Marianne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd; North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd; Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd

Case

[2009] NNTTA 107

4 September 2009


NATIONAL NATIVE TITLE TRIBUNAL

Marianne Velickovic & Others on behalf of the Widji People/Western Australia/Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd; North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd; Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd, [2009] NNTTA 107 (4 September 2009)

Application Nos:             WO08/874, WO08/875, WO08/876, WO08/877, WO08/878, WO08/879, WO08/880, WO08/881, WO08/884, WO08/885, WO08/886, WO09/179, WO09/340, WO09/341, WO09/342

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

-and-

IN THE MATTER of an inquiry into expedited procedure objection applications

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

-and-

The State of Western Australia (Government party)

-and-

Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd
North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd (grantee parties)

DECISION TO DISMISS OBJECTION APPLICATIONS

Tribunal:  Hon C J Sumner, Deputy President
Place:  Perth
Date of dismissal:            31 August 2009
Date of reasons:              4 September 2009

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 Act1993 (Cth) ss 29, 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     

native title party:            Mr Jerome Frewen, Desert Management Pty Ltd

Representatives of the     Ms Claire Malavaux, Department of Mines and Petroleum

Government party:         Mr Greg Abbott, Department of Mines and Petroleum

Representative of the     

grantee party:                 Mr Brett Anderson, Anderson’s Tenement Management

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 Act1993 (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, Marianne Velickovic on behalf of the Widji People – Native Title Claim No. WC98/27 registered from 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 31 July 2009 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 31 August 2009. 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 Act1993 (Cth).

Hon C J Sumner
Deputy President
4 September 2009

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

P26/3350

24 Sept 2008

WO08/874

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3351

24 Sept 2008

WO08/875

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3352

24 Sept 2008

WO08/876

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3353

24 Sept 2008

WO08/877

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3354

24 Sept 2008

WO08/878

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3355

24 Sept 2008

WO08/879

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3356

24 Sept 2008

WO08/880

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3357

24 Sept 2008

WO08/881

25 Sept 2008

North Kalgurli Mines Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3311

24 Sept 2008

WO08/884

25 Sept 2008

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3312

24 Sept 2008

WO08/885

25 Sept 2008

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3344

24 Sept 2008

WO08/886

25 Sept 2008

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3443

25 March 2009

WO09/179

25 March 2009

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3669

20 May 2009

WO09/340

18 May 2009

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3670

20 May 2009

WO09/341

18 May 2009

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009

P26/3671

20 May 2009

WO09/342

18 May 2009

Kalgoorlie Lake View Pty Ltd
Barrick Gold of Australia Ltd

31 July 2009

31 August 2009