PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The resources sector has welcomed the passing of amendments to the Native Title Act, which repealed a clause demanding that all members of a registered native title claimant (RNTC) had to undersign an Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA).
The amendments were made in response to an earlier Federal Court ruling, which found that all RNTC members, including those deceased, were required to undersign an ILUA, as defined under the current Act.
In February, a Senate Committee was appointed to review the matter in an effort to clear up the uncertainty created by the Federal Court ruling.
The Senate Committee has now agreed that the particular clause in the Act should be repealed and that a RNTC could nominate one or more members to be a party to ILUAs.
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) on Wednesday described the amendments to the Native Title Act as vital, saying it would restore security to all parties that relied on ILUAs across the country.
QRC CEO Ian Macfarlane said that the amendments, which returned the status quo to all ILUAs, protected hundreds of petroleum and mining leases, as well as parks and other infrastructure.