Authorisation Meeting for Native Title Determination Agreements
Wuthathi Native Title Group
Cape York United # 1 Native Title Claim (QUD673/2014)
Tuesday 15 July 2025, Cairns
Cape York Land Council (CYLC) will hold a decision-making meeting on Tuesday 15 July 2025 in Cairns for the Wuthathi Native Title Group to consider whether to authorise proposed native title agreements under s.87A of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) for consent determinations of native title over Wuthathi People’s native title country as shown on the map below.
A determination of native title involves a decision of the Federal Court. A determination of native title means that the Federal Court determines (1) who holds native title; (2) what the native title rights are; (3) the area to which the native title rights apply after any determination is made; and (4) which corporation will represent the members of the determined native title group.
If the meeting on Tuesday 15 July 2025 authorises the s.87A native title agreements, each determination will then be sought in the Federal Court. The Court may list a hearing for a consent determination on Friday 24 October 2025 for the area on the map on the left identified as ‘Wuthathi Captain Billy Landing Area’.
A copy of the proposed s.87A native title agreements for a determination of native title for the areas shown on the map above will be available at the meeting on Tuesday 15 July 2025. At the request of the people who constitute the Applicant in the Cape York United Number 1 Native Title Claim, CYLC staff and consultants will be in attendance at the meeting to be available to explain matters such as the meaning and effect of the proposed agreements. Any person attending the meeting will be able to ask questions about the proposed agreements and state their views about the proposed agreements.
Who is invited to attend the meeting?
The meeting is open to all Wuthathi People, being descendants by birth, or adoption in accordance with traditional law and custom, of one or more of the following apical ancestors:
- Johnson Moreton
- Frank Wilson
- Ida “Waterbag” Temple
- Moe Rie Warren
- Annie (Athanamu) Punda
- Pintharra
- Innis Pascoe
- Dinah
- Ada Lancaster
- Nara Jira Para
- Ela (Illa)
- Eliza (wife of Tom Ware) Willie Daphney
Any person who is a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above is invited to attend this meeting. Please contact CYLC if you would like to confirm whether you are a descendant of one or more of the apical ancestors listed above and so entitled to attend the meeting. The meeting will be held as follows:
Date: Tuesday 15 July 2025
Venue: Cairns Colonial Club Resort, 18-26 Cannon Street, Manunda QLD 4870
Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm
Purpose of the Authorisation Meeting
The purpose of the Authorisation Meeting on Tuesday 15 July 2025 is to decide whether or not to approve the proposed s.87A native title agreements for a consent determination of native title for each of the areas shown on the map above. The agenda of the meeting will be to consider whether the persons present:
- agree and adopt a decision-making process;
- agree to the proposed s.87A agreements for a determination of native title;
- agree to either:
- incorporate a new corporation to be the corporation to represent the native title holders identified in the proposed s.87A agreements for determinations of native title (called a “prescribed body corporate”), and so:
- (i) make a decision (1) to approve the rules of the new corporation, (2) to identify who will be the initial directors and contact person for the new corporation, and (3) to authorise one or more named persons to apply to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations to register the new corporation; and
- (ii) agree to nominate the new corporation, once it is registered, to be prescribed body corporate for Wuthathi People; or
- on certain conditions, nominate an existing corporation to be the prescribed body corporate for Wuthathi People, and so:
- (i) make a decision (1) to specify the existing corporation to be the prescribed body corporate, and (2) direct the identified corporation to take steps to make itself eligible to be appointed as the prescribed body corporate by amending its rules, and to ensure it is representative of Wuthathi People (by accepting new membership applications, holding new elections for directors or other matters); and
- (ii) agree to nominate the identified existing corporation, once it has complied with the directions made by the meeting in (b)(i) above, to be the prescribed body corporate for Wuthathi People; and
- (iii) incorporate a new corporation as set out in (a) above, which corporation will be nominated to be the prescribed body corporate for Wuthathi People in the event that the identified existing corporation has not complied with the directions made by the meeting in (b)(i) above by 9 August 2025;
- incorporate a new corporation to be the corporation to represent the native title holders identified in the proposed s.87A agreements for determinations of native title (called a “prescribed body corporate”), and so:
- authorise the Principal Legal Officer of CYLC to nominate the proposed corporation in writing to the Federal Court for it to be the prescribed body corporate under ss.56 or 57 of the NTA for the proposed determinations of native title.
Attendance
For travel assistance or to confirm attendance or for any other questions about this notice, please contact Jasmin Schubert before Tuesday 8 July 2025 on free call number 1800 623 548 or mobile phone on 0437 460 550 or by email jschubert@cylc.org.au. Video-conferencing facilities will be made available at the meeting. If you would like CYLC to arrange a video-conference from your location into the meeting, whether you live at the location of the meeting or elsewhere, please contact CYLC on the number above. Please note that there is limited funding available for travel assistance.
