Court rejects appeal against Adani land deal

The Federal Court has ruled as valid an indigenous land usage agreement with Adani.

The Federal Court has ruled as valid an indigenous land usage agreement that could permanently extinguish native title in the area where the Carmichael coalmine is to be built.

A group of five Aboriginal ­opponents to the mine alleged the process of checking whether the traditional owners who voted on the agreement had legitimate native title claims “lacked rigour”.

The court yesterday dismissed the appeal by Wangan and Jagalingou people, including activist Adrian Burragubba.

Their challenge sought to overturn a decision handed down last year that found a land agreement between Adani and the Wangan and Jagalingou people was valid, but a full bench of the court disagreed. It also found Adani’s public advertising on the proposed agreement was a “reasonable effort” to ensure all people who hold or may hold ­native title had been identified.

AAP