Scrymgour, Snowdon among pollies who marked 30 years since Mabo in Red Centre

The 30th anniversary of Mabo was commemorated in Alice Springs on Friday. SEE THE PICS

MABO COMMUNITY CELEBRATION IN ALICE SPRINGS
NORTHERN Territory pollies attended Mabo Day celebrations in Alice Springs.

Freshly elected Lingiari MHR Marion Scrymgour, retired MP Warren Snowdon, NT Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo and Alice Springs Mayor Matt Paterson attended the Mabo Day 30th Anniversary Community Celebration and BBQ in Alice Springs on Friday.

During the event, Mr Paterson said the day was a very special occasion that should be treated with respect.

“I hope going forward that we can continue to work on this day and celebrate the occasion that it deserves to be and the Alice Springs Town Council will also want to be a part of that,” he said.

Ms Uibo thanked the Alice Springs Town Council for supporting the event and showing respect for the occasion.

“A special thanks to the Alice Springs Town Council for the use of the lawns and the support here,” she said.

The Mabo Day 30th Anniversary Community Celebration and BBQ Alice Springs took place at 93 Todd Street in Alice Springs.

REFLECTING ON MABO 30 YEARS ON
THIRTY years after Mabo’s landmark native title case, Aboriginal leaders say there is a long way to go.

On June 3 1992 the Mabo case successfully overturned the colonial idea that Australia was “terra nullius” (belonging to no one) instead the case recognised the legal land rights of the Meriam people as Traditional Owners of the Murray Islands.

The case set a precedence for several high profile cases in the Northern Territory, including Timber Creek and Blue Mud Bay with the latter returning not only land but tidal waters to Traditional Owners.

Northern Land Council chairman Samuel Bush-Blanasi said Mabo and cases that followed were significant but the Native Title Act needed “reform”.

“Ever since Mabo, governments, miners, pastoralists, ministers and prime ministers have tried to cut back native title. We still need to move forward in this country,” Mr Bush-Blanasi said.

Northern Land Council chairman Samuel Bush-Blanasi. Picture: Glenn Campbell

“The native title process takes away our dignity. The way it is handled by the courts has been disappointing. Native title divides our communities and often makes things worse, not better. It needs to be fixed.”

Following Queensland’s high court decision in the Wik case, the Howard government created a 10-point plan - known as the Native Title Amendment Act 1998 - that placed significant restrictions on native title claims and continues to impact Aboriginal people.

Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner said Mabo recognised the rights that Aboriginal Territorians have to access their land and waters to protect their sites and exercise other traditional rights and customs.

“Many native title claims in the NT have yet to be determined. In the Central Land Council region we hope to celebrate three consent determinations before the end of the year,” Mr Turner said.

Chief Justice of Australia Sir Gerard Brennan.

The Mabo case was heard by Sir Gerard Brennan, who tragically died aged 94 on Wednesday.

The High Court said in a statement on Thursday that Sir Gerard’s contribution to the legal system was profound.

“He was a model of judicial restraint. He was a man of deep humanity and was held in great esteem and affection by those who had the fortune to sit with him.”

A ceremonial sitting of the court to honour him will be held in August.

Read the full feature in Territory Weekend this Saturday.

Originally published as Scrymgour, Snowdon among pollies who marked 30 years since Mabo in Red Centre