Native Title Amendment Bill

The senate will soon consider changes to Native Title legislation. The new Bill amends the Native Title Act 1993 to implement reforms to a number of aspects of the native title system. However, the Australian democrats have major concerns that the proposed amendments not only have the potential to further limit the ability of Indigenous people to have their native title rights recognised but will also create greater uncertainty, conflict and confusion by threatening the independence of native title representative bodies, compromising the mediation process and reducing Ministerial accountability. Senator Bartlett will be moving amendments and says that these amednments must be passed for the Democrats to support the Bill.