Mabo Land Rights Case

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Mabo Case The Mabo Land Rights Case has made a vast influence to the rights and freedom of Indigenous Australians in the post war period. Prior to the Mabo case Indigenous and Non-indigenous Australians were treated very differently and this can be seen through many government policies such as the Protection policy and Terra Nullius. The Mabo Case took place to gain back the native land and land rights that were stripped from their possession by the European settlement. Eddie Mabo was an Indigenous inhabitant of the Murray (Mer) Islands in the Torres Strait. He led a group of the Meriam people in a Supreme Court challenge against the Queensland government on the issue of land ownership. The Mabo case has made a huge impact and has led to the…show more content…
After being refused permission back onto his land Mabo was determined to establish legal recognition of his ownership rights over his passed down land on Mer by challenging Terra Nullius. Mabo was accompanied by four other Torres Strait Islanders to start legal action against the Queensland Government. Malo’s Law supports the statement “Don't touch or take what isn't yours. Don't set foot on land that isn't yours.” Mabo used this traditional law that he grew up with to support his case against the Queensland Government explaining how Aboriginals were the traditional landowners of Australia way before the European…show more content…
Prior to the Mabo case Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians were treated differently in regards to land rights and freedom and this can be seen through the many government policies such as the Protection Policy and Terra Nullius (1788). The aim of the Mabo case was to gain back the native land and land rights that were stripped from the Aborigines possession by the European settlement. This was done by the development of a legal team led by Eddie Mabo who challenged the Queensland government and the legal principle of terra nullius using Malo’s Law to support him. Eddie Mabo managed to overcome the many struggles and situations that the government put him through and with the support from his family and fellow Aborigines he managed to win the case giving hope to his fellow Indigenous Australians. The Mabo Case has had an impact on our society today with their many achievements. The Mabo Case led to The Native title Act 1993 that was then amended in 1998 and is a legislation that recognises the traditional rights and interests to land and waters of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

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