The Wire

Development has won out over native title rights in the High Court. Traditional owners at two Northern Territory Aboriginal communities have been left without recourse as the Territory government forcibly acquires their land. The landmark ruling affects Timber Creek, north-west in the Top End but it also sets an interesting precedent for the rest of the N T. Charles Darwin University Law Lecturer, Andrew Hemming explains the policy behind the decision which aims to reset the equaility between native title and non-native title land holders.