WARD AND WILSON V ANDERSON—EVOLUTION OR REVOLUTION IN NATIVE TITLE LAW?

Abstract

There is now a greater degree of certainty for the petroleum industry in Native Title law following the High Court’s decisions in Ward v Western Australia1 and Wilson v Anderson2. Both decisions were handed down on 8 August 2002. Ward in particular is the most significant Native Title decision in Australia since the High Court’s decision in Wik v Queensland3 in 1996. This paper presents an analysis of the issues dealt with in Ward and Wilson v Anderson with particular emphasis on the application for petroleum. The paper will also illustrate that while greater certainty flows from these decisions, it is still necessary for petroleum and resource companies to engage with Native Title groups (particularly by negotiating agreements) to enable the valid grant of titles and tenements to land subject to Native Title.