Nambucca Heads Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister for Lands

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT 1 The applicant is a Local Aboriginal Land Council constituted pursuant to s 50 of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) ("the Aboriginal Land Rights Act"). It is the owner of two lots of land, Lots 526 and 527, on the corner of Mumbler Street and Belwood Road in Nambucca Heads, which is located on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. The Council has entered into negotiations with Indigenous Business Australia to develop the two lots as a shopping centre pursuant to a joint venture. The proposed joint venture will involve the creation of a unit trust owned equally between Indigenous Business Australia and the Council. The Council proposes to grant to the trustee of that unit trust call options in respect of the two lots. The joint venture has not yet been entered into nor insofar as I can see has the unit trust been called into existence. 2 The evidence shows that the redevelopment of Lots 526 and 527 has been in contemplation of the Council for some time. An extraordinary general meeting of the Council was held on 24 July 2008 to discuss and to consider the proposed development. Resolution 1 considered at that meeting was in the following terms: The land is not of cultural significance to Aborigines of the area (being land which is not significant in terms of the traditions, observances, customs, beliefs or history of Aborigines of the area. 3 The manner in which the matter was debated is also recorded in the minutes in this way: Robin Bryant excused himself from the meeting as 527 and 526 is culturally significant to himself so he asked to be excused from the meeting at 6.54pm. Members went into a discussion about this matter along with Andrew Riley N.S.W. ALC zone Director Tony then went back to resolution one to clearly explain to members, the Chairperson then asked for the motion to be moved. Resolution 1 was Moved - Bridget Walker Second - Violet Williams 17 members where in favour of this, 1 abstained from voting. 4 The resolution was passed with one abstention from a person who regarded the land as culturally significant to him. At the same meeting the Council resolved to approve entry into a call option with the trustee for the transfer of lot 526 but that conveyance was subject to "a determination that no native title exists over lot 526". That condition was made necessary by the terms of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. Section 40AA of that Act prohibits a Local Aboriginal Land Council from disposing of land vested in it which is subject to native title rights and interests without "an approved determination of native title (within the meaning of the Commonwealth Native Title Act)". The present Council became the owner of lot 526 in fee simple as a result of a conveyance to it from the State of New South Wales on 17 March 1998. That conveyance occurred as a result of an order made by the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales pursuant to s 36 of that Act. Section 36(9) expressly provides that any land so conveyed is "subject to any native title rights and interests existing in relation to the lands". 5 Consequently, the Council could not proceed with the proposed call option without obtaining from this Court a determination that there was no native title subsisting in lot 526. 6 Subsequent to the meeting, on 30 September 2008, the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council, which is the peak land council for New South Wales, approved the use of the two lots for the purposes of the proposed development.