Pastoralist speaks in favour of native title

By Nikki Ulasowski

CANBERRA — On November 14, 65 people attended a meeting to discuss native title organised by the YWCA. The meeting was addressed by Camilla Cowley and Sean Brennan.

Cowley is a Queensland pastoralist who has a native title claim on her land. She spoke about how she and her family came to support native title, despite the misinformation campaign of anti-native title groups.

It wasn't until she spoke to Aboriginal people through the National Indigenous Working Group, and found out what native title really meant that she and her family become campaigners for the native title movement.

Cowley explained that the claimants on her land "wanted legal recognition, as well as access to develop links to their past history, and access to any vacant crown land". They had a desire "to restore their missing past", she said.

Brennan said that the winners in the Coalition's native title amendment bill are: "state and territory governments; the pastoralists, who stand to gain a whole new raft of additional rights at the expense of native title holders and the taxpayer", as well as miners, infrastructure building companies and private water users. "The main losers are the indigenous people and the taxpayers."

The debate on Howard's 10-point plan is scheduled to begin in the Senate on November 25. Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation are organising a second "sea of hands" and a rally at Parliament House on that day. A further demonstration will be held on December 13, organised by Campaign Against Racism

From GLW issue 298