The Queensland Government should step in to support councils denied Federal funding to respond to native title claims.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson also called on the Crisafulli government to consider amending the state’s Aboriginal Land Act 1991 to give affected communities the power to reject proposed land transfers.

“Native title claims are getting out of control,” Senator Hanson said. “There are currently 38 of these claims active in Queensland and while the claimants have their legal costs fully funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Queensland councils had their support taken away long ago.

“Short of putting an end to native title claims by putting a sunset clause on the legislation, I’m asking the Crisafulli government to consider stepping in to restore the balance.Queensland councils were acknowledged as the among the best in responding to native title claims until Labor changed the Native Title Respondent Funding Scheme in 2013 and effectively put the cost burden on local ratepayers. The Albanese government has since abolished the scheme altogether.

“It’s a burden that few if any regional Queensland councils can bear. These claims are often very complex and can take years to resolve, resulting in huge legal costs for respondents. It’s simply not fair. This appalling Albanese Labor government will never restore the funding, so this is an opportunity for David Crisafulli.”

Senator Hanson said proposed land transfers under Queensland’s Aboriginal Land Act, such as that affecting the small community of Toobeah, should be subject to approval by the affected community.

“Communities impacted by these land grabs should get a real say in whether they go ahead,” she said. “Queensland is supposed to be a democracy, after all, but what happens
now is that communities are simply told it’s going happen after years of behind-the-doors negotiations in which affected communities are almost never involved.

“Let’s have these proposals debated in the open by the people most affected by them. Let’s force the proponents to justify their claims to the people whose communities, land and lives will be directly affected. It’s only fair.”

ENDS