NPA Seminar Series

Native Title

A special procedure for the just and proper ascertainment of Native Title rights and interests

The Federal Court of Australia is pleased to invite practitioners to the second instalment of the Court’s 50^th Anniversary National Practice Area Seminar Series: A special procedure for the just and proper ascertainment of Native Title rights and interests.

The seminar brings together leading voices in native title law and practice to reflect on the operation of the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth), enacted more than three decades ago with the objective of establishing a “special procedure for the just and proper ascertainment of native title rights and interests.” The discussion will explore how that objective has been realised in practice, and the role of the Federal Court of Australia in facilitating its achievement.

The seminar will feature:

• The Hon. Michael Barker KC, former judge of the Federal Court Australia, who has made considerable contributions to the development of native title jurisprudence. Prior to his judicial appointment, he appeared as counsel in a number of seminal native title cases, including Western Australia v Ward before the High Court. He was later appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia and served as President of the Western Australian State Administrative Tribunal before his appointment to the Federal Court.
• Mr Kevin Smith, President of the National Native Title Tribunal, and the first First Nations person to hold this position. Mr Smith is a Torres Strait Islander man with traditional connections to Ugar and Erub.  Prior to his appointment, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Queensland South Native Title Services and held senior roles with the National Native Title Tribunal, the National Secretariat of Torres Strait Islander Organisations, and the Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service.
• Dr Kingsley Palmer, consultant anthropologist specialising in native title in Australia. With more than 20 years’ experience in this field, he has conducted extensive research across rural and remote Australia, prepared numerous expert reports, and has been called as anexpert witness in native title proceedings before the Federal Court, including the recent Yindjibarndji compensation case. Dr Palmer has published widely on anthropology within native title law.

The seminar, moderated by Justice Katrina Banks-Smith and Justice Michael O’Bryan, provides an opportunity to hear from leading practitioners and experts as they reflect on how native title law has developed and consider what may lie ahead.

The event will be held in-person at the Federal Court Registry in the Northern Territory and will also be livestreamed on 6 July 2026 at 3:30pm (ACST). Attendees of the in-person event are invited to stay for networking and refreshments following the seminar.