The Wire

Torres Strait Islanders have won a nine-year court battle to secure native title rights over 40,000 square kilometres of ocean to Australia’s north. Federal Court Justice Paul Finn ruled in favour of the Torres Strait Regional Sea Claim, between the Tip of Queensland and Papua New Guinea. The Claim was Lodged in 2001 and covers sea beds, subsoil, reefs, shoals and sandbanks. Barrister Robert Blowes, council for the applicants of the Torres straight sea clan since 2005 spoke with Ruth Chalker.