The Queensland government has been accused of engaging in a “cover up” over the amount of land being transferred to Indigenous groups as freehold title.
Australia is seeing a “transfer of management” and responsibility of national parks to Indigenous groups which could be “fraught” with bureaucracy, The Australian’s Environment Editor Graham Lloyd says.
“We are seeing a transfer of management and responsibility of national parks over to Indigenous groups,” he said.
“We are seeing a lot of lawfare in the area to try and prosecute issues of land management.
“This is a very fraught area for any bureaucrat to make a decision.
“If it is backed up with potential criminal charges if they get it wrong, I think they are going to be very wary.”
Community concerns are growing over a land transfer in the regional town of Toobeah, near Goondiwindi, 95 per cent of which is set to be transferred to the Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation.
The transfer is set to occur under Queensland’s Aboriginal Land Act, which allows the state government to transfer land which is being held in trust for the benefit of traditional owners to local Aboriginal Corporations.
Unlike under native title, the land is transferred as freehold title, meaning it can be developed or used as the owners see fit.
Queensland Nationals MP Keith Pitt said the idea the state should be able to “just give away their land” to Aboriginal organisations was “a mistake” and the “wrong approach”, before attacking the government’s lack of transparency on the issue.
The town of Toobeah, which has a population of just 300, is fighting government plans to transfer 220ha of land to an Aboriginal corporation. Picture: Supplied
“There’s another 15 sites, which, for who knows what reason, are being kept confidential,” the former resources minister told Sky News Australia.
“So there are other locations in other towns which are being directly impacted, and no one knows about it.
“I just think this is just another cover-up by the Miles government.”
Queensland’s Department of Resources revealed the number of townships in Queensland where local Aboriginal groups have lodged land transfer claims in a question on notice to state parliament.
However, the department refused to say what townships were involved, citing the “privacy” of Indigenous groups which have lodged the claims.
Loading embed…
More than six million hectares of state land which was previously held in trust for the benefit of traditional owners has now been handed over to Aboriginal corporations across Queensland.
While private land can’t be transferred under the Aboriginal Land Act, the government can pass on unallocated state land, Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander reserves, and national parks on Cape York and Moreton Island.
Former Howard government minister Gary Hardgrave said he was “shocked” by the numbers.
“This is madness, and it’s writ large in Queensland,” the former Queensland Federal MP said.
Toobeah Hotel Motel Manager Michael Offerdahl has expressed his frustration over plans to potentially hand over land back to an Indigenous corporation.
A small town in regional Queensland Toobeah, roughly 400km from Brisbane, is where locals claim they’ve been totally blindsided by plans that could see nearly 95 per cent of land handed back to an Indigenous corporation as freehold.
“We don’t even have enough room in the town now, with the way the map is to actually facilitate the normal things a town has like sewerage, potable water, recreation use etc.,” he told Sky News host Peta Credlin.
Mr Offerdahl this week launched a Change.org petition calling for support to help stop land transfer to the Indigenous corporation.
The petition has already received more than 2,000 signatures so far.
The Bigambul Native Title Aboriginal Corporation, which is set to take ownership of Toobeah Reserve has sought to downplay concerns, saying it is committed to “working together with the community… to develop and improve the site for the benefit of all”.
The corporation says on its website it wants to take ownership of the land for “cultural heritage protection” and to enable the “environmental and economic development and prosperity” of the Bigambul country by creating a “regional eco-cultural tourism opportunities”.
The group said the reserve is less than one per cent of the Toobeah “district” and is currently designated for travelling stock and associated camping.
“People have been riding trail bikes and 4WDs across the property unlawfully and damaging the river banks and riparian vegetation over the years,” the corporation said.
“Bigambul plans to develop the site as an eco-cultural attraction for the town and region, and extend visitor stays.”