Daniel v State of Western Australia [2003] FCA 1425
Native title rights are extinguished only where the exercise of such rights is inconsistent with the prevailing rights conferred by the other tenure or instrument and not merely because of the possibility of conflict. Where rights such as access, camping, taking flora/fauna, and ritual can be exercised so as to allow the rights of the other tenure holder to prevail in practice, there is no necessary extinguishment. However, where the rights are mutually exclusive—such as occupation by permanent facilities, or statutory prohibitions apply—native title rights are extinguished to that extent. The determination must describe the native title rights reflecting this reconciliation of interests.
- Parties
- First Applicants: David Daniel, Daisy Moses, Roger Barker, Jill Churnside, Trevor Solomon, Les Hicks on behalf of the Ngarluma people; Bruce Monadee, Kenny Jerrold, Mary Walker, Bruce Woodley, Michelle Adams, Jimmy Horace, Linda Ryder, Judy Albert on behalf of the Yindjibarndi people; Second Applicants: Valerie Holborow (nee Cosmos), Kevin Cosmos, Robert Boona on behalf of the Yaburara & Mardudhunera people; Third Applicants: Betty Dale, Tim Douglas, Wilfred Hicks, Dallas Hicks, Ernie Ramirez, Cane Hicks; First Respondents: The State of Western Australia, Premier of Western Australia, Aboriginal Lands Trust, Agriculture Protection Board, Commissioner of Main Roads, Dampier Port Authority, Electricity Corporation, Gas Corporation, Heritage Council of Western Australia, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Environment, Minister for Fisheries, Minister for Health, Minister for Housing, Minister for Justice, Minister for Lands, Minister for Mines, Minister for Primary Industry, Minister for Resources Development, Minister for Transport, Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Works, National Parks & Nature Conservation Authority, Water Corporation, Waters & Rivers Commission and Western Australian Museum; Respondents 2 a: Commonwealth of Australia and Australian Maritime Safety Authority; Third Respondents (former 2 B): Telstra Corporation Limited; Fourth Respondents: Shire of Roebourne; Fifth Respondents: P & D Cook, Peter Cook, Coolawanyah Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (Coolawanyah Station), Mallina Station, Mount Florence Station, Pedo Pty Ltd (Mallina Station), Tony Richardson, DM & JA Sambell (Warambie Station), DM, JA & NL Sambell; Sixth Respondents: BHP Minerals Pty Ltd, BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd, Duke Energy WA Power Pty Ltd; Eighth Respondents: Cape Lambert Iron Associates, Mitsui Iron Ore Development Pty Ltd, North Mining Ltd, Pannawonica Iron Associates Robe River, Mining Company Pty Ltd; Ninth Respondent: Dampier Salt Ltd; Tenth Respondents: Hamersley Exploration Pty Ltd and Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd; Eleventh Respondents: North West Shelf Joint Venturers & Woodside Offshore Petroleum Pty Ltd; Respondent 12 a: Mineralogy Pty Ltd; Respondents 12 B: Boral Contracting Pty Ltd, CSR Ltd, Pioneer Concrete (WA) Pty Ltd, The Readymix Group; Thirteenth Respondents: Anvil Mining NL, Australian Nickel Mines NL, BGC Contracting Pty Ltd, Dalrymple Resources NL, Dominion Mining Ltd, Dragon Mining NL, East Coast Minerals NL, Everton Nominees Pty Ltd, Goldrim Mining Australia Ltd, Hunter Resources Ltd, Karratha Property Services, Karratha Stone Pty Ltd, Legend Mining NL, Mt Keith Gold Mines Pty Ltd, Optimum Resources Pty Ltd, Pilbara Mines NL, Plutonic Resources Ltd, Starmoss Holdings Pty Ltd, Tap Oil NL; Respondents 14 a: Ron Brand, Allan J Clark, RW & DM Godlonton, Michele & Peter Heymans, John Phillip Kirkwood, Donald Edward North, Donald Kimberley North, VP O'Connor, J & P Rocca, James Edward Telfer; Respondent 14 B: MG Creasy; Respondents 14 C: Raymond John Thomas Butler, VT & PA Roberts; Fifteenth Respondents: GH Alexander, Robert Lewis Alexander, Dzintra Braun, Johannes Braun, Ivan J Dawe, Direction Fisheries Pty Ltd, Peter John Fullarton, Hugh Colin Gilbert, RJ Goodlad, James Lawrence Henry, Higgins Power & Marine Services, KR & Piefre K Hodges, Kraos Fishing Company, Michael Nicholas & Lynn Janene Manifis, McBoats, MG Kailis Gulf Fisheries Pty Ltd, Edin & Bransby Susan Morrison, PL Nash, MF O'Byrne, WH Ott, Redland Bay Pty Ltd, DA Rettay, Joe Rinkens, Nell Rinkens, GE & BJ Sell, Arthur Brian Toussaint, Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (Inc); Seventeenth Respondents: Cossack Pearls Pty Ltd, Dampier Pearling Company, Exmouth Pearls Pty Ltd, Norwest Pearls Pty Ltd, Pilbara Pearls/Dampier; Eighteenth Respondent: Yathalla Aboriginal Corp; Nineteenth Respondent: Mingullatharndo Association Inc; Respondents 19 B: Horace Parker and others on behalf of the Bunjima, Niapaili and Innawonga Peoples; Respondents 19 D: Teddy Roberts, Cyril Gordon, Donny Wilson, Bridie Alec on behalf of themselves and the 89 Karriyarra people; Twentieth Respondents: Geoffrey & Michael Tozer; Twenty First Respondents: Grayson Holdings Pty Ltd, WR Jefferies, Karunda Pty Ltd, Vilma Rose Parker; Twenty Third Respondents: Ausi Iron NL
- Jurisdiction
- Australia
- Judgment Date
- 05 December 2003
- Procedural Posture
- Native Title Determination / Supplementary Reasons Following Main Judgment, Dealing With Submissions on Inconsistency Between Extinguishing Interests and Non Exclusive Native Title Rights
- Outcome
- Supplementary reasons on extinguishment—in part native title rights extinguished or modified.
- Legal Topics
- Native Title, Extinguishment of Native Title, Pastoral Lease, Mining Tenement, Reserves for Cemeteries, Country Areas Water Supply Act by Laws, Nature Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries, Jetty Licences, Inconsistency of Rights, Coexistence of Interests
Case Brief
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
David Daniel, Daisy Moses, Roger Barker, Jill Churnside, Trevor Solomon, Les Hicks on behalf of the Ngarluma people; Bruce Monadee, Kenny Jerrold, Mary Walker, Bruce Woodley, Michelle Adams, Jimmy Horace, Linda Ryder, Judy Albert on behalf of the Yindjibarndi people
First Applicants
Valerie Holborow (nee Cosmos), Kevin Cosmos, Robert Boona on behalf of the Yaburara & Mardudhunera people
Second Applicants
Betty Dale, Tim Douglas, Wilfred Hicks, Dallas Hicks, Ernie Ramirez, Cane Hicks
Third Applicants
The State of Western Australia, Premier of Western Australia, Aboriginal Lands Trust, Agriculture Protection Board, Commissioner of Main Roads, Dampier Port Authority, Electricity Corporation, Gas Corporation, Heritage Council of Western Australia, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for Environment, Minister for Fisheries, Minister for Health, Minister for Housing, Minister for Justice, Minister for Lands, Minister for Mines, Minister for Primary Industry, Minister for Resources Development, Minister for Transport, Minister for Water Resources, Minister for Works, National Parks & Nature Conservation Authority, Water Corporation, Waters & Rivers Commission and Western Australian Museum
First Respondents
Commonwealth of Australia and Australian Maritime Safety Authority
Respondents 2 a
Telstra Corporation Limited
Third Respondents (former 2 B)
Shire of Roebourne
Fourth Respondents
P & D Cook, Peter Cook, Coolawanyah Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (Coolawanyah Station), Mallina Station, Mount Florence Station, Pedo Pty Ltd (Mallina Station), Tony Richardson, DM & JA Sambell (Warambie Station), DM, JA & NL Sambell
Fifth Respondents
BHP Minerals Pty Ltd, BHP Petroleum Pty Ltd, Duke Energy WA Power Pty Ltd
Sixth Respondents
Cape Lambert Iron Associates, Mitsui Iron Ore Development Pty Ltd, North Mining Ltd, Pannawonica Iron Associates Robe River, Mining Company Pty Ltd
Eighth Respondents
Dampier Salt Ltd
Ninth Respondent
Hamersley Exploration Pty Ltd and Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd
Tenth Respondents
North West Shelf Joint Venturers & Woodside Offshore Petroleum Pty Ltd
Eleventh Respondents
Mineralogy Pty Ltd
Respondent 12 a
Boral Contracting Pty Ltd, CSR Ltd, Pioneer Concrete (WA) Pty Ltd, The Readymix Group
Respondents 12 B
Anvil Mining NL, Australian Nickel Mines NL, BGC Contracting Pty Ltd, Dalrymple Resources NL, Dominion Mining Ltd, Dragon Mining NL, East Coast Minerals NL, Everton Nominees Pty Ltd, Goldrim Mining Australia Ltd, Hunter Resources Ltd, Karratha Property Services, Karratha Stone Pty Ltd, Legend Mining NL, Mt Keith Gold Mines Pty Ltd, Optimum Resources Pty Ltd, Pilbara Mines NL, Plutonic Resources Ltd, Starmoss Holdings Pty Ltd, Tap Oil NL
Thirteenth Respondents
Ron Brand, Allan J Clark, RW & DM Godlonton, Michele & Peter Heymans, John Phillip Kirkwood, Donald Edward North, Donald Kimberley North, VP O'Connor, J & P Rocca, James Edward Telfer
Respondents 14 a
MG Creasy
Respondent 14 B
Raymond John Thomas Butler, VT & PA Roberts
Respondents 14 C
GH Alexander, Robert Lewis Alexander, Dzintra Braun, Johannes Braun, Ivan J Dawe, Direction Fisheries Pty Ltd, Peter John Fullarton, Hugh Colin Gilbert, RJ Goodlad, James Lawrence Henry, Higgins Power & Marine Services, KR & Piefre K Hodges, Kraos Fishing Company, Michael Nicholas & Lynn Janene Manifis, McBoats, MG Kailis Gulf Fisheries Pty Ltd, Edin & Bransby Susan Morrison, PL Nash, MF O'Byrne, WH Ott, Redland Bay Pty Ltd, DA Rettay, Joe Rinkens, Nell Rinkens, GE & BJ Sell, Arthur Brian Toussaint, Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (Inc)
Fifteenth Respondents
Cossack Pearls Pty Ltd, Dampier Pearling Company, Exmouth Pearls Pty Ltd, Norwest Pearls Pty Ltd, Pilbara Pearls/Dampier
Seventeenth Respondents
Yathalla Aboriginal Corp
Eighteenth Respondent
Mingullatharndo Association Inc
Nineteenth Respondent
Horace Parker and others on behalf of the Bunjima, Niapaili and Innawonga Peoples
Respondents 19 B
Teddy Roberts, Cyril Gordon, Donny Wilson, Bridie Alec on behalf of themselves and the 89 Karriyarra people
Respondents 19 D
Geoffrey & Michael Tozer
Twentieth Respondents
Grayson Holdings Pty Ltd, WR Jefferies, Karunda Pty Ltd, Vilma Rose Parker
Twenty First Respondents
Ausi Iron NL
Twenty Third Respondents
Procedural Posture
Native Title Determination / Supplementary Reasons Following Main Judgment, Dealing With Submissions on Inconsistency Between Extinguishing Interests and Non Exclusive Native Title Rights
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether particular native title rights and interests have been extinguished by various inconsistent interests (leases, tenures, statutory instruments)
- 2 Application of the 'prevailing rights' and 'reasonable user' tests for coexistence or extinguishment
- 3 Scope and content of non-exclusive native title rights following previous determination
Ratio Decidendi
Native title rights are extinguished only where the exercise of such rights is inconsistent with the prevailing rights conferred by the other tenure or instrument and not merely because of the possibility of conflict. Where rights such as access, camping, taking flora/fauna, and ritual can be exercised so as to allow the rights of the other tenure holder to prevail in practice, there is no necessary extinguishment. However, where the rights are mutually exclusive—such as occupation by permanent facilities, or statutory prohibitions apply—native title rights are extinguished to that extent. The determination must describe the native title rights reflecting this reconciliation of interests.
Court Disposition
Supplementary reasons on extinguishment—in part native title rights extinguished or modified.
Orders
- By-law 36(1) extinguishes the right to 'remain' (part of right (a)) and the right to camp (right (c)) within the relevant areas.
- By-law 40 extinguishes rights (f) (collect and forage for bush medicine and food) and (h) (take flora) within relevant areas.
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