Lindsay Jones reflects on being in opposition to the Bjelke-Petersen government, participating in the anti-Springbok demonstrations in Toowoomba, the right to march, the anti-uranium movement, and remembers supporting land rights at the second ALP Conference in the 1960s when others were not interested.
Terry Hogan reflects on the changes to his own working circumstances when Peter Beattie won office in 1998. He recalls being approached to head a policy coordination division within the Premier's Department, resuming some of the operations of the Office of the Cabinet. He describes his work chairing a Native Title taskforce for the premier.
David Russell discusses Native Title Act and the challenges this posed to National Party members. He discusses gun control debates with the Howard Government.
Geoff Smith identifies the automated titling system as one the major achievements during his time as Lands Minister. He also credits the Land Rights Act as a major achievement while acknowledging that impetus for this came from the Office of Cabinet. He discusses the push for reform during this time and discusses gerrymandering and poker machine legislation.
Geoff Smith comments on the differences between the Lands Department and the Manufacturing and Commerce Department. He discusses his experience as Minister for Lands, concentrating on two substantial issues of the time, the automated land titles system and the Land Rights Act.
Ross Rolfe recalls how in the 1980s the federal department had been involved in obtaining secure land title for Aboriginal people who had lived on reserves and Town and Country Reserves. Johnny Koowarta had successfuly taken the Queensland government to the High Court over the pastoral lease at Archer Bend, which in response was turned into the Archer Bend National Park (now Mungkan Kanju National Park). The Commonwealth then purchased an adjacent pastoral property in Cape York called Meripah Station which became the first pastoral lease transferred to Aboriginal people.
Ruth Matchett discusses land rights policy developments, and states that the legislation was compromised to appease pastoralists and miners. Despite good outcomes for people in the Torres Strait and the Cape especially the Wik people who also benefited from the Mabo decision (native title not related to land rights legislation), the concept of enabling Aboriginal people to claim and then be granted land from Aboriginal reserves and the Deed of Grant in Trust areas (DOGIT) resulted in only modest amounts of land eventually granted.
