Leonne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/John Maclean Duncan, Mandy Jane Duncan, Harold Leslie Dowling; Jaguar Minerals Ltd; Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett; Frederick...

Case

[2008] NNTTA 2

10 January 2008


NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL

Leonne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/John Maclean Duncan, Mandy Jane Duncan, Harold Leslie Dowling; Jaguar Minerals Ltd; Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett; Frederick Charles Saunders; Westex Resources Pty Ltd, [2008] NNTTA 2 (10 January 2008)

Application No:                  WO07/603, WO07/644, WO07/645, WO07/646, WO07/647, WO07/648, WO07/649, WO07/650, WO07/651, WO07/652, WO07/653, WO07/654, WO07/655, WO07/748, WO07/749, WO07/750, WO07/751, WO07/752, WO07/753

IN THE MATTER of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)

-and-

IN THE MATTER of an inquiry into expedited procedure objection applications

Leonne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People – WC98/27 (native title party)

-and-

The State of Western Australia (Government party)

-and-

John Maclean Duncan, Mandy Jane Duncan, Harold Leslie Dowling (WO07/603)
Jaguar Minerals Ltd (WO07/644 – WO07/646)
Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett (WO07/647 – WO07/653)
Frederick Charles Saunders (WO07/654 – WO07/655)
Westex Resources Pty Ltd (WO07/748 – WO07/753) (grantee parties)

DECISION TO DISMISS OBJECTION APPLICATIONS

Tribunal:  Hon C J Sumner, Deputy President
Place:  Perth
Date of dismissal:              7 January 2008
Date of reasons:                10 January 2008

Catchwords:   Native title – future acts – proposed grant of prospecting licences – expedited procedure objection applications – failure to comply with directions – springing order dismissing expedited procedure objection applications in event of non-compliance - objection applications dismissed.

Legislation:Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) s 148(b)

Cases:  Leonne Velickovic on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/Frederick Saunders, NNTT WO05/564, [2006] NNTTA 76 (15 June 2006), Hon C J Sumner

Representative of the        Mr Jerome Frewen, Desert Management Pty Ltd

native title party:               Ms Richardene Dangor, Desert Management Pty Ltd

Representatives of the      Mr Greg Abbott, Department of Industry and Resources

Government party:            Ms Jan Mason, Department of Industry and Resources

REASONS FOR DECISION TO DISMISS OBJECTION APPLICATIONS

Background

  1. On the dates specified in the attached schedule, the Government party gave notice under s 29 of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) of its intention to grant certain prospecting licences to the grantee parties specified therein and included in the notice a statement that it considered that the grants attracted the expedited procedure.

  2. On the dates specified in the attached schedule, Leonne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People – Native Title Claim No. WC98/27 registered on 15 June 1998 - (‘the native title party’) made expedited procedure objection applications to the Tribunal.

Relevant Facts

  1. In each case the Tribunal made directions on the date specified in the attached schedule requiring all parties to produce contentions and evidence for the conduct of the inquiry to determine whether or not the expedited procedure was attracted. The native title party was to provide a statement of contentions, documentary evidence and witness statements verified where possible by affidavits on or before the dates specified in the attached schedule. The directions imposed a springing order which has the effect of immediately dismissing the objection application pursuant to s 148(b) of the Native Title Act if there is non-compliance by close of business on the due date. In making the decision to impose the springing order I adopted the Tribunal’s findings in Leonne Velickovic on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/Frederick Saunders, NNTT WO05/564, [2006] NNTTA 76 (15 June 2006), Hon C J Sumner at [15] – [21]. The native title party has in each case failed to comply by the due date.

Decision

  1. Expedited procedure objection applications specified in the attached schedule are dismissed pursuant to s 148(b) of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth).

Hon C J Sumner
Deputy President
10 January 2008

SCHEDULE - DECISION TO DISMISS OBJECTION APPLICATIONS

Tenement No(s). Date of Govt Party Notification (s 29 notice) Objection Application No. Date Objection Application Lodged

Grantee Party/ies

Date Directions Made Dismissal Date by operation of the Springing Order

P24/4279

18/07/2007

WO07/603

17/07/2007

John Maclean Duncan, Mandy Jane Duncan, Harold Leslie Dowling

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2522

18/07/2007

WO07/644

17/07/2007

Jaguar Minerals Ltd

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2523

18/07/2007

WO07/645

17/07/2007

Jaguar Minerals Ltd

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2524

18/07/2007

WO07/646

17/07/2007

Jaguar Minerals Ltd

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2492

18/07/2007

WO07/647

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2493

18/07/2007

WO07/648

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2494

18/07/2007

WO07/649

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2495

18/07/2007

WO07/650

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2496

18/07/2007

WO07/651

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2497

18/07/2007

WO07/652

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P16/2498

18/07/2007

WO07/653

17/07/2007

Peter Ronald George Milne, Sonja Boggett

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P15/4888

18/07/2007

WO07/654

17/07/2007

Frederick Charles Saunders

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P15/4889

18/07/2007

WO07/655

17/07/2007

Frederick Charles Saunders

31/08/2007

07/01/2008

P15/5141

01/08/2007

WO07/748

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008

P15/5142

01/08/2007

WO07/749

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008

P15/5143

01/08/2007

WO07/750

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008

P24/4231

01/08/2007

WO07/751

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008

P24/4232

01/08/2007

WO07/752

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008

P27/1822

01/08/2007

WO07/753

27/07/2007

Westex Resources Pty Ltd

18/09/2007

07/01/2008