Land Back Aboriginal land rights in New South Wales, today and always

Aboriginal land rights recognition in 1983 came after nearly 200 years of violent colonial dispossession and the near complete loss of land. For over 40 years, NSW Aboriginal people have worked to restore their Country and people. Land rights in NSW included unique features that remain unrealised in other parts of the country. The laws announced the policy of self-determination, compensation for loss, a land claims process, support for enterprises and the establishment of a network of land councils. Today there are 120 land councils that operate across the state. Yet significant features of the land rights promise remain outstanding. Less than 1 per cent of the state has been restituted to Aboriginal land councils, with tens of thousands of land claims yet to be determined. Professor Heidi Norman, a leading expert on Aboriginal political history, has brought together voices at the forefront of the movement, including lawyers, NSW Aboriginal Land Council Youth Committee members, students, academics, activists and organisers, to share the successes, failures and possible futures of NSW land rights.

Heidi Norman is a professor at UNSW and a leading researcher in the field of Australian Aboriginal political history. She has published widely on histories of Aboriginal land rights, Aboriginal participation in Rugby League, studies of media representation, the history of Aboriginal working life in cities and political history of Aboriginal affairs administration. Her family are from Gomeroi lands of northwestern NSW. She is the director of the Indigenous Land and Justice Research Group and has advised government and Aboriginal peak bodies.

Foreword by Ray Kelly Introduction Section 1: How laws operate The land claim process under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act – Jason Behrendt Local Aboriginal land councils and the Land Negotiation Program – Therese Apolonio, Norma Freeman, Chris Ingrey, Heidi Norman, Maeve Parker, Geoff Scott, Fiona Snape, Annette Steele Ethical investing for Aboriginal financial security – Claire Cooper-Southam Section 2: What remains to be done Cultural heritage and protection: looking back and looking forward – Janet Hunt Rivers and rights: First Nations rights in rivers since 1983 – Heather Goodall The struggle for water justice in NSW – Sue Jackson and Lana Hartwig The end of land rights: dismantling the ALRA – Oongi Barb Flick and Karen Flick Aboriginal land rights and wrongs: retrieving land in NSW – Peter Thompson Section 3: Making the Aboriginal Land Rights Act work Collectivist approaches to Aboriginal economic development: land council enterprises – Heidi Norman Planning and Aboriginal land – Blake Cansdale (Anaiwan), Genevieve Murray, Matt Kelly Aboriginal land rights and self-determination: The role of the Aboriginal Land SEPP – Annika Hather Aboriginal community benefit in the energy transformation: Central-West Orana and the NSWALC – Tim Stevenson (with Heidi Norman) Building on land rights: a journey in remote NSW – Kathryn Ridge, Ian Woods, Tara Dixon, Mark Brettschneider, Jamie Woods, Rene Woods Section 4: Participation and future directions Resolving tensions between the ALRA and the NTA in NSW – Ed Wensing Preparing for Treaty: the next evolution of the land rights system – Ash Walker Reinvigorating the land rights movement: reflections on our past, present and future – Brendan Moyle The roles and responsibilities of the next generation – Elijah Ingram Land rights and women – Iva Mencevska