2018 marked the 26th anniversary since the High Court of Australia handed down its decision in the land rights case ‘Mabo versus the State of Queensland’.
Announced on 3 June 1992, generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait people celebrate Mabo Day following a 10-year struggle for recognition.
In the lead up Justice Martin Moynihan and a team of Counsel travelled to Mer Island to conduct Supreme Court sittings and to take down testimony from witnesses to prove or disprove the Murray Islander Mabo case of native title in May 1989.
Patricia White, Manager for Aborigines Welfare Fund Unit was the government official charged with the responsibility and logistics on Mer (Murray) Island. She and James Freeman photographed the delegation and their time on Mer Island. State Library of Queensland was granted permission to digitise a selection of the photographs from the album which can be viewed via our One Search catalogue.
The hearing was conducted in the Mer Council Hall.
The Hon. Margaret White AO acted as junior counsel for the Queensland Government for the ten years of litigation. In 2016 she presented in the 2016 Selden Society lecture series - Leading Cases of the Common Law - Mabo V State of Queensland (No 2), published by the Supreme Court Library Queensland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=133&v=Uh6CRhuNBFY
Link:
- 29122 Album of Photographs relating to the Mabo Case on Mer Island 1989 - Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers should be aware that this album contains images and names of people who have since passed away.
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