Western Australia v Ward

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Extinguishment – Extinguishment by grant of interest in land – Inconsistency between native title rights and interests and rights and interests under allegedly extinguishing grants – Adverse dominion test rejected.

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) – Previous exclusive possession acts – Previous non-exclusive possession acts – Past acts – Intermediate past acts – Public works.

Appeal – Federal Court of Australia – Nature of appeal – Rehearing – Principles applicable.

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Extinguishment – Partial extinguishment – Suspension of native title rights and interests – Partial extinguishment and suspension under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Extinguishment – Crown lands – Particular kinds of transactions respecting Crown lands – Pastoral lease under Land Acts of Western Australia – Mining lease under Mining Acts of Western Australia – Reserves – Special purposes lease – Special lease – Resumption of land under the Land Act 1933 (WA) and Public Works Act 1902 (WA) – Grant to occupy land – Grant of leased reserve – Vacant Crown land.

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Validity of past acts – Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) – Inconsistency of State law authorising grant of interest in land.

Aboriginals – Native title to land – Rights in relation to land or waters – Cultural knowledge.

Constitutional law (Cth) – Territories – Relationship between Commonwealth and Territory laws.

Words and phrases –"past acts", "intermediate period acts", "exclusive possession", "previous exclusive possession acts", "previous non-exclusive possession acts", "non-exclusive pastoral leases", "public works", "works", "category A past act", "category B past act", "category C past act".

Australian Waste Lands Act 1855 (Imp) – s 7.

Western Australia Constitution Act 1890 (Imp) – s 3.

Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) – ss 24, 27.

Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) – Pt 1, Pt 2 Div 1 (ss 11, 14, 15, 16, 19), Pt 2 Div 2 (ss 17, 20), Pt 2 Div 2A, Pt 2 Div 2B (ss 23B, 23C, 23E, 23F, 23G, 23J), Pt 2 Div 4 (s 45), Pt 2 Div 5, ss 223, 225, 226, 228, 231, 238, 242, 245, 248A, 248B.

Native Title Amendment Act 1998 (Cth).

Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) – ss 9, 10.

Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA).

Land Act 1898 (WA) – Pt I (ss 3, 4, 15, 16, 32, 33), Pt III, Pt V (s 62), Pt VI, Pt VII, Pt VIII, Pt IX, Pt X (ss 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 102, 104, 106, 107), Pt XI, Pt XII (ss 135, 138, 142, 143, 144, 150, 151, 154).

Land Act Amendment Act 1905 (WA) – s 10.

Land Act 1933 (WA) – Pt I (ss 3, 7, 11, 13), Pt III (ss 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34), Pt V Div 1, Pt V Div 2, Pt V Div 3, Pt V Div 4, Pt VI (ss 106, 109), Pt VII, Pt IX (ss 162, 163, 164).

Mining Act 1904 (WA) – ss 117, 122, 123.

Mining Act 1978 (WA) – s 8, Pt III Div 3 (ss 29, 35), Pt IV Div 3 (ss 71, 73, 78, 82, 85), Pt IV Div 4, ss 113, 123.

Public Works Act 1902 (WA) – ss 18, 34.

Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 (WA) – ss 2, 3, 4.

Titles Validation Act 1995 (WA).

Titles Validation Amendment Act 1999 (WA).

Titles (Validation) and Native Title (Effect of Past Acts) Act 1995 (WA) – Pt 2 (ss 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11), Pt 2A (s 12A), Pt 2B (ss 12I, 12J, 12K, 12L, 12M, 12N, 12O, 12P).

Titles (Validation) and Native Title (Effect of Past Acts) Amendment Act 1999 (WA).

Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA) – ss 6, 23.

Validation (Native Title) Act 1994 (NT) – Pt 1 (ss 3, 3A, 3B), Pt 2 (ss 4, 4A, 4C), Pt 3 (ss 5, 6, 7, 8, 9), Pt 3C (ss 9L, 9M), Pt 4 (s 10), Pt 5 (s 11).