(L-R) Wendy Asche, Kim de Rijke, Louise Allwood & Richard Martin from the CNTA.
University of Queensland anthropologists Dr Richard Martin and Dr Kim de Rijke have received funding from the Commonwealth Government's Attorney-General's Department to establish the Centre for Native Title Anthropology (CNTA) at UQ.
Previously based at the ANU, the Centre aims to support the identification and protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' traditional rights and interests in land and water by coordinating capacity building and professional development for anthropologists working in the native title system across the country.
Anthropologists play an important role in Indigenous native title claims. They undertake intensive research with Indigenous groups and work collaboratively with legal colleagues to provide impartial expert evidence for the claims. The Centre's activities will include training in anthropological research methods and conceptual analysis, writing for the Court, addressing the requirements of new jurisprudence in areas like compensation claims, and understanding and assisting Indigenous Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs) dealing with issues once native title claims have been determined.
The Centre will work closely with Native Title Representative Bodies, Native Title Service Providers, the Federal Court of Australia, the National Native Title Tribunal and related organisations across the country.
While the demand for anthropologists remains high, the core anthropological skills and research topics have largely been removed from academic teaching programs. The Centre aims to address this by creating stronger linkages between academic and practising anthropologists, and by providing support for prospective native title anthropologists. Ultimately, the Centre aims to promote and support broader social change by assisting anthropologists in responding to Indigenous demands for land justice in the aftermath of Australian colonisation.
Dr Martin, Dr de Rijke and Ms Wendy Asche, Manager of anthropology at the Northern Land Council in Darwin, are the Directors of the Centre. Ms Louise Allwood, an applied anthropologist with more than 16 years of experience at the North Queensland Land Council in Cairns and the Northern Land Council in Darwin, has been appointed as Manager to coordinate the Centre's day-to-day operations.
