✦ Plain-English Summary

Native Title Amendment (Infrastructure and Public Facilities) 2020

What it does

This law changes the Native Title Act to extend a key timeframe from 10 years to 20 years. The specific change affects section 24JAA, which deals with how native title holders and the government manage infrastructure and public facilities on native title land. The exact details of what activities this covers aren't shown in this excerpt, but the core change is doubling that 10-year period.

Why it matters

Longer timeframes generally give native title holders and governments more flexibility to plan and operate infrastructure projects without constantly having to renew agreements or assessments. It could reduce paperwork and bureaucratic back-and-forth on things like roads, utilities, or community facilities built on indigenous land.

Key details

• The change: The 10-year limit becomes 20 years (appears in two related provisions of the Native Title Act)
• When it kicks in: The day after the Governor-General signs off on it (Royal Assent)
• Who it affects: Indigenous groups with native title rights, plus government and private entities operating infrastructure on their land

Official Description

Amends the Native Title Act 1993 to extend the operation of Subdivision JA, which requires native title holders and claimants to be notified about proposed public works and provides them with an opportunity to be consulted about the impact of the proposed future act on their native title rights and interests, for a further 10 years.

Committee Referrals

Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

No votes yet.

No votes were recorded for this bill.