{"id":"F2021L00839","name":"Native Title (Recognition as Representative Body – Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2021","slug":"native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":440897,"registerId":"F2021L00839-fast-fetch-1775956359846","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Native Title (Recognition as Representative Body – Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2021","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nNative Title (Recognition as Representative Body – Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2021\n\nI, Ken Wyatt AM, Minister for Indigenous Australians, make the following instrument.\n\n \n\nDated 24 June 2021   \n\nKEN WYATT AM\n\nMinister for Indigenous Australians\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Schedules\n\n6  Recognised Representative Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Body\n\n7  Period of recognition\n\nSchedule 1—Description of area (Torres Strait) 3\n\nDescription of area 3\n\nMap of area 4\n\nSchedule 2— Repeals 5\n\nNative Title (Recognition as Representative Body - Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2019 5\n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Native Title (Recognition as Representative Body – Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2021.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument 1 July 2021\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under 203AD(1) of the Native Title Act 1993.\n\n4  Definitions\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Native Title Act 1993.\n\nRepresentative Body means a representative Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander body recognised under section 203AD of the Act.\n\nTorres Strait Regional Authority means the Torres Strait Regional Authority as established by section 142 of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005.\n\n5  Schedules\n\n  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.\n\n6  Recognised Representative Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander Body\n\n  For subsection 203AD(1) of the Act, the Torres Strait Regional Authority is  recognised as the Representative Body for the area described in Schedule 1.\n\n7  Period of recognition\n\n  For subsection 203AD(2) of the Act, this recognition as a Representative Body takes effect on 1 July 2021 and ceases to have effect at the end of 30 June 2022.\n\n \n\n\n\n\nSchedule 1—Description of area (Torres Strait)\n\n \n\n1        The Torres Strait area is the area of land and waters bounded by a line commencing at the point latitude 11 degrees south and longitude 144 degrees 15 minutes east, and then proceeding west along that latitude to its intersection with the coastline of mainland Australia, then generally north-westerly and south-westerly along the coastline of mainland Australia to its intersection with latitude 11 degrees south on the western side of Cape York, then west along that latitude to the point latitude 11 degrees south longitude 141 degrees east, then north along that meridian to the intersection with the outer limit of the Exclusive Economic Zone of Australia (EEZ), then generally north-easterly and easterly along that outer limit to its intersection with longitude 144 degrees 15 minutes east, and then south along that meridian to the point of where the line began.\n\n \n\nThis area is to exclude Barn Island and Crab Island, and to include the towns of Seisia and Bamaga.\n\n  \n\n2       In this Schedule:\n\nexclusive economic zone means the exclusive economic zone within the meaning of the Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973.\n\nTorres Strait\n\n![](image.002.png)![](image.003.png)\n\n \n\nSchedule 2—Repeals\n\nNative Title (Recognition as Representative Body – Torres Strait Regional Authority) Instrument 2019\n\n1  The whole of the instrument\n\n \n\nRepeal the instrument.\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument maintains the exact scope of its predecessor instruments. It is a routine annual renewal of recognition under section 203AD of the Native Title Act 1993, which requires periodic re-recognition of representative bodies. The geographic area, the body being recognised, and the legislative purpose remain identical to previous versions. The only change is the date period (2021-2022 replacing 2019-2020/2021)."},"complexity_factors":["Very short instrument (7 sections plus 2 schedules)","Only 4 defined terms in section 4, plus 2 in Schedule 1","Single operational purpose: recognition of one specific body for one specific area","No nested exceptions or conditional logic – recognition is absolute within the defined period","Minimal cross-referencing (only references to Native Title Act 1993, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act 2005, and Seas and Submerged Lands Act 1973)","Geographic description in Schedule 1 uses standard coordinate-based boundary language but is straightforward (single continuous boundary with specific inclusions/exclusions)"],"plain_english_summary":"The instrument renews the Torres Strait Regional Authority’s formal recognition as the government‑approved representative body for native title in the Torres Strait (1 July 2021–30 June 2022), giving TSRA legal authority to assist Torres Strait Islander peoples with claims, negotiations and management of native title. It specifies the geographic area covered (Torres Strait islands, surrounding waters and parts of Cape York, excluding Barn and Crab Islands) and repeals the prior instrument to avoid overlap."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"On its face, the instrument replaces the 2019 recognition instrument and renews recognition of the Torres Strait Regional Authority for a defined Torres Strait area for one year (ss 6–7; Schedule 2). The text supplied shows no expansion or narrowing of the Representative Body’s legal functions; any change from prior practice cannot be confirmed from this instrument alone."},"complexity_factors":["Very short, mostly declarative instrument with two operative provisions (recognition and period) (ss 6–7).","Relies on external statute for substantive effect (s 3 cites s 203AD of the Native Title Act 1993).","Geographic scope defined by precise coordinates and reference to Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone (Schedule 1), requiring spatial interpretation.","Temporal limitation: single-year recognition period increases administrative churn compared with indefinite recognition (s 7).","Repeal of prior instrument (Schedule 2) — simple transition element rather than complex amendment scheme."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument recognises the Torres Strait Regional Authority as the Native Title Representative Body for the Torres Strait area described in Schedule 1, effective 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 (ss 6–7). It also repeals the 2019 recognition instrument (Schedule 2). The Minister makes the recognition under the Native Title Act (s 3). The recognised body will act on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander native title holders in that area; the instrument does not create new fees or taxes."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021","history":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021/history","analysis":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/native-title-recognition-as-representative-body-torres-strait-regional-authority-instrument-2021/documents"}}