Galway on behalf of Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa and Wadi Wadi Peoples v State of Victoria

[2015] FCA 497

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Galway on behalf of Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa and Wadi Wadi Peoples v State of Victoria [2015] FCA 497

Citation:	Galway on behalf of Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa and Wadi Wadi Peoples v State of Victoria [2015] FCA 497
Parties:	HOWARD JOHN GALWAY AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE ON BEHALF OF WAMBA WAMBA, BARAPA BARAPA AND WADI WADI PEOPLES v STATE OF VICTORIA AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE
File number:	VID 6005 of 2000
Judge:	NORTH J
Date of judgment:	15 May 2015
Date of hearing:	15 May 2015
Place:	Melbourne
Division:	GENERAL DIVISION
Category:	No Catchwords
Number of paragraphs:	8
Appearing for the Applicants:	Mr G Murray (appeared in person), Mr R Nicholls (Director of Wadi Wadi Wemba Wamba Barapa Barapa First Nations Aboriginal Corporation), and Ms H Atkinson (Director of Wadi Wadi Wemba Wamba Barapa Barapa First Nations Aboriginal Corporation)
Solicitor for the State of Victoria:	Ms M Scalzo, Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office
Solicitor for the Commonwealth:	Mr C Rawson, Australian Government Solicitor

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 6005 of 2000

BETWEEN:	HOWARD JOHN GALWAY AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE ON BEHALF OF WAMBA WAMBA, BARAPA BARAPA AND WADI WADI PEOPLES Applicant
AND:	STATE OF VICTORIA AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE Respondent

JUDGE:	NORTH J
DATE OF ORDER:	15 MAY 2015
WHERE MADE:	MELBOURNE

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The application is struck out.

Note:    Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

IN THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA
VICTORIA DISTRICT REGISTRY
GENERAL DIVISION	VID 6005 of 2000

BETWEEN:	HOWARD JOHN GALWAY AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE ON BEHALF OF WAMBA WAMBA, BARAPA BARAPA AND WADI WADI PEOPLES Applicant
AND:	STATE OF VICTORIA AND OTHERS NAMED IN THE SCHEDULE Respondent

JUDGE:	NORTH J
DATE:	15 MAY 2015
PLACE:	MELBOURNE

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

1. Before the Court is a native title application brought by the Wamba Wamba, Barapa Barapa, and Wadi Wadi Peoples. The application has been on foot for 15 years.  It has weathered many ups and downs and on many occasions the Court has indicated that unless there was meaningful progress, it would have to be struck out. 

2. The application faces the challenge that it is brought by three groups, necessitating both internal organisation within each of the groups and also cooperation between them. That has been a difficult task for the parties which the Court has overseen for many years.

3. On behalf of the applicants, Mr Murray advocated for the continuance of the application persuasively on many occasions. On each occasion he was able to explain the possibility of progress being made, for reasons which were well-articulated and sound at the time. Mr Murray now acknowledges that the time has come to concede that the three groups cannot, in the present circumstances, move the application forward together in an efficient way. 

4. The Court has received a letter from Native Title Services Victoria (NTSV) dated 8 May 2015 which outlines its position. NTSV has offered to fund a group meeting, however, this has not taken place and the Court is informed that the arrangements for it have been difficult to finalise. NTSV indicates in the letter that, while it may ultimately provide assistance for the group, such assistance is not part of its 2015-2016 operational plan.  This means that there would likely be a delay of at least another year before anything further is done in the application.

5. NTSV’s position is relevant because the parties had hoped that their cause would be taken up by NTSV. Given the position expressed, and given the acknowledgement of Mr Murray with regard to the unlikelihood of the three groups working together to progress this particular application, the time has now come for the application to be struck out. 

6. The decision to strike out the matter does not reflect upon the existence or otherwise of any native title rights which the group or the individual groups may have.  Rather, this is a procedural decision which is based on the fact that the application has been on foot without significant progress for such a long time. The order to strike out the application is made because without progress it would be wrong to keep the parties returning to the Court for no good reason. It remains possible for the groups, either individually or together, to file further applications or to exert any rights which they may have under Victorian legislation, either the cultural heritage legislation or the traditional owners’ settlement legislation.

7. In striking out the application, the Court particularly acknowledges the contributions made by Mr Murray for the applicants, and Ms Scalzo and Mr Rawson for the respondents, all of whom have appeared in Court on numerous occasions over the 15-year duration of this matter.

8. The strength, rationality and courtesy of Mr Murray’s advocacy are particularly noted. Many passionate advocates appear before the Court, in native title and other matters, but rarely do they present their position with such aplomb and success. Although the order made today may be in a sense unwelcome to the applicants, it follows the acceptance by Mr Murray, that the day has come when this application, through lack of meaningful progress, should no longer stay on foot.

I certify that the preceding eight (8) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice North.

Associate:  

Dated:       20 May 2015
Schedule

No:  (P)VID6005/2000

Federal Court of Australia
District Registry: Victoria
Division: General

Applicant:     HOWARD JOHN GALWAY
 Applicant:     JIMEALIE JOYCE CARTER
 Applicant:     TREVOR GEORGE NICHOLSON
 Applicant:     GARY JOHN MURRAY
 Applicant:     BARAPA BARAPA PEOPLES'
 Applicant:     WAMBA WAMBA PEOPLES'
 Applicant:     WADI WADI PEOPLE

Respondent:   WIMMERA MALLEE RURAL WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   SUNRAYSIA RURAL WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   LOWER MURRAY REGION WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   GOULBURN-MURRAY RURAL WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   COLIBAN REGION WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   GRAMPIANS REGION WATER AUTHORITY
 Respondent:   BULOKE SHIRE COUNCIL
 Respondent:   SWAN HILL RURAL CITY COUNCIL
 Respondent:   CHARLES JOHN CASTLE
 Respondent:   COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
 Respondent:   BEATRICE CASTLE
 Respondent:   COLIN JOHN MYERS
 Respondent:   SHAAN MARGARET CECILIA MYERS
 Respondent:   GEORGE HERBERT DOUGLAS ROSS
 Respondent:   JILL APRIL CHRISTINA SUTHERLAND
 Respondent:   BARRY THEOBOLD
 Respondent:   HOWARD MARTIN MORROW
 Respondent:   JUDITH ANN MCKERROW
 Respondent:   RONALD THOMAS MCKERROW
 Respondent:   DAVID JOHN MCGRATH
 Respondent:   ALAN GERARD MCGRATH
 Respondent:   PETER JOHN LAAN
 Respondent:   KAYE SANDRA JONES
 Respondent:   NEVILLE JOHN JAMES
 Respondent:   DAWN GARLAND
 Respondent:   RITCHIE THEOBOLD
 Respondent:   BRETT CONDELY
 Respondent:   WILLESDEN GREEN PTY LTD
 Respondent:   JOHN GARLAND
 Respondent:   GRAHAM WILLIAM COSSAR
 Respondent:   H MALCOLM D BENNETT
 Respondent:   A S BEAR
 Respondent:   JS BEAR
 Respondent:   JL ALLEN
 Respondent:   RL ALLEN
 Respondent:   GLENYS ESTELLE COSSAR
 Respondent:   PETER JAMES COSSAR
 Respondent:   LYNETTE COSSAR
 Respondent:   BASIL GREENHAM
 Respondent:   BRUCE CARTER
 Respondent:   S BILLING
 Respondent:   ANDREW ROBERT BLAIN
 Respondent:   RUTH LORRAINE BLAIN
 Respondent:   WILLIAM JOHN BUCHANAN
 Respondent:   ARTHUR WARREN BURGE
 Respondent:   VERNA AMY BURGE
 Respondent:   MARIE CARTER
 Respondent:   CB HARRISON & SONS
 Respondent:   CAMPBELL JOHN CHALMERS
 Respondent:   JANICE BERYL CHALMERS
 Respondent:   KJ CRICHTON
 Respondent:   LD CRICHTON
 Respondent:   IAN GEORGE STUART ELDER
 Respondent:   LEONARD ERIC ELLIS
 Respondent:   COLIN GREENHAM
 Respondent:   MICHAEL JOHN GLOWREY
 Respondent:   JOHN EDWARD GLOWREY
 Respondent:   VICTOR A GITSHAM
 Respondent:   GLENYS JEAN GILLINGHAM
 Respondent:   NEIL CAMERON GILLIES
 Respondent:   EF ENGLISH
 Respondent:   DARYL GREENHAM
 Respondent:   C BILLING
 Respondent:   ROBERT JAMES HEATHERINGTON
 Respondent:   DEBRA MARY HEATHERINGTON
 Respondent:   LINDSAY JOSEPH HODGSON
 Respondent:   BRUCE WARREN HORSBURGH
 Respondent:   CARMEL MARY HORSBURGH
 Respondent:   ROBERT BRUCE HORSBURGH
 Respondent:   J.B. HOSKING
 Respondent:   IAN HOWARD
 Respondent:   JOANNE HOWARD
 Respondent:   TREVOR CLIVE IBBS
 Respondent:   SHIRLEY LORRAINE IBBS
 Respondent:   BARRY WILLIAM JAMES
 Respondent:   HM KANE
 Respondent:   KELLY BROS
 Respondent:   VD KELLY
 Respondent:   LG LEARMONTH
 Respondent:   LM LEARMONTH
 Respondent:   BEVERLEY ANNE LEATHBRIDGE
 Respondent:   DONALD JAMES LEATHBRIDGE
 Respondent:   K LIPP
 Respondent:   V LIPP
 Respondent:   STEPHEN GEORGE MARSHALL
 Respondent:   SUSAN ANGELA JOY MARSHALL
 Respondent:   ALEXANDER DONALD MARTIN
 Respondent:   STEWART REX MCCANN
 Respondent:   WARRACK GRANT MCCANN
 Respondent:   WILLIAM EDMUND MCGRATH
 Respondent:   STUART FRANK SIMMS
 Respondent:   EJ SHIPP
 Respondent:   KR SHIPP
 Respondent:   ML SCHLITZ
 Respondent:   TJ SCHLITZ
 Respondent:   PF SCHLITZ
 Respondent:   MV SCHLITZ
 Respondent:   KC RICHARDSON
 Respondent:   SJ RICHARDSON
 Respondent:   DAVID POLLARD
 Respondent:   DIANNE FAYE PEACE
 Respondent:   GRAEME THOMAS PEACE
 Respondent:   CAROL SUSAN PAY
 Respondent:   KENNETH RONALD PAY
 Respondent:   WILLIAM KEVIN PARSONS
 Respondent:   ANDREW G OXLEY
 Respondent:   GRAEME J OXLEY
 Respondent:   FRANCIS ROBERT O'SHEA
 Respondent:   MAX ALEXANDER NEWSTEAD
 Respondent:   WILLIAM ALISTER MCGREGOR
 Respondent:   LLEWELLYN RALPH MITCHELL
 Respondent:   COLIN HUGH MITCHELL
 Respondent:   LEONARD JOHN MULLAN
 Respondent:   FRANCES HILARY MULLAN
 Respondent:   CATHRYN HILDA TURVEY
 Respondent:   JOHN CUMMINS
 Respondent:   GEOFFREY JAMES TURNBULL
 Respondent:   J TUOHEY
 Respondent:   T TUOHEY
 Respondent:   JOHN MCKELLAR TODD
 Respondent:   C D TODD
 Respondent:   LM STEER
 Respondent:   JM STEER
 Respondent:   MARK DONALD SOUTHERN
 Respondent:   NT SMITH
 Respondent:   JC SMITH
 Respondent:   MARIE REGINA DILLON
 Respondent:   PATRICK FRANCIS DILLON
 Respondent:   GLENDA CUMMINS
 Respondent:   LESLIE JAMES BOND
 Respondent:   DENISE WATERSON
 Respondent:   JOHN WATERSON
 Respondent:   STEPHANIE JOY DILLON
 Respondent:   CAROL TURVEY
 Respondent:   PAMELA C RIX
 Respondent:   HELEN MARGARET SCALA
 Respondent:   SWAN HILL JOCKEY CLUB INC
 Respondent:   SWAN HILL CITY GOLF & BOWLS CLUB INC
 Respondent:   IAN EDWARD TAYLOR
 Respondent:   RITCHIE THEOBALD
 Respondent:   ANNETTE THEOBALD
 Respondent:   ATKINSON'S (WILLOW PARK) PTY LTD
 Respondent:   FRANK RICHARD BIBBY
 Respondent:   DOUGLAS KEITH CHAMBERLAIN
 Respondent:   GLENYSE YVONNE CHAMBERLAIN
 Respondent:   PETER CONDELY
 Respondent:   MALCOLM GRANT FARLEY
 Respondent:   JENNIFER ANN FARLEY
 Respondent:   SAMUEL PHILLIP FARLEY
 Respondent:   FAYE FARLEY
 Respondent:   VG FOOTT
 Respondent:   TM FOOTT
 Respondent:   FREDERICK W DOWDY
 Respondent:   CAMERON BENNETT ENGLISH
 Respondent:   MALCOLM WAYNE KELLY
 Respondent:   DEBRA ANNE KELLY
 Respondent:   NEIL MCKERROW
 Respondent:   HELEN MCKERROW
 Respondent:   ANNETTE CHRISTINA PRIOR
 Respondent:   RONALD GEORGE REAPER
 Respondent:   DAVID M RIX
 Respondent:   LEO HERBERT PARKER
 Respondent:   GJ KELLY
 Respondent:   ROBERT LOATS
 Respondent:   WILLIAM ROWE
 Respondent:   B MACKIE
 Respondent:   KERRIE LEE KNIGHT
 Respondent:   JOHN PETER KNIGHT
 Respondent:   OS PARKER
 Respondent:   EE PARKER
 Respondent:   ALAN GREGORY PICKERING
 Respondent:   HELEN EDITH PICKERING
 Respondent:   JOHN RICHARD TONKIN
 Respondent:   HELEN MARGARET TONKIN
 Respondent:   JOELLDA PTY LTD
 Respondent:   GW KELLY
 Respondent:   PYRENEES APIARIES
 Respondent:   COLIN MANSELL
 Respondent:   POWERCOR AUSTRALIA LIMITED
 Respondent:   ELVA WINIFRED CARTY
 Respondent:   BRIAN FRANCIS CARTY
 Respondent:   LEONARD JAMES DONOHUE
 Respondent:   MID-MURRAY FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB INC
 Respondent:   CORACK PUBLIC HALL INCORPORATED
 Respondent:   ALCHERINGA HOSTEL INC
 Respondent:   LAKE MERAN PUBLIC PURPOSE COMMITTEE
 Respondent:   CHEETHAM SALT LTD
 Respondent:   BROADCAST AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
 Respondent:   TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED
 Respondent:   VICTORIAN SALT PTY LTD
 Respondent:   PAUL GRIFFITHS
 Respondent:   RONALD GEORGE DANBY
 Respondent:   DIANNE GRIFFITHS
 Respondent:   GRAHAM DAVID MCLEAN
 Respondent:   LINTON FRANCIS RYAN
 Respondent:   MATTHEW GLOWREY
 Respondent:   GERTRUDE ELVA MCGREGOR
 Respondent:   PAULINE ELIZABETH GLOWREY
 Respondent:   MAXWELL JOHN SEWELL
 Respondent:   GANNAWARRA SHIRE COUNCIL
 Respondent:   JENNY JAMES-BRYAN
 Respondent:   ROD BRYAN