The Commonwealth Government's 2015 White Paper on Developing Northern Australia identifies simplification of land tenure arrangements as a priority action to support investment and unlock economic development on both Indigenous and pastoral land. There is no doubt that the complexity of existing tenures can act as a barrier to investment. Nonetheless, the complexity of legal, cultural and environmental issues surrounding tenure demands widespread community participation in any reform process. In support of such participation, The Cairns Institute is hosting a series of open forums on the theme of Native Title and Economic Opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

These forums aim to:

• Build awareness and understanding of the issues, opportunities and risks raised by tenure reform for Indigenous communities
• Encourage dialogue within and between Indigenous and other stakeholder groups of the implications of tenure reform
• Share experiences of economic development on Indigenous land under various tenure arrangements.

About the Presenters

Professor Nicolas Peterson is Director of the Centre for Native Title Anthropology, Australian National University. His initial engagement with land rights issues was working as the Research Officer for the Royal Commission in to Aboriginal Land Rights (the Woodward Commission) which subsequently led to him to prepare a number of major land claim reports, and post Mabo, the test case for native title rights in the sea.

Professor David Trigger, School of Social Science at the University of Queensland. His research interests encompass the different meanings attributed to land and nature across diverse sectors of society. His research on Australian society includes projects focused on a comparison of pro-development, environmentalist and Aboriginal perspectives on land and nature. He has extensive experience in native title and has acted as an expert witness in multiple native title claims and associated criminal matters involving Aboriginal customary law.

Dr David Martin is Director of Anthropos and Senior Anthropologist, based in Canberra. He has extensive field-based experience with Aboriginal groups in rural and remote areas, including eight years in community development. He has also worked at senior management level within government, and provided high level advice to Aboriginal organisations, government agencies and the private sector on such matters as developing effective Aboriginal organisational structures, native title and land rights, and addressing alcohol issues. He has particular expertise in working with Aboriginal groups to develop effective corporate structures.

Dr Julie Finlayson has worked as an academic in anthropology with an emphasis on Aboriginal issues at La Trobe University and the ANU. Her doctoral research dealt with the impact of gender in domestic economics and welfare-based households in rural north Queensland. She has worked as a consultant in native title, cultural tourism and Indigenous organisational/governance fields, including publishing a book on successful Indigenous service providers. She has contributed to a number of papers and monographs on native title, taught professional development course for practitioners in native title, worked for the NNTT, and as a consultant to ATSIC’s Native Title and Land Rights Branch.

Bruce Martin is completing a Bachelor of Arts degree through the Open University. He is currently based in Cairns, working on a number of projects with his mother's Wik people in Aurukun, western Cape York. He has experience working with the Cape York Land Council and Balkanu Cape York Development Corporation on a number of projects, including the Wild Rivers legislation, and land tenure and management arrangements in Cape York.

This will be a free public event but please  REGISTER