliament.

29 October

The House of Representatives passed the Native Title Amendment Bill 1997 (Cth).

29 October

Dr Herbert Cole Coombs ('Nugget Coombs') died at the age of 91.