Another common issue, that has been raised here, is that of blaming indigenous Australians for the public cost of court battles. While it may be true that there are a number of Native Title claimant cases that have very little hoping of being successful, it is also the case that every single successful Native Title claim has been challenged and dragged out by the government.
Native Title it seems was designed with negotiation in mind.
It is unfortunate that our governments have not made the most of these opportunities.
Perth seems to be just another case of this. Because the majority of this particular Native claim will be immediately extinguished, this seemed to offer a unique chance for genuine negotiation for a fair and balance outcome for all involved.
Instead both state and federal governments have chosen to drag this thing out further through the courts.
Are we to blame the Noongar for this also?

Hansp77 ,Thanks for the posts .
One would not normally expect any objective comments from Mickijo or Leigh as they seem determined not to give an inch on Aboriginal Reconciliation via Land Rights or any other way .
Native Title as judged by the HIGH Court of Australia is all "nonsense "to Leigh .
Mickijo and I regularly sparr over a migrant's rights to take over Aboriginal Land Rights without compensation,just because his family, as a migrant one,worked hard and was invited to come to the country.Your backyard is safe mickijo.
As far as i am concerned we have a huge debt to Aboriginal people as the illegal disposessors .They showed us the best water and land with pride , but unlike their neighbours of thousands of years ,we didn't go back to our own country after the visit .
we cannot help them regain all their land or their lost ceremonies, but we can help them regain their self esteem and health. NATIVE TITLE DOES HELP.
Recognition of their association with Perth both in the past and the present is a small step forward for us as a nation.
Of course the typical Howard and other government's appeals will probably try to block Justice being delivered .
I can remember a few years ago the next door farmer saying "we'll lose our oval etc ,etc,etc . At that time the fear campaign was in full swing .It was ignorance being used for an ugly political agenda.
Anyway ,We must thank God for Justice Willcox, I would love to shout him a beer or two.cheers,have a good weekend , kartiya.

I am a freelance journo based in perth and currently writing an article on 'Aboriginal issues' including native title, cultural conflict and misunderstanding, the Noongar claim and the Burrup Peninsular rock art.

The original problem at settlement was the judgement that Aboriginals were a lesser and uncivilised culture. The still emerging anecdotal evidence is that their 'lesser uncivilised culture' was more appropriate for this land than ours is.

Any person who truly loves Ourstralia feels sick in the stomach at the continuing desecration of what is comparable to the Aboriginal church - our country.

Aboriginal people are awaiting reconciliation - not them with but our society with this country. The former will then follow naturally.

Land is the vehicle for reconciliation between the peoples of this land, and the outside of the court negotiations allowable under native title processes have potential to address socio-economic challenges in Aboriginal communities across Ourstralia.

The continuing clash of cultures is best illustrated by looking at the Burrup Peninsular rock art. Perhaps the best and oldest examples of rock art anywhere in the world, older than Stonehenge, the Acropolis and St Paul's Cathedral and of Aboriginal cultural significance similar to Uluru it has been and still is being degraded and disrespected in favour ofour culture's main deity - money.

I welcome direct interaction and input to my article at haywoodfarm@yahoo.com

Kartya Jim, I wouldn't exactly say that ALL of my ancestors were 'invited' to this country,at least one side were not given much choice.
Hansp77, the Aboriginal man's quote came from the televised news of that day.
I do not believe in Native Title because I see big trouble coming from it that will occupy courts and lawyers for years to come.
The lawyers will wax very fat over this, the Aboriginals will be used and the tax payer will pay and pay and pay.
I am so against it, it will not advance Aboriginals at all. Far better to have money spent on educating and training young Aboriginals to take their place in the world as equals in business and every other way than just to have some fishing or hunting symbolic rights they really do not need.

As usual Mickjo and Leigh,

Neither of you ever cite research nor does hard evidence to back your spurious claim about Aboriginal people and issues. Why is this?

Mickjo, you often use the old line about tax payers. Why not learn something about the history of Aboriginal labour and stolen wages. See it here: http://antarqld.org.au/05_involved/facts.html

Leigh with your usual limp bravado you declared “I haven’t seen one single aborigine publicly connected with so-called land rights who is not an unpleasant white-hater and the type of political activist who doesn’t give a toss about most aboriginal-Australians.”

Perhaps you should get out from behind your computer and meet some Koori’s Noongars, Palawa, Bama, Murri’s? They won't eat you.

I’ve questioned your claim of actually knowing Aboriginal people before in other posts. You’ve provided no evidence that you do. Relying on your imagination ‘about’ Aboriginal people as ‘evidence’ is not the same as knowing us proper.

In my younger days I only had one way of dealing with blokes like you. Thanks heavens I’ve moved on and realized what a waste of time that approach was.

Deep down I know this post won’t change anything about your attitudes toward Aboriginal people and rights or motivate you toward learning what you don’t know.

But at least I tried and I do care about you more than you care about me and mine. (now how's that for good Aussie values!)

Mickijo , I would much rather give the lawyers or the mediators[these days surprise ,surprise, just as important ] a few dollars to get at least one chip off Aboriginal shoulders as Native Title is worked through.
It's a matter of correcting the balance to the point where people can live together, accepting just where history has delivered us to.
Do you like to see continual conflict ahead for generations for the sake of it?
If you are unable to move on from the past ,that's a shame.
As far as WA goes ,in the late 1800's an unusual and novel law was brought in to help Aboriginal people get help with health ,housing and education and work.This is back when the murdering of Aboriginal people was "tut -tutted" about and considered just a natural part of Colonial invasion .
The law took a percentage or part of the money from the WA government land sales to be directed explicitely for the benefit and help of the blacks. The fund was going for a relatively few years and accumulated a large amount of money . HOWEVER , instead of being directed to THE DISPOSSED it came under critical scrutiny by the SQUATTER led Government and it was decided that it was a growing impost on the land owners and purchasers and was voted OFF the statute books .It was left to destitute churches to look after destitute people.We can see and hear of the results every day.
This was the same time Aboriginal farm workers in SA wrote letters to the Land Commissioner asking for enough land to start their own farms .["they must be joking!!"]
The inherent stupid meanness, of a lot of Australians may well be lessened if John Howard is game to lay bare and show in his history classes how we have got to today . I am looking forward to the first pages of his WHITE History of AUSTRALIA.
Q1.Were there there any ABORIGINAL PEOPLE who liked the views of the Swan River ?
Answer , YES , and today they still like the views.