Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture Series - IERC - JCU Australia The Mabo Case | AIATSIS This was our land. The truth: This was his land. Eddie Koiki Mabo died of cancer on 21 January 1991, before the case was resolved. The Court also recognised that all Indigenous people in Australia have rights to their land. That permission was denied. In New South Wales, the most populous state, Aboriginal people have title over only 0.1% of the land. And he knew truth. At: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/property-rights-will-help-economic-development-of-indigenous-australians/story-e6frg6z6-1227365821530 (viewed 3 June 2015), [4] T Calma, Native Title Report 2005, Australian Human Rights Commission, 2005, p82. Mabo was a Torres Strait islander from Mer (Murray Island), off Australia's north-east coast. That was Eddie Mabos gift. It remains a collection of canvas and tin, but it has grown in those years since a handful of young Aboriginal activists planted a beach umbrella and wrote the word Embassy on a manila folder, to shake a fist at the power on the hill. Mabo Day & Native Title: Who was Eddie Mabo & what is his legacy The Murray Islands Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (commonly known as the Mabo case or simply Mabo) is a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that recognised the existence of Native Title in Australia. Papers of Edward Koiki Mabo Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. Bryan Keon-Cohen was one of Eddie Mabo's barristers, and he gave a speech at Mabo's funderal in Townsville in Feb 1992 - he said: 'I confine myself here . The Mabo decision was a legal case held in 1992. The case presented by Eddie Mabo and the people of Mer successfully proved that Meriam custom and laws are fundamental to their traditional system of ownership and underpin their traditional rights and obligations in relation to land. What Exactly Is 'Mabo Day' And Why Is June 3 Such An - ELLE Mabo v Queensland (No 1) was heard in 1986and 1988. The world of becoming ascends. In going down this track we have to understand and have to get these institutions to understand that there is a fair dinkum business case for doing this because we have had enough of welfare and charity. Judged by any civilised standard, such a law is unjust ". During this time he became involved in community and political organisations, such as the union movement and the 1967 Referendum campaign. British law under a British flag. The "fallacy" that Perkins speaks of is the concept of Terra Nullius, land belonging to no-one. I stand here proud to bring a message from my Elders. In 2014, Australia ranked second after Norway, in the United Nations Human Development Index,[9] a position that would seem to indicate that we all enjoy a quality of life superior to most others in the world. Biography - Edward Koiki (Eddie) Mabo - Indigenous Australia - ANU JCU celebrates the history-making Mabo decision with the long establishedEddie Koiki Mabo Lecture Series, an annual public commemorative presentation by a prominent person who has made a significant contribution to contemporary Australian society. Mabo's love for his homeland drove the proud Torres Strait Islander to undertake a 10- year legal battle that rewrote Australia's history. Eddie Mabo Land Rights - 422 Words | Cram I have previously spoken at length about the importance of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which contains 46 articles on the rights that Indigenous peoples all around the world hold. But we know that these scales do not capture the social disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In one, the presiding judge said the mere introduction of British law did not extinguish Aboriginal customary law. The victory was largely down to one indigenous man called Eddie Mabo. Top 10 Amazing Facts about Eddie Mabo - Discover Walks Blog Words like han. The Mabo Case Eddie Mabo is widely known for his plight to regain land rights for both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. [1] And that shift is the move to the next emerging challenge; how do we maximise these rights to their full potential, now that we have our native title recognized? But 20 years after the judgement, there's still a debate among constitutionalists, lawyers and politicians about the legacy of Mabo. "The High Court, which is not elected by anybody, not accountable to anybody, had presumed to move into the legislative area to make a whole new law," he said. Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. I am sure that these issues will resonate with many of you here today. Read about our approach to external linking. But without warriors such as Eddie, David and James, Rob and countless others, we would not be in the position regarding Indigenous land tenure that we are in today. Two generations talk about the impact of the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo Decision . It is a feeling. They then said to tell you they are aware of your continued fight for your culture and your country and salute you for your ongoing struggle. It is clear that we have seen a change in momentum as far as this space is concerned. Mabo: Always was, always will be First Nations land Ten years later, he conceded his fears were unfounded. Reynolds struck up a friendship with Eddie Mabo, who was then a groundsman and gardener at James Cook University. We know sadness. "The rights he won in the High Court have been eroded away by government, courts and socio-economic pressure.". The justices spoke of a legacy of "unutterable shame"and that the dispossession of Indigenous people was the darkest aspect of Australia's history. Mabo footage released for the first time - Jun 2020 - JCU Australia From 1973-1983 he established and became director of the Black Community School in Townsville. Another similarity is something that sometimes we do not acknowledge enough. More Information .We are closed in a box. And that is the cost to both men and their families. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Drama Biopic Inspiring. A clear theme from the Broome Roundtable revealed a common frustration among many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Six facts you need to know about Mabo Day - Life Without Barriers Eddie Koiki Mabo at Las, Murray Island, 1989 On 3 June 1992 the High Court of Australia recognised that a group of Torres Strait Islanders, led by Eddie Mabo, held ownership of Mer (Murray Island). He was another victim of Terra Nullius, like so many of his fellow indigenous people had been before him. You may have heard that Tim Wilson, Human Rights Commissioner and I recently co-convened a roundtable on Yawuru country on the issue of Indigenous property rights. (No. Prime Minister Paul Keating's address to - naa.gov.au "From self-respect comes dignity, and from dignity comes hope": Meeting Truth. (2012 lecture transcript), 2011 Presentation by Mr Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. Words speak across tongues. About 800 kilometers north of Cairns sits the small remote community of Mer (Murray) Island in the crystal blue waters of the Torres Strait. In conversations with Commissioner Wilson and others, we are in the midst of developing what the next step in this process should look like and we will continue to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples such as yourselves in order to do this. Of law. To seek justice we had to speak the words of British law. I must say though, that beyond economic development, effective governance is critical to ensuring that our organisations are transparent and accountable to our communities and this is one challenge to which we must rise. Participants in Broome identified there was a real need to have a new conversation with Government around Indigenous land and property rights and how this might translate into sustainable economic development. [12] Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. Meriam history and culture were crucial to the success of the Mabo case. It was suggested that we, as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, needed to think outside of the box when it comes to this issue. The second key theme that was raised at the roundtable was the issue of financing economic development within the Indigenous estate. Mabo : ABC iview In 1981, Eddie Mabo made a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he explained his people's beliefs about the ownership and inheritance of land on Mer. Rejected at each turn. Well, Australia now stands at a moment of history. In-text: (Two generations talk about the impact of the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo Decision, 2019) Your Bibliography: Time Out Sydney. 3. Business development support and succession planning. But despite the success of the '67 campaign, in 1972 Eddie Mabo still had to get permission from the Queensland authorities to visit his dying father on Mer Island. 2017 presentation by Professor Megan Davis, Pro Vice Chancellor Indigenous, University of New South Wales. A lawyer heard the speech and asked . Strengthening our relationships over lands, territories and resources: the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Climate change from the perspective of the Torres Strait, Beyond Mabo: Native Title and closing the gap, People, identity and place. On 3 June 1992, six of seven Australian High Court judges ruled: The Meriam people are entitled as against the whole world to possession, occupation, use and enjoyment of the lands of the Murray Islands [in Torres Strait]. In that book he argued, contrary to theories of Charles Darwin, that it was not the fittest or the strongest nor the smartest that survive but those who can manage change, that is it is the most adaptable who survive. Transcript notes - MABO, Eddie, RICE, James v State of Queensland and Commonwealth of Australia, ITM1641344 There was scepticism, even cynicism, but I was able to report the story. The commitment to a land fund; and importantly, participation in decision-making underpinned by the concept of free, prior and informed consent and good faith. Eddie Mabo | Australian activist | Britannica As a nation, this is an improvement from fourth position just over ten years ago in 2003.[10]. I honour your Elders that have come before you, those that are here today and I wait in optimistic anticipation for those Elders who are yet to emerge. [7] OHCHR Website, Essays in Commemoration of 25 years of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development. The court dismissed his challenge to Australian sovereignty, but in his opinion Justice Lionel Murphy rattled the bones of the Australian settlement. " Elders saythe wateris now a battleground. He is hardworking and determined, but at the cost of his family life. What did Eddie Mabo say in his speech? - Stwnews.org At: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components#a (viewed 9 June 2015). That is, how do we build on the underlying communal title to create options for our economic development? (2013 lecture transcript), 2012 Presentation by Professor Henry Reynolds. Bibliography - History bibliographies - Cite This For Me While he believed the Murray Island belonged to the Torres Strait Islander people, Australian law stated that the Government owned the land. "Koiki was ambitious for himself and for his people." Speech to the Native Title Conference celebrating the 20th - DSS These legal challenges continued into the 20th century rulings maintained the legitimacy of the Crown but could not extinguish completely the Aboriginal claims. This achievement certainly encourages me. He had refused to surrender his interests, or those of his people, to the domination of others. In 1959, he moved to mainland Queensland, working on pearling vessels and as a labourer. Milosz wrote into the horror of the 20th century as he saw war all around him. We acknowledge Aboriginal People and Torres Strait Islander People as the first inhabitants of the nation, and acknowledge Traditional Custodians of the Australian lands where our staff and students live, learn and work. Mabo (film) - Wikipedia In Torres Strait Islands called the Mabo case, for Eddie Mabo, the first-named plaintiff) brought by several individuals that was won in the High Court of Australia in 1992; subsequent cases were also settled in favour of other groups of islanders. Bonita 'Netta' Mabo: Eddie's wife and is a resourceful, supportive and loving woman. Ten years before, Eddie Koiki Mabo and his comrades started the legal battle for the recognition of the Meriam people and the ownership of Mer Island. Mabo expressed. This dispossession occurred largely without compensation, and successive governments have failed to reach a lasting and equitable agreement with Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders concerning the use of their lands.[12]. "Quite simply, Eddie Mabo brought an end to a two-centuries-old lie," says Rachel Perkins, director and inspiration behind the new movie, Mabo, released to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the historic High Court case. However, the social justice package, which was meant to address compensation for the dispossession of land and the dispersal of the Indigenous population remains unfulfilled.[4]. We are currently not sharing in the developmental prosperity for which Australia is known. Finally, the remaining key theme of the meeting was the issue of our right as Indigenous peoples to development. Eddie Mabo was a great hero to the Australian people. At 31, this affrontery became his epiphany. However the Federal Court found that the South Australian government were liable for an undisclosed amount to the Nguraritja people for parcels of land over which, but for the prior extinguishing acts of government, they would have held native title. AAP. Mabo Collection | National Library of Australia The golden house of is collapses and the world of becoming ascended.". Please join with me in acknowledging the life long accomplishments of Russell Taylor. "It gave us back our pride. Choose from the list of topics on the left and then choose 'Click to Play'. At: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ALRCRefJl/2009/15.html#FootnoteB6 (viewed 9 June 2015). Gail, to your Mum Bonita, to Eddie Junior, Wannee, Bethal, Celuia, Ezra, Mario, Malita, Malcolm, Jessie and to you Gail, can I pay special tribute to for the generosity of you all in giving your husband and Dad to us. Volume 1 (227pp), Volume 2 (58pp). He was another victim of Terra Nullius, like so many of his fellow indigenous people had been before him. Eddie Mabo (left) and . So, in many ways, the victory has been more symbolic than practical. On 8 December 1988, the High Court ruled this legislation invalid. Mabo Day & Native Title: Who was Eddie Mabo & what is his legacy? Eddie Mabo wanted to change the law of Terra Nullius and claim the Aboriginal people as the original owners of the land this would change social and political views of the aboriginal people. A case was made, and took 10 years to reach a decision. This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty., "This is the torment of our powerlessness.". Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this resource and resource page may contain the image, name or voice of deceased persons. I have been honoured in the last six weeks by being asked to deliver both the Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture here today and the Rob Riley Memorial Lecture on Friday the 8th of May in Perth. Mabo | Film Analysis, Summary, Themes & Characters The man who had engineered the historic change of law, never lived to witness it himself. This independence could be realized through greater roles for Indigenous landholders through business, land management and other opportunities. Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture Series. A lawyer heard the speech and asked Eddie if he would like to challenge the Australian Government in the court system, to decide who the true owner of the land on Mer was, his . Uncle Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo. As this brave mans voice even as he had passed was heard by another man who is now gone and together they changed us. and in 2008 James Cook University named its Townsville campus library the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library. He immediately saw the injustice of it and from then on dedicated his life to reversing it. He also co-operated with members of the Communist Party, the only white political party to support Aboriginal campaigns at the time. In 1992 the High Court handed down its historic ruling. But he had to find words to speak a deeper truth even as he upheld the myth of terra nullius that Aboriginal people, he said, had a "subtle and elaborate system of law". In 1981, Eddie Mabo made a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he explained his people's beliefs about the ownership and inheritance of land on Mer. "I think that like many others, I was trying to deal with something that was new, that was undefined," Kennett told The Age newspaper. Here we are 30 years later, still on that journey. It goes on to mention the yet unfulfilled nature of redress through a social justice package that I alluded to earlier: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been progressively dispossessed of their lands. Six weeks later his father died. Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." But he was wrong. [11]Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. Mabo gained an education, became an activist for black rights and worked with his community to make sure Aboriginal children had their own schools. He spoke of impermanence: He knew things did not last and yet we do. I think much of the dialogue on this issue in Australia has revolved around how to protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from development as opposed to how to realize our rights to development and the associated benefits that come with it. Mabo 20 years on: did it change the nation? In a snapshot. We need to work alongside government to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to turn the economic and commercial aspirations into reality. Without this foundation, there would be no opportunity for us to access these rights through this unique form of land tenure. Australian PM makes historic visit to Mabo's grave - BBC News What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? While working as a gardener at James Cook University, he found out through two historians that, by law, he and his family did not own their land on Mer. This will always be our land. Australian law for two centuries hid the truth behind words. This our ancestors did, according to the reckoning of our culture, from the Creation, according to the common law from "time immemorial", and according to science more than 60,000 years ago. A human rights based approach has been a key part of advocacy of all Social Justice Commissioners. People gathered this week in Townsville, Queensland, to remember a seminal moment in the nation's history, and the efforts of one man to bring it about. Birthdays, anniversaries, sports events and special schools days were missed. Mabo/Eddie Mabo's address to Land Rights Conference, 1981 The Mabo decision What is the Mabo decision? Mabo and his fellow plaintiff's fought for land on Mer - their ancestral gardens and home. For the love of his family and tradition, he fights for his land on Murray Island. And he was right. Following his speech, he was approached by a lawyer, who asked if he'd be interested in taking the Australian Government to court to finally decide who owned the land. More information. There were three key components to this: As you will know, the first two of these three components have been implemented, with varying degrees of success and impact on our communities over the years. I also acknowledge Meriam PBC Chair Mr Doug Passi. They both endured early hard lives that steeled them for the struggles that would eventually come their way. [10] UN Development Programme, Human Development Index, UN Human Development Report, p237. Transcript 9037 | PM Transcripts [3] N Pearson in The Australian, Property rights will help economical development of Indigenous Australians, 22 May 2015. I'd also like to thank AIATSIS for the invitation to speak today and in doing that can I congratulate you Russell on receiving your recent Member of the Order of Australia award. In 1982, Eddie Mabo and four others began action seeking a legal declaratcion of their traditional land rights in the Murray islands of the Torres Strait, Tvn years later onL 3 June 1992, the High Court decided that his people were entitled as against the whole of ! He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." My people are the Gangulu from the Dawson Valley in Central Queensland. This is our land. Eternal. On 3 June 1992, six of the seven High Court judges upheld the claim and ruled that the lands of . Some went further, fuelling the hysteria with unsubstantiated claims - Jeff Kennett, then the premier of Victoria, said suburban backyards could be at risk of takeover by Aboriginal people. First, they ask me to pass on their greetings and their thanks for allowing me on your lands. I want to begin by honouring and quoting the words of the now late chief justice of the High Court of Australia, Sir Gerard Brennan,the words he wrote in his lead judgement in the Mabo case: The common law itself took from Indigenous inhabitants any right to occupy their traditional land, exposed them to deprivation of the religious, cultural and economic sustenance which the land provides, vested the land effectively in the control of the imperial authorities without any right to compensation and made the Indigenous inhabitants intruders in their own homes and mendicants for a place to live. Eddie Koiki Mabo: A Meriam man, husband to Bonita Mabo and father to 10 children. The Mabo decision was named after Eddie Mabo, the He knew about suffering. In May 1982, Eddie Mabo and four other Meriam people of the Murray Islands in the Torres Strait began action in the High Court of Australia seeking confirmation of their traditional land rights. Mabo made a speech to the audience where he explained the indigenous customary land inheritance system on Murray Island. Mabo ended up on the mainland working a number of jobs, including labouring on the railways. By continuing to use this site, you are giving us consent to do this. Tony Abbott thanks Eddie Mabo daughter 'Aunty Gail' for helping him