eddie mabo speech transcript

[1] It was brought by Eddie Mabo against the State of Queensland and decided on 3 June 1992. In his book Why Weren't We Told?, Reynolds describes the talks they had regarding Mabo's people's rights to their lands, on Murray Island, in the Torres Strait. 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. At: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components#a (viewed 9 June 2015). Mabo rejected the more militant direct action tactics of the land rights movement, seeing the most important goal as being to destroy the legal justification for what he regarded as land theft. In 1981, Eddie Mabo delivered a speech at James Cook University in Queensland, where he challenged the widely accepted belief of ownership and inheritance of land on Murray Island. Edward Koiki Mabo was born on 29 June 1936. Today in the midst of winter there is still smoke from a campfire, framing a word spelled out on the lawn: Sovereignty. "The rights he won in the High Court have been eroded away by government, courts and socio-economic pressure.". Eddie Koiki Mabo: A Meriam man, husband to Bonita Mabo and father to 10 children. He had refused to surrender his interests, or those of his people, to the domination of others. . 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. Eternal. He also co-operated with members of the Communist Party, the only white political party to support Aboriginal campaigns at the time. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. Concocted by the early settlers, it was used, systematically, cynically and effectively to deprive the indigenous people of their own land. As Eddie Mabo sketched out his plans to shake the foundations of Australian law, he told his daughter his prophecy: "One day, all of Australia will know my name." He knew about suffering. 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. And he knew truth. We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.. When democracy is teetering and autocracy is rising. One of the people who attended the conference, a lawyer, suggested they should make a case to claim land rights through the court system. He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging. In New South Wales, the most populous state, Aboriginal people have title over only 0.1% of the land. [11]Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. Uncle Edward 'Koiki' Mabo was born in 1936, in Las on the island of Mer (Murray Island) in the Torres Strait to 'Robert' Zesou Sambo and 'Annie' Poipe, ne Mabo. Mabo's credibility as the primary witness for the case was savaged . I was no lawyerbut I knew I sensed this was different. Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. To build a world worth living in. It is a feeling. We will adapt, we will take advantage of these opportunities and we will leave a great legacy. Our people know han. He is hardworking and determined, but at the cost of his family life. Text 1936 Another key challenge that came out of the roundtable was the need to improve the capacity of our mobs to have the necessary advocacy; governance and risk management skills to successful engage in business and manage our estates in order to secure the best possible outcomes for our communities. Resting Place of Eddie Mabo. For Indigenous peoples around the world, the Declaration has been a means by which they can free themselves from the shackles of colonialism and share equitably in the benefits of development.[8]. (2012 lecture transcript), 2011 Presentation by Mr Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. 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. Topics are usually less than 2 minutes long. The court dismissed his challenge to Australian sovereignty, but in his opinion Justice Lionel Murphy rattled the bones of the Australian settlement. " The practical effects of Mabo have, indeed, been mixed, judging by figures from the Koori Mail, a national indigenous-owned newspaper. - Behind the News Behind the News 133K subscribers Subscribe 483 106K views 3 years ago Mabo Day on June 3rd, celebrates. There will be many words between now and then. Across language itself. Meriam history and culture were crucial to the success of the Mabo case. A fair go in an age of terror: countering the terrorist threat to human rights and the Australian identity, Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Bachelor of Engineering / Science (Honours), Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Bachelor of Nursing Science [Pre-Registration], Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (Honours), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours), Master of Public Health - Global Development, Master of Social Work (Professional Qualifying), Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary), Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary), Master of Conflict Management & Resolution, Graduate Certificate of Conflict Management & Resolution, Master of International Tourism & Hospitality Management, Bachelor of Business & Environmental Science, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Business Studies, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Engineering and Applied Science, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in General Studies, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Health, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Information Technology, Diploma of Higher Education Majoring in Science, Diploma of Higher Education, Majoring in Society and Culture, Bachelor of Business & Psychological Science, Bachelor of Sport & Exercise Science - Bachelor of Psychological Science, Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) & Information Technology, Get Into University Courses with a Low ATAR. So today it is indeed an honour for both my people and myself to be presenting this year's Edward Koiki Mabo Lecture. Whilst the case did little to clarify the legal principles around calculating compensation, it is one example of the positive realization after many years, of the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to land and waters within the native title system. He would later describe his time on the island as 'the best time of my life'1. The conference, 'Land Rights and the Future of Australian Race Relations', was sponsored by the Townsville Treaty Committee and the James Cook University's Student Union. Sign up for free to create engaging, inspiring, and converting videos with Powtoon. 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. The golden house of is of culture and connection, of blood and dreaming, of time immemorial how the golden house of is collapses. Drama Biopic Inspiring. The debate about Mabo's legacy still goes on today, Many indigenous Australians still live in poverty, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Canadian grandma helps police snag phone scammer, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause. You can find it still, somewhere buried in the archives of ABC News. Help your class to explore the life of Eddie Mabo with this engaging and educational biography-writing task. The most important revelation arising from Eddie Mabo's claim and the High Court's decision was that an ancient title connected to the traditional occupation of the land by Aboriginal and Islander people had survived the . I also acknowledge Meriam PBC Chair Mr Doug Passi. Friends we are the First Peoples of this country and we are the oldest living culture in the world because of our ability to adapt to ever changing environments and circumstances. 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. In particular, Roundtable participants lamented the lack of governance skills amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander landholders to successfully engage in business development and to manage their estates. and in 2008 James Cook University named its Townsville campus library the Eddie Koiki Mabo Library. Transcript of proceedings.in the High Court of Australia between Eddie Mabo, David Passi, James Rice.and the State of Queensland Proceedings for 28-31 May 1991, 3 June 1992, and 8 December 1992. (2011 lecture transcript), 2010 Presentation by Professor Chris Sarra. Importantly, the Roundtable highlighted that despite previous promises around compensation for historical dispossession, this has not yet materialized. Later in 1992, Mabo was posthumously awarded the Australian Human Rights Medal. Finally, the remaining key theme of the meeting was the issue of our right as Indigenous peoples to development. Eddie Mabo was heartbroken and never forgave government authorities. 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. In 2008, a library at James Cook University was named after him. 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. From 1973-1983 he established and became director of the Black Community School in Townsville. Short for Mabo and others v Queensland (No 2) (1992), the Mabo case, led by Eddie Koiki Mabo, an activist for the 1967 Referendum, fought the legal concept that Australia and the Torres Strait Islands were not owned by Indigenous peoples because they did not 'use' the land in ways Europeans believed constituted some kind of legal possession. The "fallacy" that Perkins speaks of is the concept of Terra Nullius, land belonging to no-one. Han is Korean and it is more than a word. Justice John Willis said: "In Australia it is the colonists not the Aborigines are the foreigners.". Several cabinet papers from the time of the Mabo decision reflect on its likely ramifications, including: The National Archives of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. During this time he became involved in community and political organisations, such as the union movement and the 1967 Referendum campaign. Words speak across tongues. Mabo Day is an official holiday in the Torres Shire, celebrated on 3 June. I have heard many stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and Traditional Owners about the many barriers they face in reaching their potential benefits under land rights and native title. Eddie Koiki Mabo (c. 29 June 1936 - 21 January 1992 [1]) was an Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights and for his role in a landmark decision of the High Court of Australia which overturned the legal doctrine of terra nullius ("land belonging to nobody") which characterised The justices spoke of a legacy of "unutterable shame"and that the dispossession of Indigenous people was the darkest aspect of Australia's history. A lawyer heard the speech and asked . By continuing to use this site, you are giving us consent to do this. Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. This issue of transfer, usability and conversion of title threw up many challenges around how to retain underlying customary title but make it usable in the modern sense. Today I want to talk about how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be the leaders to grasp new opportunities that will leave a legacy for generations to come. The new Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, says there will be a referendum to enshrine a voice an Indigenous representative body in the Australian constitution. He spoke of impermanence: He knew things did not last and yet we do. Ten years later, he conceded his fears were unfounded. "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. When our world is ablaze with conflict. "Koiki was ambitious for himself and for his people." To sign treaties. The Mabo decision What is the Mabo decision? That was Eddie Mabos gift. We all know about the legacy of native title left by Meriam and Murray Islanders Edward Koiki Mabo, David Passi and James Rice. In my tribute to Rob, I mentioned how losing that fight for national land rights lit the fires for what was to become the fight for native title led by Eddie, with Rob being part of the leadership that negotiated the Native Title Act through the national parliament to give legislative effect to the High Court decision championed by Eddie. And he was right. A case was made, and took 10 years to reach a decision. A panel of judges at the High Court ruled that Aboriginal people were the rightful custodians of the land. Can I be indulgent and add a couple of others. Eddie Mabo was a Torres Strait Islander activist. In 1979 Wiradjuri man and law student Paul Coewalked the path that Eddie Mabo would follow all the way to the High Court of Australia. This will always be our land. (2012) This program was published 2 years ago. Mabo made a speech to the audience where he explained the indigenous customary land inheritance system on Murray Island. That's why the legal decision is universally known as "Mabo". The Mabo verdict was arguably the most significant court ruling in the history of Indigenous Australia, overturning the concept of terra nullius and paving the way for native title. Two words showed something was wrong with the system, After centuries of Murdaugh rule in the Deep South, the family's power ends with a life sentence for murder, Flooding in southern Malaysia forces 40,000 people to flee homes, When Daniel picked up a dropped box on a busy road, he had no idea it would lead to the 'best present ever', Plans to redevelop 'eyesore' on prime riverside land fall apart as billionaires exit, Labor's pledge for mega koala park in south-west Sydney welcomed by conservation groups, Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies aged 61. Up to April 2010, 84 native title cases had been dealt with by the courts, and 854,000 sq km (330,000 sq miles) is now covered by native title determinations. Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders in Marine Science, Agriculture Technology and Adoption Centre, Association of Australian University Secretaries, Australian Quantum & Classical Transport Physics Group, Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, Division of Tropical Environments and Societies, Foundation for Australian Literary Studies, IERC Administration and Centre Operations, Torres Strait Islander Research to Policy & Practice Hub, Meriba buay ngalpan wakaythoemamay (We come together to share our thinking), Knowledge Integration for Torres Strait Sustainability: Sey boey wara goeygil nabi yangukudupa, Office of the Vice Chancellor and President, Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, Contextual Science for Tropical Coastal Ecosystems, Australian Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine, Recognition, national identity and our future. It clearly did not, for instance, lead to vast numbers of white Australians being forced from their homes, businesses, mines or farms. There was something of destiny in the air. Volume 3 (146pp). Eddie Mabo and Gerard Brennan overturned the terra nullius policy and changed Australia forever. 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. Land claim, 1981-1992 In 1981, at a conference on indigenous land rights in Townsville, a decision was made to pursue a native land title claim for the people of the Murray Islands in the High Court of Australia. The judge's four hundred page report presented Mabo and his barristers with a bombshell which threatened to sink their case. I believe that it is this framework that has the power to elevate the aspirations that we have as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in relation to land. The Court also recognised that all Indigenous people in Australia have rights to their land. On 3 June 1992, six of the seven High Court judges upheld the claim and ruled that the lands of . The judges satisfied themselves that Aboriginal people had been in Australia first, did have a long, rich culture that denoted civilisation and had voluminous evidence of land demarcation, usage and inheritance, to back up their claims of longevity and history. Others, while acknowledging the shortcomings of Mabo's long-term legacy, still regard it as a watershed moment in Australian political, cultural and economic life. They claimed that Murray Island (Mer) and surrounding islands and reefs had been continuously inhabited and exclusively possessed by the Meriam people . My predecessor Dr Tom Calma explained the impact of never implementing a social justice package in 2008: this abyss is one of the underlying reasons why the native title system is under the strain it is under today[5]. Searching for 'Mabo' in RecordSearch brings up many results, including the files below. Rejected at each turn. The new conversation that we need to be having around our rights to land and resources has been captured in the thematic areas I have just spoken about. At: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/social_justice_native_title_report_2013.pdf (viewed 5 June 2015), [5] T Calma, Native Title Report 2008, Australian Human Rights Commission (2009), p 46. They can raise us to anger then soothe us. 2. Financing economic development within the Indigenous estate. He knew about hope and he knew about justice. This activity encourages children to write down their knowledge in a structured report . "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. Mabo Day & Native Title: Who was Eddie Mabo & what is his legacy? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this resource and resource page may contain the image, name or voice of deceased persons. Eddie Mabo had challenged the very ideological establishment of Australia and the first Australians.

Is Captain Morgan Watermelon Smash Discontinued, Economic Importance Of Tilapia Fish, Weight Restrictions At Disney World, Articles E