Mabo

Mabo

Mabo is the popular name for a landmark Australian court case which was decided by the High Court of Australia on June the 3rd, 1992.

The effective result of this judgement was to invalidate the declaration of terra nullius, or "empty land" which had been pronounced at the time of British colonisation in 1788, and to recognise a form of native title. The implications of this decision are still being determined, but there is no doubt that it was a decision that shifted the political, legal and social landscape of Australia.

The action which brought about the decision had been led by Eddie Mabo of the Meriam people (from the Murray Islands of the Torres Strait).

In response to the Mabo judgement and to the subsequent and potential reactions, the Australian Federal Parliament (then controlled by the Labour Party led by Paul Keating) enacted the Native Title Act 1993. This was amended in 1998 following the 1996 Wik Decision.

External links

[1] High Court of Australia 1986 - EDDIE MABO AND OTHERS V. THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA S. 86/001

[1] High Court of Australia 1988 - MABO and ANOTHER v. THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND and ANOTHER (1989) 166 CLR 186 F.C. 88/062

[1] High Court of Australia 1992 - MABO AND OTHERS v. QUEENSLAND (No. 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1 F.C. 92/014

[1] Native Title Act 1993

[1] The Chief Justice of Australia summarises the Mabo decision to the 1995 SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL APPELLATE JUDGES CONFERENCE

Related topics

External links