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Native Title Research Unit

Alice Springs, 3–5 June 2013 Anthropologies of change: Theoretical and methodological challenges, University of Sydney, 25–26 August 2011 Researchers from AIATSIS and the Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies in Broome are working with the Karajarri Traditional Lands Association RNTBC on a research project looking into Indigenous institutions and climate change adaptation. Comments on Exposure Draft: Proposed amendments to the Native Title Act 1993 Dr Lisa Strelein, Toni Bauman, Dr Pamela McGrath and Nick Duff The NTRU participated in the Awin Udnum Project, a series of creative, cultural and health promotion workshops held in the Kowanyama Aboriginal Community and its surrounding area. In May 2012, the Federal Court granted the Arabana People native title to almost 70,000 square kilometres in South Australia's north, including Lake Eyre.

About us

The Native Title Research Unit (NTRU) was established through a collaboration between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and AIATSIS in 1993 in response to the High Court decision in Mabo v Queensland (No.2) (1992), which recognises Indigenous peoples' rights to land under the legal concept of native title. The NTRU's activities are currently supported through a funding agreement with the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs external (FaHCSIA).

The NTRU provides high quality independent research and policy advice in order to promote the recognition and protection of the native title of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We facilitate access to the Institute's records, materials and collections and publish the results of our research both as a source of public information and academic publication.

Located within the wider AIATSIS Research program, the NTRU aims to provide ongoing monitoring of outcomes and developments in native title; independent assessment of the impact of policy and legal developments; longitudinal research and case study research designed to feed into policy development; ethical community based and responsible research practice; theoretical background for policy development; recommendations for policy development; and policy advocacy designed to influence thinking and practice.

The quality, independence and ethics of the research of the NTRU is subject to the oversight of the Native Title Research Advisory Committee, the AIATSIS statutory Research Advisory Committee and the AIATSIS Council.

Projects

The NTRU works on a number of major Research Projects often in collaboration with Indigenous individuals or organisations. Our research projects are grouped by the following themes of: Agreement Making; Connections; Corporations; Development and Tax; Land and Water; Law; and Negotiation and Mediation.

Events

The NTRU organises the annual Native Title Conference which is co-convened by the local Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) or Native Title Service Provider (NTSP) and hosted by the local traditional owners upon whose country the conference is held.

The NTRU also holds workshops each year on issues relating to native title, and from time to time, staff of the NTRU convene and or participate in the AIATSIS Seminar Series.

Publications and Resources

The NTRU seeks to make information about native title as accessible as possible. We do this by providing copies of the following resources available through the Resources, Publications and Projects sections of this website:

Resources

Publications

Native Title Research and Access Service

The Native Title Research and Access Officer provides expert advice and access assistance to native title clients on the holdings of the AIATSIS Library and Audiovisual Archives. Services offered include: