Native title and cultural heritage

Experienced handling of native title and cultural heritage negotiations is a vital part of public infrastructure, property development and resources exploration projects.

If a project is to be delivered successfully, we must come to an agreement with the land’s native title holders.

Cooper Grace Ward’s native title and cultural heritage law specialists bring to the table an in-depth understanding of the variables and considerations underlying cross-cultural negotiations.

Seamless support for major projects and developments

Working alongside our broader team of property, planning and corporate lawyers, our Brisbane based specialists know exactly what is required in the approvals process for major developments regarding native title law and cultural heritage considerations.

Our team has extensive experience advising government and corporate clients on native title and cultural heritage considerations. This includes advising the Queensland Government on native title implications for the mining and petroleum legislative red tape reduction reforms.

Trusted advice in native title and cultural heritage law

Cooper Grace Ward partner Leanne O’Neill has particular expertise in relation to resolving native title matters. Leanne has represented the Queensland Government in numerous strategic native title and Indigenous Land Use Agreement (ILUA) negotiations. Her experience includes:

• advising private clients on native title implications on Crown Land and cultural heritage compliance for greenfield development
• advising clients regarding determinations of native title in the Federal Court including registration processes in the National Native Title Tribunal (NNTT)
• advising clients on impacts of NNTT proceedings on projects and tenure including whether it is appropriate to join those proceedings
• representing the Queensland Government in the National Native Title Tribunal in over 800 resources grants affected by native title
• representing the Queensland Government in some of the first consent determinations in the NNTT under the right to negotiate procedures
• representing the Queensland Government in drafting and negotiation of significant ILUAs for extractive resource industries and for large projects
• negotiated and drafted numerous ILUAs, which provided native title consent for pipelines, easements, quarries, roads, licences, permits and leasing
• representing private clients in ILUA negotiations to allow conversion applications to proceed
• involved in drafting Cultural Heritage Duty of Care Guidelines / legislative amendments for compliance with cultural heritage requirements for resources projects
• representing the State of Queensland in cultural heritage matters in the Land Court
• drafting and review of cultural heritage agreements in compliance with the Cultural Heritage legislative framework
• advised the Queensland Government on the ILUA and legislative amendments for resolution of native title matters for North Stradbroke Island.

Find out more about Leanne’s expertise.

Or, to contact a lawyer specialising in native title and cultural heritage law, call Cooper Grace Ward on (07) 3231 2444.