Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia [2000] FCA 1249 (29 August 2000)

Binomial Name: Federal Court of Australia
Date: 29 August 2000
Sub Category:Consent Determination (Native Title Act)
Place:Upper Murchison and Upper Gasgoyne Region
State/Country:Western Australia, Australia
The Determination Area comprises an area of about 50,000 square kilometres of land, much of it alienated for pastoral and mining purposes. The land is in the Upper Murchison and Upper Gascoyne region of Western Australia, just south of the Pilbara Region and just to the west of the Great Sandy Desert.
Legal Status: Registered on the National Native Title Register o
Legal Reference: Federal Court No: WAG 72-75/98; National Native Ti
Alternative Names:
  • Nharnuwangga Determination
  • Clarrie Smith and others on behalf of the Nharnuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarla People v the State of Western Australia & Ors
  • Subject Matter:Native Title | Recognition of Native Title or Traditional Ownership
    URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/disp.pl/au/cases/cth/federal%5fct/2000/1249.html?query=title+%28+%22clarrie+smith%22+%29
    Summary Information:

    Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia [2000] FCA 1249

    Between: Clarrie Smith and Others on behalf of the Nharnuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarla People (APPLICANTS) AND State of Western Australia, Shire of Meekatharra, BG, LW & Mde Bain, AG & EA Bain, LW Bain and DE Miles, DA O’Dwyer & MDE, LE & BJ Bain & CJ Macleod, Dawville Pty Ltd, JE & RE Day, KH Elliot, ER & SV Forrester, J & D Garrity & F Daniel, CJ & SM Graham, PG Hall, Dr Hammarquist, D, MA & RJ Hewett, BM Maguire & Turree Pastoral Company Pty Ltd, Mt Augustrus Station (1980) Pty Ltd, BA & PM Panizza, Pastoralists & Graziers Association of WA Inc, TM & GM Pens, DP Stevens & ME Roach, Sunblade Holdings Pty Ltd, JP Tennant, GJ & HE Williams, CT Woods, CF & CT Wright AND Archaean Gold NL, Arimco Mining Pty Ltd, Colin Ross Atkins, August Ventures Pty Ltd, Barrack Mines Ltd, Cambrian Resources NL, Grange Resources NL, Grants Patch Mining Ltd, Horshoe Gold Mine Pty Ltd, Lachlan Resources NL, Legendre & Cambrian Resources, MIM Exploration Pty Ltd, Mines and Resources Australia Pty Ltd, Normandy Industrial Minerals Ltd, RGC Exploration Pty Ltd, Peko Exploration Ltd, Perilya Mines NL, Plutonic (Baxter) Pty Ltd, Plutonic Operations Ltd, Renison Ltd, St Barbara Mines Ltd, Swan Gold NL, Troy Resources NL, Whim Creek Consolidated NL, Zygot Ltd AND Telstra Corporation Ltd, Vageta Pty Ltd, CMA Gas Transmission of Australia (RESPONDENTS)

    Judge: Madgwick j

    Where: Perth

    This consent determination was registered on the Native Title Register of Consent Determinations on 5 July 2001.

    Detailed Information:

    This was the first consent determination made in Western Australia and the first determination arising out of a native title claim that had already begun to be heard in the Federal Court. It was in respect of an area of land much greater than had previously been achieved through the consent determination process. This consent determination concerned a claim by and on behalf of the descendants of three Aboriginal groups respectively known as the Nharnuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarlawangga peoples for a determination of native title in their favour over an area of about 50,000 square kilometres of land, much of it alienated for pastoral and mining purposes.

    The land is in the Upper Murchison and Upper Gascoyne region of Western Australia, just south of the Pilbara Region and just to the west of the Great Sandy Desert. The determination did not become effective until 5 July 2001, on which date an Indigenous Land Use Agreement concerning the same parties was registered with the National Native Title Tribunal, as a requirement for the execution of the consent determination. The consent determination provided a limited list of the interests and rights that comprise native title.

    They included:

    • the right to be acknowledged as traditional owners against other Aboriginal groups or individuals;
    • the right to hunt, fish and gather in accordance with traditional laws and customs in a non-commercial manner;
    • and the right to access and camp on the determination area in order to visit and care for places of cultural and spiritual importance, to travel through the land or to carry out the rights discussed above

    The rights and interests of native title do not operate to the exclusion of all others, and are subject to regulation, control, curtailment and restriction by the State of Western Australia, including under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972. The rights and interests of the native title holders will be managed by a corporate body (the Jidi Jidi Aboriginal Corporation).

    The consent determination found that there was no native title rights or interests in minerals and petroleum as defined in the Mining Act 1904 or the Petroleum Act 1936. In addition, native title to fauna was deemed to have been wholly extinguished in all wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves in the claim area. Native title was also extinguished in parts of pastoral leases granted under the Land Regulations 1882, the Land Regulations 1887 and the Land Act 1898 that had been 'enclosed and improved' as reservations for Aboriginal people before 1994. Native title was further extinguished on those parts of the determination area under the Land Act 1933 which were, prior to 1994, 'enclosed or improved' within the meaning of the act. Mining or general purpose leases granted under the Mining Act 1978 prior to 1994, and gold mining, mineral and coal mining lease granted under the Mining Act 1904 were also deemed to have extinguished native title. 

    Finally, native title on two lots of land, 8 reserves and one location was also determined to have been extinguished.

    There were a number of other interests in the claim area that were recognised by the consent determination. They include:

    • the rights and interests included in the Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) between the Nharuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarlawangeea Peoples and the State of Western Australia, and the pastoral access agreements between these parties.
    • the interests of persons in whom Crown Reserves are vested under the Land Act 1898 or Land Act 1933 or under lease of the reserve
    • the interests of the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority under the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 in a reserve area of land vested in the Authority. 
    • lessees under the Land Act 1933, the Mining Act 1978, and the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972;
    • licensees under the Land Act 1933, the Mining Act 1978, the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914, the Transport Co-ordination Act 1966, the Petroleum Pipelines Act 1962; and the holders of permits under the Land Act 1913; the holders of tenements under the Petroleum Act 1936 and the Petroleum Act 1967; those with licences and holder’s rights under the Goldfield Gas Pipeline Agreement Act 1994.
    •  rights and interests in the claim area were held by the Telstra Corporation Limited pursuant to the Post and Telegraph Act 1901, the Telecommunications Act 1975, the Australian Telecommunications Corporation Act 1989, the Telecommunications Act 1991 and the Telecommunication Act 1997.
    • rights arising by members of the public under common law were also recognised.
    • the Crown and the State of Western Australia also hold interests pursuant to any statute or valid executive or legislative acts. 

    Related Entries

  • Nharnuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarlawangga Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) - Requirement
  • RTIO and Ngarlawangga People Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA)
  • Organisation
  • State of Western Australia - Respondent
  • Shire of Meekatharra - Respondent
  • Telstra Corporation Limited - Respondent
  • CMS Gas Transmission of Australia - Respondent
  • Vageta Pty Ltd - Respondent
  • National Native Title Tribunal
  • Federal Court of Australia
  • Jidi Jidi Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC
  • Legislation
  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)
  • Titles (Validation) and Native Title (Effect of Past Acts) Act 1995 (WA) ('WA Titles Act')
  • Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972 (WA)
  • Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)
  • Mining Act 1978 (WA)
  • Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914 (WA)
  • Australian Telecommunications Corporation Act 1989 (Cth)
  • Telecommunications Act 1975 (Cth)
  • Telecommunications Act 1991 (Cth)
  • Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth)
  • Petroleum Act 1936 (WA)
  • Petroleum and Geothermal Energy Resources Act 1967 (WA)
  • Land Act 1933 (WA)
  • Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (WA)
  • Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA)
  • Native Title Amendment Act 1998 (Cth)
  • Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA)
  • Petroleum Pipelines Act 1969 (WA)
  • Goldfields Gas Pipeline Agreement Act 1994 (WA)
  • People
  • Clarrie Smith on behalf of the Nharnuwangga, Wajarri and Ngarla People - Native Title Claimant
  • Other [Third] Respondents in Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia - Respondent
  • Other [Fourth] Respondents in Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia - Respondent
  • Nharnuwangga People
  • Wajarri People
  • Ngarla People

  • References

    Case Law
    Commonwealth of Australia (2000) Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia (includes corrigenda dated 3 October 2000) & attachment [2000] FCA 1249 (29 August 2000)
    Resource
    National Native Title Tribunal (2004) Native Title by Consent Determinations
    National Native Title Tribunal Native Title Determination Summary: Smith v Western Australia (2000) 104 FCR 494; [2000] FCA 1249

    Documents

    Clarrie Smith v State of Western Australia [2000] FCA 1249 (29 August 2000) Map - ( Image | Thumbnail | PDF)

    Glossary

    Consent Determination (Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)) (Australia)