We would like to welcome you to the 2009 Native Title Conference, now in its 10th year. This year the conference returns to Melbourne, where it started, and is being held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. We wish to thank our hosts, the Wurundjeri people, for inviting us to hold the conference on their country.
This important national event provides us all with the opportunity to have new conversations, make new connections and strengthen old friendships.
This year we encourage you to step back from the day-to-day processes of the Native Title Act and consider what drives claimants to seek resolution through a native title claim. As we all deal positively and openly with these issues the successful operation of native title processes will be more likely to occur.
We would like delegates to discuss how we can all respond to traditional owners’ rights and aspirations creatively, bringing constructive, pragmatic approaches to the difficult conversations that are intrinsic in indigenous land settlements not only in Australia but throughout the world. Through such approaches we can make significant headway in securing long term economic and social benefits for the whole community.
Put simply, we want to get back to basics, renew the purpose of native title and do the right thing. We invite you to specifically share your thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in relation to:
- Strengthening communities
- Rivers, Lakes and Sea country
- Respectful engagement
- Economies, ecologies and ideologies
- Connecting throughout diversity
- Stories to learn from.
Significantly, the Melbourne Cricket Ground is located on land that has a rich history as a gathering place of first nation people and continues today as a gathering place for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Professor Mick Dodson, AM
Chairperson
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
Mr Graham Atkinson
Chairperson
Native Title Services Victoria Ltd