THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF NATIVE TITLE MEDIATIONS

Tony Neal QC

National Mediation Conference

Melbourne

13 September 2014

Why unique/particular?

• “Standard Mediation” = facilitative, court annexed

• Characteristics

- short duration - often property/ money focused - limited parties - outcomes usually limited to parties

Native Title Mediations

• Facilitative, court-annexed

• Characteristics

- lengthy - different sense of urgency - multi- dimensional focus - relationships, spiritual dimension - intersection of 2 different cultures and legal systems - large number of parties - multi-tiered - remoteness of ultimate decision makers - outcomes affect the world at large - close court supervision - require ultimate court sanction

Typical Tensions with Orthodoxy • Confidentiality - court’s concern re progress - court’s concern re its declaratory power

• Maintaining separation of mediation and litigation - litigation to “inform” mediation - “evidence taking” within mediation

• Remoteness of decision makers - government decision making - indigenous decision making

De Rose Hill - A case study • Compensation Claim [cf. native title claim] • Context - History- fraught with tension • Challenges - unprecedented area of law- no negotiation parameters - compensability of spiritual/cultural elements - pressure from “onlookers- setting a precedent

The imperative for information exchange and evaluation • The need to be “heard” - the indigenous

perspective

• The need to test the claim - the State perspective • An appropriate process - the Mediator’s dilemma

Strategic response - the Process

• permit the exchange of “evidence” • permit “cross-examination” • allow site visits and in situ “evidence”

• protocols to manage the “evidence taking”

Process Outcomes

• The exchange of information worked

• Mutual understanding/respect

• Mutual good faith demonstrated

• Parties negotiated to a consent determination

Some Reflections on the Process • Mediation a protean concept - every case

unique • Orthodoxy a point of reference not an inflexible

mandate • Customise techniques to situations

Questions/discussion time

Appendix De Rose Hill-Ilpalka http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/FCA/2013/988.html