Eddie Mabo Biography Worksheet | Australian Resources - Twinkl We cannot cross the same stream twice. Read about our approach to external linking. [1] J Altman., (2014) Scullion Peddles pipedream reforms, Journal of Indigenous Policy, At: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/JlIndigP/2014/33.pdf (viewed 5 June 2015). 1h 43m. 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. Friendship with Eddie Mabo. He immediately saw the injustice of it and from then on dedicated his life to reversing it. Eddie Koiki Mabo died of cancer on 21 January 1991, before the case was resolved. Yindyamarra winanghanha. However, whilst the right to development is about improvements in economic and material outcomes, it is also about our rights as Indigenous peoples to self-determination and our rights to control our natural wealth and resources. The man who had engineered the historic change of law, never lived to witness it himself. The truth: This was his land. When the decision overturning Terra Nullius eventually came, the judges referred to the policy as "the darkest aspect of (our) national history" and one that left "a legacy of unutterable shame". Uncle Koiki Mabo launches legal case for his land - Deadly Story The memory of wounds. Well, Australia now stands at a moment of history. 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. The justices spoke of a legacy of "unutterable shame"and that the dispossession of Indigenous people was the darkest aspect of Australia's history. He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." But he was wrong. Love, kindness, forgiveness; always love. Stan Grant is the ABC's international affairs analyst and presents China Tonight on Monday at 9:35pm on ABC TV, and Tuesday at 8pm on the ABC News Channel, anda co-presenter of Q+A on Thursday at 8:30pm. He would later describe his time on the island as 'the best time of my life'1. 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. At: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ALRCRefJl/2009/15.html#FootnoteB6 (viewed 9 June 2015). These often hamper the development and economic aspirations of the communities involved right from the start. Family gatherings were foregone. Gail Mabo and Prime Minister Tony Abbott during their visit to the grave of Eddie Mabo on Mer Island. For many at JCU, the landmark legal decision has been rendered personal, as well as political and historic, because of Eddie's important association with JCU staff and students, and with our surrounding communities. (2013 lecture transcript), 2012 Presentation by Professor Henry Reynolds. JCU websites use cookies to enhance user experience, analyse site usage, and assist with outreach and enrolment. Eternal. I was no lawyerbut I knew I sensed this was different. 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. (2010 lecture transcript). Judged by any civilised standard, such a law is unjust ". That is the view most widely endorsed by history. In 2008, a library at James Cook University was named after him. Mabo's credibility as the primary witness for the case was savaged . Mabo/Mer Uncle Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo. At: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/table-1-human-development-index-and-its-components#a (viewed 9 June 2015). De Rose Hill is a landmark case because it represents a significant moment in time in the native title space. 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. At http://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/native-title-report-2008 (viewed 5 June 2015). the belief that Australia and its islands belonged to no-one when claimed by the British in 1770) in a landmark court . During this time he became involved in community and political organisations, such as the union movement and the 1967 Referendum campaign. We need to work alongside government to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills to turn the economic and commercial aspirations into reality. When I looked over the lives of these two great Australians I was struck by the similarities of their struggles and the qualities they each share. "If Koiki Mabo were alive today he would be an angry man," says Malezer. Mabo footage released for the first time - Jun 2020 - JCU Australia Mabo's love for his homeland drove the proud Torres Strait Islander to undertake a 10- year legal battle that rewrote Australia's history. 2023 BBC. 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]. 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. Concocted by the early settlers, it was used, systematically, cynically and effectively to deprive the indigenous people of their own land. That is, how do we build on the underlying communal title to create options for our economic development? The practical effects of Mabo have, indeed, been mixed, judging by figures from the Koori Mail, a national indigenous-owned newspaper. At the 1981 James Cook University Land Rights Conference Eddie Mabo made a passionate speech about land ownership and ancestral inheritance in the Murray Islands. When our world is ablaze with conflict. The words are carefully chosen to sit alongside each other withjust the right length and the right tone, each one setting up the other and chosen for both meaning and music. We are still trying to find the words to equal the full measure of Eddie Mabo's devotion. Eddie Mabo and Gerard Brennan overturned the terra nullius policy and changed Australia forever. Importantly, development is also a process through which other human rights can be realized and our wellbeing alongside all other populations is maximised. Prime Minister Paul Keating's address to - naa.gov.au Aunty Clara Ogleby, I begin by acknowledging and paying my respects to the Kuku Yalanji people, Traditional Owners of the place upon which we sit and talk today. 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. A lawyer heard the speech and asked . 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 . The Mabo decision was named after Eddie Mabo, the This is our land. 10. This Declaration on the Right to Development was adopted by the General Assembly in 1986. Biography - Edward Koiki (Eddie) Mabo - Indigenous Australia - ANU Ten years later, he conceded his fears were unfounded. Please join with me in acknowledging the life long accomplishments of Russell Taylor. Eddie Mabo: It was written in the stars | NITV eddie mabo speech transcript eddie mabo speech transcript Eddie Koiki Mabo was an advocate of the 1967 Referendum, fighting for equal rights including education. Other cases persisted. [11]Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. About 800 kilometers north of Cairns sits the small remote community of Mer (Murray) Island in the crystal blue waters of the Torres Strait. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died. These things range from various legal and administrative barriers that are placed on us once a native title determination has been made and includes various tax and regulatory standards placed on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the post determination phase, conflicts between individual and communal property interests and issues arising from the conversion of title. Mabo/Eddie Mabo's address to Land Rights Conference, 1981 Edward 'Koiki' Mabo (1936-1992), Torres Strait Islander community leader and land rights campaigner, was born on 29 June 1936 at Las, on Mer, in the Murray group of islands, Queensland, the fourth surviving child of Murray Islands-born parents 'Robert' Zesou Sambo, seaman, and his wife 'Annie' Poipe, ne Mabo. 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. It clearly did not, for instance, lead to vast numbers of white Australians being forced from their homes, businesses, mines or farms. Towards Reconciliation: The 1967 Referendum and Mabo Nor did the judges intend that it should. Edward Koiki Mabo ( n Sambo; 29 June 1936 - 21 January 1992) was an Indigenous Australian man from the Torres Strait Islands known for his role in campaigning for Indigenous land rights in Australia, in particular the landmark decision of the High Court of Australia that recognised that indigenous rights to land had continued after the British (2011 lecture transcript), 2010 Presentation by Professor Chris Sarra. Birthdays, anniversaries, sports events and special schools days were missed. And he was right. Eddie Mabo of Mer island in the Torres Strait spent a decade seeking official recognition of his people's ownership of Mer and on 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia agreed, rejecting the doctrine that Australia was terra nullius (land belonging to no-one) at the time of European settlement. He is best known for the two court cases that bear his name, Mabo v. Queensland (numbers 1 and 2). From 1973-1983 he established and became director of the Black Community School in Townsville. He had refused to surrender his interests, or those of his people, to the domination of others. Can I be indulgent and add a couple of others. These barriers all prevent us from using our land to enter into the economy from which we can see ourselves and our communities thrive. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this resource and resource page may contain the image, name or voice of deceased persons. - Behind the News Behind the News 133K subscribers Subscribe 483 106K views 3 years ago Mabo Day on June 3rd, celebrates. Reynolds writes: (2012) This program was published 2 years ago. His mother died during childbirth and he was raised by his mother's brother, Benny Mabo . 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 8 th of May in Perth. In 1994 the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) was established in response to Read More In some ways our systems of governance is a defining feature of the oldest living culture on this planet. Eddie Mabo Case Study - 1556 Words | 123 Help Me He knew about suffering. Aboriginal Australians are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark victory over land rights. A clear theme from the Broome Roundtable revealed a common frustration among many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mabo/The Man/Land Rights Conference Words speak across tongues. Mabo Day & Native Title: Who was Eddie Mabo & what is his legacy Mabo/The Man/Justice Moynihan's Findings 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. It is clear that the current system has not delivered what had initially been intended to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In-text: (Two generations talk about the impact of the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo Decision, 2019) Your Bibliography: Time Out Sydney. Top 10 Amazing Facts about Eddie Mabo - Discover Walks Blog Milosz wrote into the horror of the 20th century as he saw war all around him. The National Archives holds a diverse array of records relating to the Mabo case. That nearly a third of our land mass is Indigenous owned is testament to this. The Mabo decision What is the Mabo decision? 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. 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]. Mabo: Always was, always will be First Nations land For 50 years this embassy has stood as a reminder that we are still here. "From self-respect comes dignity, and from dignity comes hope": Meeting This was our land. I stand here proud to bring a message from my Elders. Rachel Perkins, director of the new film, says Mabo's is "an iconic story in the tradition of great Australian tales, how a man, his wife and his mates profoundly changed the nation". The former president of Western Australia's Liberal Party, Bill Hassel, said the ruling was greeted with "outrage". As Kevin Mason divedin the ocean, a compliance officer waswatching on the cliffs above. In 1959, he moved to mainland Queensland, working on pearling vessels and as a labourer. Older articles are being reviewed with a view to bringing them into line with contemporary values but the original text will remain available for historical context. 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. That's why the legal decision is universally known as "Mabo". He was another victim of Terra Nullius, like so many of his fellow indigenous people had been before him. [6] UN Declaration on the Right to Development, Article 1, para 1. But 20 years after the judgement, there's still a debate among constitutionalists, lawyers and politicians about the legacy of Mabo. 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. As a nation, this is an improvement from fourth position just over ten years ago in 2003.[10]. British law was the law of the colony and usurped and superseded Aboriginal law. The Keating government gave effect to the Mabo decision by introducing the Native Title Act 1993, which facilitated the process of recognising native title. Only land such as vacant crown land, national parks and some leased land, can be subject to claims by the Aboriginal owners. In 1973 Mabo founded the Black Community School in Townsville, which was created to educate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and preserve traditional knowledge and practices. 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. He was another victim of Terra Nullius, like so many of his fellow indigenous people had been before him. 1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 1995 - Australian Bureau of Statistics No transcript available, 2016 Lecture Presentation by Professor N M Nakata, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Indigenous Education and Strategy, James Cook University (Transcript), 2016 Lecture Presentation by Professor N M Nakata, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Indigenous Education and Strategy, James Cook University (2016 Lecture Transcript), 2015 Presentation by The Hon. [12] Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), preamble. 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 . He also co-operated with members of the Communist Party, the only white political party to support Aboriginal campaigns at the time. Unlike them, however, Mabo wasn't going to accept it. Celebrating Mabo's courage - Jan 2015 - JCU Australia The nation remained diminished. It contains just 10 articles on what the instrument describes as an, inalienable right, by which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realised.[6]. Eddie Koiki Mabo Lecture Series. But that's just 11% of Australia's land mass. A decade later, I was a young reporter still in my early 20s, finding my way into the foreign world of journalism when I saw a listing for a case at the High Court. Mabo : ABC iview 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. He was right. 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. Eddie Koiki Mabo and the Mabo Case | naa.gov.au Les Malezer, chairman of the Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action, is critical of the native title system for its failure to deliver for indigenous people. 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. Fungibility and native title. The "fallacy" that Perkins speaks of is the concept of Terra Nullius, land belonging to no-one. Mabo expressed. 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. The courts had previously found that the Nguraritja had non-exclusive native title over certain parcels of land, but not over those where native title had already been extinguished. I walked into the news meeting at the ABC with words. [1] It was brought by Eddie Mabo against the State of Queensland and decided on 3 June 1992. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives. 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. Audio file Transcript About this record This is the soundtrack of an address to the nation on 15 November 1993 by the then Prime Minister Paul Keating, explaining the Australian Government's response to the High Court's Mabo decision. This push for economic independence has sought to move away from models of government dependency and have been premised largely on the use of our land as the basis to achieve this. 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. Without this foundation, there would be no opportunity for us to access these rights through this unique form of land tenure. Mabo was a Torres Strait islander from Mer (Murray Island), off Australia's north-east coast. I was there as a young associate working for a judge, and saw the jubilation and relief of . That word is emblazoned still at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on the lawns of the Old Parliament House in Canberra. 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. . Edward Koiki Mabo was born on 29 June 1936. "The golden house of is collapses. They both endured early hard lives that steeled them for the struggles that would eventually come their way. Eddie Mabo's legal pursuit of these issues resulted in one of the most significant legal cases in Australian history, in that it completely overturned the idea of terra nullius (land belonging to no-one) and challenged traditionally held beliefs about how Australia came into being, and about ownership of land. Across language itself. "For two centuries, the British and then white Australians operated under a fallacy, that somehow Aboriginal people did not exist or have land rights before the first settlers arrived in 1788.". Promoting Indigenous peoples right to development. 2008 Presentation by The Hon. We know sadness. However, contemporary Indigenous governance needs recognises that we must now adjust our customary ways of governing to meet the expectations and regulations of non-indigenous laws and institutions. The decision. The remarkable life story of Eddie 'Koiki' Mabo; a Torres Strait Islander who left school at the age of 15, yet spearheaded the High Court challenge that overthrew the fiction of terra nullius. On 3 June 1992, the High Court of Australia ruled in favour of limited native title. We are currently not sharing in the developmental prosperity for which Australia is known. Mabo decision | National Museum of Australia This link is the basis of the ownership of the soil, or better, of sovereignty., "This is the torment of our powerlessness.". I also acknowledge Meriam PBC Chair Mr Doug Passi. (2014 lecture transcript), 2013 Presentation by Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen QC. He's recorded as saying: "No way, it's not theirs, it's ours." Rob was at the forefront of the fight for land in Western Australia, particularly at Nookanbah and when the WA Government led the resistance to national land rights legislation. 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. Importantly, the Roundtable highlighted that despite previous promises around compensation for historical dispossession, this has not yet materialized. And it was this; hardly any compensation has come our way despite all of the fear mongering over the years about the rivers of compensation that would flow from the realization of our rights under land rights and native title. In the context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Governments have committed themselves to the economic development of our communities. 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. For significant service to the community as a cultural leader and public sector executive in the field of Indigenous affairs.. Court cases in the mid-19th century challenged the idea of British settlement at the time the rulings were in favour of the Crown. Mabo and his fellow plaintiff's fought for land on Mer - their ancestral gardens and home. Governance has always been at the core of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and our community life. 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 . 1992 High Court Mabo Case Decision No. 2 | Australia's migration "Koiki was ambitious for himself and for his people.". the Aborigines did not give up their lands peacefully; they were killed or removed forcibly from the lands by United Kingdom forces or the European colonists in what amounted to attempted (and in Tasmania almost complete) genocide.". Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. 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. It is sadness beyond the word sadness itself. However, in the lead-up to these hearings, the Parliament of Queensland passed the Queensland Coast Islands Declaratory Act 1985, which asserted that, upon being annexed by the Queensland Government in 1879, 'the islands were vested in the Crown freed from all other rights, interests and claims'. Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, Why the disgraced lawyer was spared death penalty, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. Henry Reynolds (historian) - Wikipedia Realising these aspirations, is key to our economic development and prosperity as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples where our land is our ultimate asset. The next generation of native title issues are due to hit us shortly through processes such as litigation regarding ILUAs, variations to determinations and compensation proceedings.[2]. In a snapshot. Leeanne Enoch MP, Minister for Housing and Public Works and Minister for Science and Innovation. Eddie Koiki Mabo: Land Rights in the Torres Strait I would like to first of all express my sincere thanks to the organizers of this conference: in particular the James Cook University Student Union and the Aboriginal Treaty Committee in Townsville for allowing me to speak at this very important conference. Mabo v Queensland (No 2) - Wikipedia To sign treaties. Eddie Mabo was a staff member at JCU, working as a groundsman from 1967 to 1971. 2017 presentation by Professor Megan Davis, Pro Vice Chancellor Indigenous, University of New South Wales. We leave base camp and start our trek across this vast country. The Declaration incorporates four fundamental human rights principles that can be categorised as: However, the UN Declaration on the Right to Development has been a lesser-known cousin to the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It is short for Mabo and others v Queensland (No 2) (1992).
