What it does
The Aboriginal Land Act 1991 establishes a comprehensive statutory framework for the identification, claim, transfer, grant, and management of land to be held for the benefit of Aboriginal people in Queensland. At its core, the Act defines "Aboriginal land" in s.8 as either transferred land (granted under Part 4 without a claim) or granted land (granted following a successful claim under Part 5). This distinction is foundational: transferable land under s.9 and s.10 includes DOGIT land (s.11), Aboriginal reserve land (s.12), declared available State land, and land under ss.174, 175A, 176, 177 or 230, subject to exclusions for infrastructure, town sites, roads, or declarations under s.16.
The Act operationalises two primary pathways for land to become Aboriginal land. First, Part 4 (ss.38–49) provides for the preparation of deeds of grant in fee simple over transferable lands (s.38), with the Minister appointing grantees under s.39 (registered native title body corporate for native title holders) or s.40 (CATSI corporation or land trust, having regard to Aboriginal tradition per s.40(8)). Existing interests are preserved under s.45, with the trustee substituted as lessor for certain leases. Second, Part 5 (ss.56–73) allows groups of Aboriginal people to make claims on grounds of traditional affiliation (s.65) or historical association (s.66), with the Land Tribunal determining whether the claim is duly made (s.61) and recommending grants to the Minister (s.71). Claims must be made within 15 years of s.57's commencement (s.60), though repeat claims are permitted in limited circumstances (s.64).
Part 2A (inserted in 2014) introduces a mechanism for providing freehold title. Available land within freehold option land (urban areas in specified shires or indigenous local government areas) can be allocated to eligible persons (Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, or their spouses) via freehold instruments (s.32D), with processes for interest holders (Division 5) or open allocation (Division 6). Grants occur under the Land Act once probity and native title requirements are satisfied (s.32C). This represents a significant evolution from the Act's original claim-and-grant model.