About the report and credits: Native Title Report 2010

Native Title Reports 2010

Back to Contents

About the report and credits

Native Title Report ISSN 1325-6017 (Print) and ISSN 1837-6495 (Online)

Please be aware that this publication may contain the names or images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may now be deceased.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner
• Note on terminology
• Acknowledgments
• Credits
• Electronic format
• Contact details

---

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner

The position of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner was established in 1993. The office of the Social Justice Commissioner is located within the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The Social Justice Commissioner:

• reports annually on the enjoyment and exercise of human rights by Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples, and recommends action that should be taken to ensure these rights are observed
• reports annually on the operation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) and its effect on the exercise and enjoyment of the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• promotes awareness and discussion of human rights in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• undertakes research and educational programs for the purpose of promoting respect for, and the enjoyment and exercise of, human rights by Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander peoples
• examines and reports on enactments and proposed enactments to ascertain whether or not they recognise and protect the human rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Office holders

• Mick Gooda: 2010–present
• Tom Calma: 2004–2010
• William Jonas AM: 1999–2004
• Zita Antonios: 1998–1999 (Acting)
• Mick Dodson: 1993–1998

About the Social Justice Commissioner’s logo

The right section of the design is a contemporary view of traditional Dari or head-dress, a symbol of Torres Strait Islander people and culture. The head-dress suggests the visionary aspect of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. The dots placed in the Dari represent a brighter outlook for the future provided by the Commissioner’s visions, black representing people, green representing islands and blue representing the seas surrounding the islands. The Goanna is a general symbol of the Aboriginal people.

The combination of these two symbols represents the coming together of two distinct cultures through the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the support, strength and unity which the Commissioner can provide through the pursuit of social justice and human rights. It also represents an outlook for the future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social justice expressing the hope and expectation that one day we will be treated with full respect and understanding. © Leigh Harris

For information on the work of the Social Justice Commissioner please visit: http://humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/index.html

---

Note on terminology

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner recognises

the diversity of the cultures, languages, kinship structures and ways of life of

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. There is not one cultural model that

fits all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples retain distinct cultural identities

whether they live in urban, regional or remote areas of Australia.

The word ‘peoples’ recognises that Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders have

a collective, rather than purely individual, dimension to their lives. This is affirmed

by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.¹

There is a growing debate about the appropriate terminology to be used when

referring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Social Justice

Commissioner recognises that there is strong support for the use of the terminology

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’, ‘First Nations’ and ‘First Peoples’.²

Accordingly, the terminology ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ is

used throughout this report.

Sources quoted in this report use various terms including ‘Indigenous Australians’,

‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

people(s)’ and ‘Indigenous people(s)’. International documents frequently use the

term ‘indigenous peoples’ when referring to the Indigenous peoples of the world.

To ensure consistency, these usages are preserved in quotations, extracts and in

the names of documents.

---

 

1 GA Resolution 61/295 (Annex), UN Doc A/RES/61/295 (2007). At https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/ (viewed 5 November 2010). 

 

2 See Steering Committee for the creation of a new National Representative Body, Our future in our hands: Creating a sustainable National Representative Body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australian Human Rights Commission (2009), pp 15, 43. At http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/repbody/report2009/index.html (viewed 5 November 2010).

---

Acknowledgements

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner thanks the following staff and interns of the Australian Human Rights Commission for their contributions to the Native Title Report 2010: Alison Aggarwal, Nicholas Burrage, Andrew Gargett, Jackie Hartley, Katie Kiss, Louise McDermott and Jenni Whelan (staff); Gideon Kibret (Intern, University of Sydney); Caroline Dimond, Jacintha Manton, Julia Noble and Tammy Wong (Interns, The Aurora Project).

The Social Justice Commissioner especially thanks all those who assisted with the preparation of this report. A full list of acknowledgements is contained at Appendix 1.

Credits

Design and layout: JAG Designs

Printing: Paragon Printers Australasia

Cover photography: Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation, www.dhimurru.com.au, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory

Vanessa Drysdale, Hunting Wanuwuy, 2010

This image of Djawulu Mumunggurr was taken during a lunch break at Wanuwuy (Cape Arnhem). The Rangers had been collecting rubbish off the beaches in the morning and had stopped for a break and natha (food). Djawulu had brought along a garra (spear) this day and managed to supplement our lunch with some guya (fish).

Electronic format

This publication can be found in electronic format on the website of the Australian Human Rights Commission: www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/nt_report/ ntreport10/.

Contact details

For further information about the Australian Human Rights Commission, please visit www.humanrights.gov.au or email paffairs@humanrights.gov.au.

You can also write to: Social Justice Unit Australian Human Rights Commission GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001

Please be aware that this publication may contain the names or images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who may now be deceased.