Passed in response to the 1992 Mabo High Court decision, the Native Title Act recognised that native title existed in Australia before European settlement.
The granting of native title does not give Indigenous Australians ownership of their traditional lands, but may give them the right to hold ceremony, gather bush tucker and have a say on what development can occur on the land.
It might also mean they are compensated for the loss of those rights because of development.
Among other tasks, the National Native Title Tribunal assists in the preparation of native title claims, mediation between parties and maintains the native title register.
Murray Silby has spoken with the latest appointment to the tribunal, James McNamara, who is a former adviser to the Queensland Government on Native Title.
(Click on audio tab above to listen to this item)Mr McNamara says moves in recent years towards Indigenous Land Use Agreements have helped parties involved in the process.
He spoke with Murray Silby.
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