On retirement from the Federal Court of Australia on 24 August 2016, the Hon John Mansfield AM QC commenced engagement with PM&C as a statutory office holder to fulfill the remaining term of his appointment. PM&C provided administrative support for the operations of the Aboriginal Land Commissioner. THE LAND CLAIM PROCESS The Act commenced on 26 January 1977. A total of 249 land claim applications have since been made. As a result of amendments to the Act made in 1987 and 2006 (notably s 50(2A) and s 67A(6)(a)) no new application has been made since 4 June 1997. The tables in Appendix 1 (which are described in detail later in the report) disclose that of the 249 applications lodged: 84 have been the subject of inquiries and reports; 3 are currently the subject of incomplete inquiries; 7 relate only to land which comprises the beds and banks of rivers and/or the inter-tidal zone (ITZ) and are susceptible to being finally disposed of without an inquiry in the event that regulations are made pursuant to s 67A(12) of the Act; 143 have been disposed of either by way of withdrawal or some other process not involving an inquiry; 11 are currently the subject of settlement negotiations which may result in the applications being disposed of without an inquiry; and in one case the Commissioner is currently prevented from exercising any function by reason of s 50(2C) of the Act. At a meeting convened by the Commissioner on 20 October 2016, the Northern Land Council and the Northern Territory Government through their representatives agreed in principal to a timetable to progress to finality (either by agreement and a request for scheduling, or by inquiry and report by the Commissioner) the unresolved applications referred to in 7c and 7e above, in a timely manner. In addition, the Commonwealth Government is currently taking steps to add land the subject of 4 applications (Nos. 93, 111, 122 and 179) to Schedule 1 of the Act. It is anticipated that process will largely be completed during the next reporting period. LAND CLAIM APPLICATION HEARINGS
On retirement from the Federal Court of Australia on 24 August 2016, the Hon John Mansfield AM QC commenced engagement with PM&C as a statutory office holder to fulfill the remaining term of his appointment. PM&C provided administrative support for the operations of the Aboriginal Land Commissioner. THE LAND CLAIM PROCESS The Act commenced on 26 January 1977. A total of 249 land claim applications have since been made. As a result of amendments to the Act made in 1987 and 2006 (notably s 50(2A) and s 67A(6)(a)) no new application has been made since 4 June 1997. The tables in Appendix 1 (which are described in detail later in the report) disclose that of the 249 applications lodged: 84 have been the subject of inquiries and reports; 3 are currently the subject of incomplete inquiries; 7 relate only to land which comprises the beds and banks of rivers and/or the inter-tidal zone (ITZ) and are susceptible to being finally disposed of without an inquiry in the event that regulations are made pursuant to s 67A(12) of the Act; 143 have been disposed of either by way of withdrawal or some other process not involving an inquiry; 11 are currently the subject of settlement negotiations which may result in the applications being disposed of without an inquiry; and in one case the Commissioner is currently prevented from exercising any function by reason of s 50(2C) of the Act. At a meeting convened by the Commissioner on 20 October 2016, the Northern Land Council and the Northern Territory Government through their representatives agreed in principal to a timetable to progress to finality (either by agreement and a request for scheduling, or by inquiry and report by the Commissioner) the unresolved applications referred to in 7c and 7e above, in a timely manner. In addition, the Commonwealth Government is currently taking steps to add land the subject of 4 applications (Nos. 93, 111, 122 and 179) to Schedule 1 of the Act. It is anticipated that process will largely be completed during the next reporting period. LAND CLAIM APPLICATION HEARINGS
aboriginal-land-commissioner-annual-report.DOCX