2026 Native Title Forums - Let's talk about WATER!

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Native Title Forums - Let's talk about WATER!

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2026 Native Title Forum dates confirmed – Let’s talk about water!

In Western Australia, the recognition of First Nations peoples’ rights and interests in water is highly complex and challenging. While the State Government acknowledges the importance of a partnership approach with First Nations peoples in managing water resources, the current legal framework does not fully address nor specifically allocate rights to water for Traditional Owners or their representative organisations.

The planned format of these forums will include:

Presentation from the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Hon Don Punch MLA
Presentations from relevant State Government agencies on their roles, responsibilities, how they interact with one another, and current related work
National Native Title Council (NNTC) sharing information on its current work towards establishing new Inland Water Targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
Sharing, discussing, and prioritising areas requiring more attention, as well as strategies to achieve better outcomes in this space.

This is an in-person event, with an opportunity to attend online via Teams. Please note, attending via Teams will reduce your opportunity to participate in roundtable discussions.

You can find out more via our website.

Hostinformation

Yamatji Marpla Aboriginal Corporation

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Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is an Aboriginal corporation (i.e. operating under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth) (CATSI Act)) and the Native Title Representative Body (NTRB) for the Pilbara (Marlpa) and Geraldton (Yamatji – comprising Mid West, Gascoyne and Murchison) regions of Western Australia. With offices in Geraldton, Port Hedland, Broome and Perth, the total land and waters covered by YMAC’s representative areas is 1,248,292 square kilometres.

NTRBs are appointed by the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians under the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) to deliver a range of ‘functions’. Along with assisting Traditional Owners with all aspects of their native title claims, these functions extend to the post-determination space. This includes the responsibility – as far as reasonably practicable – to ensure Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate (RNTBCs)*, Native Title Holders (NTHs), and persons who may hold native title in our representative regions are aware of matters impacting native title rights.

YMAC operates under the direction of a twelve-member First Nations Board of Directors, elected through their representation on our two Regional Committees. All have extensive lived experience as members and Registered Native Title Claimants (RTNCs) and are involved in their respective RNTBCs as either members, Elders or advisory committee members, and/or directors.

For over 30 years, YMAC has supported Traditional Owners across its representative regions in 40 positive native title determinations in the Federal Court and continues to assist several RNTBCs with their ongoing obligations and aspirations via service agreements. Further, YMAC also provides additional support to all 35 existing RNTBCs in its representative regions through various NTRB functions, and engagement, education and advocacy activities.

YMAC’s services include (but are not limited to): native title claim, compensation, and future act representation; heritage services; executive office and governance services; IT, administration and accounting services; anthropological and research services; and natural resource management support. YMAC prides itself on offering tailored support to the groups it works with, recognising each has its own unique needs, aspirations and opportunities available.

*Interchangeably referred to as Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs)