Commentary: members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422

Edited book (chapter)

Young, Simon. 2021. "Commentary: members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422." Watson, Nicole and Douglas, Heather (ed.) Indigenous Legal Judgments: Bringing Indigenous Voices into Judicial Decision Making. United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 92-111
Chapter Title

Commentary: members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422

Book Chapter CategoryEdited book (chapter)
ERA Publisher ID3137
Book TitleIndigenous Legal Judgments: Bringing Indigenous Voices into Judicial Decision Making
Authors
AuthorYoung, Simon
EditorsWatson, Nicole and Douglas, Heather
Page Range92-111
Chapter Number6
Number of Pages20
Year2021
PublisherRoutledge
Place of PublicationUnited Kingdom
ISBN9781032004815
9781003174349
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003174349-9
Web Address (URL)https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9781003174349-9/members-yorta-yorta-aboriginal-community-victoria-2002-214-clr-422-simon-young
Abstract

Representatives of the Yorta Yorta peoples sought recognition of their native title over land and waters in the early-settled and intensively used Murray River area. The trial judge concluded that whatever the contemporary practices of the community, the claimants’ ancestors had ceased to occupy their traditional lands in accordance with their traditional laws and customs, and therefore, the foundations of the claim had disappeared. The Full Court of the Federal Court upheld this decision, as did the High Court which found that there was a discontinuity in the observance of traditional laws and custom by the Yorta Yorta peoples. The ‘missing’ High Court judgment, written from an Indigenous sovereignty perspective, is offered here. It focuses on the survival of the Yorta Yorta peoples and their custodial ethic and reframes the challenge for the courts as recognising adaptation and resilience rather than measuring cultural erosion.

KeywordsNative title, continuity, Yorta Yorta, First Nations, Proof, colonisation
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020480604. Property law (excl. intellectual property law)
450104. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture
480410. Legal theory, jurisprudence and legal interpretation
Byline AffiliationsSchool of Law and Justice
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q6w20/commentary-members-of-the-yorta-yorta-aboriginal-community-v-victoria-2002-214-clr-422

Log in to edit

Download files

Published Version
10.4324_9781003174349-9_chapterpdf.pdf
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
File access level: Anyone

  • 243
    total views
  • 10
    total downloads
  • 21
    views this month
  • 6
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

'Who Built This Fence?': Regenerating Faculty Landscapes for Lasting Education Reform
Young, Simon and Smith, Kirstie. 2025. "'Who Built This Fence?': Regenerating Faculty Landscapes for Lasting Education Reform." Watson, Nicole and Douglas, Heather (ed.) Legal Education through an Indigenous Lens: Decolonising the Law School. United States. Routledge. pp. 71-86
Seven Structural Changes to help bring Indigenous Perspectives into Curricula
Smith, Kirstie and Young, Simon. 2024. "Seven Structural Changes to help bring Indigenous Perspectives into Curricula." Times Higher Education (THE).
Swanbank Power Station (former) CMP: A preliminary Conservation Management Plan prepared for CleanCo Queensland Ltd for the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub
Hill, Susan, Pocock, Celmara, Batorowicz, Beata, Gharineiat, Zahra and Young, Simon. 2024. Swanbank Power Station (former) CMP: A preliminary Conservation Management Plan prepared for CleanCo Queensland Ltd for the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub. Australia. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/z8819
'For Our Elders': An Australian First Nations Elders of Ipswich Project
Davidson-Fewquandie, Carla Carla, Collins, Rachael, Best, Odette, Young, Simon, Smith, Kirstie, Castro, Jason and Batorowicz, Beata. 2024. 'For Our Elders': An Australian First Nations Elders of Ipswich Project. Ipswich, Australia 02 - 09 Jul 2023
Indigenous Rights in Freshwater: Mapping the Contested Space in Australia, New Zealand and Canada
Young, Simon, Down, Sarah and Mascher, Sharon. 2023. "Indigenous Rights in Freshwater: Mapping the Contested Space in Australia, New Zealand and Canada." Environmental and Planning Law Journal. 39 (3), pp. 276-301.
The Blue Sky Effect: a repatriation of judicial review or a search for flexibility?
Young, Simon. 2020. "The Blue Sky Effect: a repatriation of judicial review or a search for flexibility?" Australian Journal of Administrative Law. 27 (3), pp. 165-179.
Transparent triage policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical part of medico-legal risk management for clinicians
Close, Eliana, Willmott, Lindy, Cockburn, Tina, Young, Simon, Cairns, Will and White, Ben P.. 2021. "Transparent triage policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical part of medico-legal risk management for clinicians." Medical Journal of Australia. 215 (2), pp. 71-74.e1. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51079
Legal challenges to ICU triage decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic: How effectively does the law regulate bedside rationing decisions in Australia?
Close, Eliana, Young, Simon, Cockburn, Tina, Willmott, Lindy and White, Ben P.. 2021. "Legal challenges to ICU triage decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic: How effectively does the law regulate bedside rationing decisions in Australia?" University of New South Wales Law Journal. 44 (1), pp. 9-59. https://doi.org/10.53637/FSJG1698
If COVID hospitalisations increase, it’s still not clear how patients will be prioritised for ICU beds
Close, Eliana, White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Young, Simon, Cockburn, Tina and Cairns, Will. 2021. "If COVID hospitalisations increase, it’s still not clear how patients will be prioritised for ICU beds." The Conversation.
The 'Blue Sky effect': a repatriation of judicial review grounds or a search for flexibility?
Young, Simon. 2020. "The 'Blue Sky effect': a repatriation of judicial review grounds or a search for flexibility?" AIAL Forum. 2020 (98), pp. 54-69.
Constitutional promises of Indigenous recognition: Canada, Vanuatu and the challenges of pluralism
Corrin, Jennifer and Young, Simon. 2019. "Constitutional promises of Indigenous recognition: Canada, Vanuatu and the challenges of pluralism." Common Law World Review. 48 (4), pp. 233-265. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473779519891623
The increments of justice: exploring the outer reach of Akiba's edge towards native title 'ownership'
Young, Simon. 2019. "The increments of justice: exploring the outer reach of Akiba's edge towards native title 'ownership'." University of New South Wales Law Journal. 42 (3), pp. 825-868. https://doi.org/10.53637/PZOJ4201
'The difficulties of communication encountered by Indigenous peoples’: moving beyond Indigenous deficit in the model admission rules for legal practitioners
Burns, Marcelle, Young, Simon and Nielsen, Jennifer. 2018. "'The difficulties of communication encountered by Indigenous peoples’: moving beyond Indigenous deficit in the model admission rules for legal practitioners." Legal Education Review. 28 (2), pp. 1-27.
The evolution of bias: spectrums, species and the weary lay observer
Young, Simon. 2017. "The evolution of bias: spectrums, species and the weary lay observer." Melbourne University Law Review. 41 (2), pp. 928-956.
From the bike to the bus: the Noongar Native Title settlement
Young, Simon. 2013. "From the bike to the bus: the Noongar Native Title settlement." Native Title Newsletter.
The troubled sequel: Canadian aboriginal title revisited in the BC Court of Appeal
Young, Simon. 2012. "The troubled sequel: Canadian aboriginal title revisited in the BC Court of Appeal." Australian Property Law Bulletin. 26 (10), pp. 147-150.
Rights-based 'recognition': the Canadian experience
Mascher, Sharon and Young, Simon. 2016. "Rights-based 'recognition': the Canadian experience." Young, Simon, Nielsen, Jennifer and Patrick, Jeremy (ed.) Constitutional recognition of first peoples in Australia - theories and comparative perspectives. Leichhardt, NSW, Australia. Federation Press. pp. 176-205
Synergy or skirmish? The collaboration of law and anthropology
Young, Simon. 2016. "Synergy or skirmish? The collaboration of law and anthropology." Bright, Susan and Blandy, Sarah (ed.) Researching property law. London, United Kingdom. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 145-163
A climate for change? The 2009 Native Title report
Young, Simon. 2010. "A climate for change? The 2009 Native Title report." Indigenous Law Bulletin. 7 (18), pp. 20-24.
Privative clauses: politics, legality and the constitutional dimension
Young, Simon. 2014. "Privative clauses: politics, legality and the constitutional dimension." Groves, Matthew (ed.) Modern administrative law in Australia: concepts and context. Port Melbourne. Cambridge University Press. pp. 276-297
Law and anthropology: the unhappy marriage?
Young, Simon. 2014. "Law and anthropology: the unhappy marriage?" Property Law Review. 2014 (3), pp. 236-246.
The trouble with tradition: native title and cultural change
Young, Simon. 2008. The trouble with tradition: native title and cultural change. Sydney, Australia. Federation Press.
Administrative law in Australia
Lane, W. B. and Young, Simon. 2007. Administrative law in Australia. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Cultural timelessness and colonial tethers: Australian native title in historical and comparative perspective
Young, Simon. 2008. "Cultural timelessness and colonial tethers: Australian native title in historical and comparative perspective." Australian Indigenous Law Review. 12, pp. 60-68.
Law and custom - 'Tradition': the assembly of a legal microscope [submitted to Australian Law Reform Commission]
Young, Simon. 2009. Law and custom - 'Tradition': the assembly of a legal microscope [submitted to Australian Law Reform Commission]. Unpublished.
Native title in Canada and Australia post Tsilhqot'in: shared thinking or ships in the night?
Young, Simon. 2009. "Native title in Canada and Australia post Tsilhqot'in: shared thinking or ships in the night?" Land, Rights, Laws: Issues of Native Title. 4 (2), pp. 1-16.
Probing the frontiers of administrative law
Johnston, Peter, Young, Simon, Hooker, Richard and Pontre, Tom. 2011. "Probing the frontiers of administrative law." ALIAL Forum. 67, pp. 1-34.
An elegant convergence? The constitutional entrenchment of 'jurisdictional error' review in Australia
Young, Simon and Murray, Sarah. 2011. "An elegant convergence? The constitutional entrenchment of 'jurisdictional error' review in Australia." Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal. 11 (2), pp. 117-142.
Tides of history and jurisprudential gulfs: Native title proof and the Noongar Western Australia claim
Young, Simon. 2010. "Tides of history and jurisprudential gulfs: Native title proof and the Noongar Western Australia claim." Indigenous Law Journal. 8 (1), pp. 95-120.
One step forward and one step back: the Noongar South-West Native Title Claim
Young, Simon. 2008. "One step forward and one step back: the Noongar South-West Native Title Claim." Australian Property Law Bulletin. 23 (2), pp. 14-17.