Research strategies for large claims: a NSW perspective

Over the past decade NSW and ACT representative body NTSCorp has facilitated the successful registration of 3 large, contiguous claims totalling more that 805,000 square kilometres and covering more than 25 per cent of NSW. These comprise Barkandji Traditional Owners (NSD6084/1998), Ngiyampaa People (NSD415/2012), and Gomeroi People (NSD2308/2011). As of June 2014 the first of these claims has reached a consent determination, while the remaining two are on course to consent determinations in 2015.

The successful research-based development of these claims open up a new pathway to the resolution of native title under conventional procedural arrangements. This paper discusses NTSCorp’s strategic approach to the effective and efficient development of evidence for large, integrated ‘nation’ claims as a means of achieving maximum benefits for Aboriginal clients, while avoiding costly research duplication, claim overlaps , and intragroup disputes.