Nine years after the Torres Straight Regional Sea Claim was filed in the Federal Court of Australia, Justice Finn has formally recognized the native title rights of the Torres Straight Islanders. “Commercial fishing rights are essential to Indigenous peoples of Australia,” Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda said. “The Torres Strait is now operating in a post-determination environment in which native title holders can focus on achieving substantive outcomes through the exercise of their recognised native title rights.” The July 2nd press release by the Australian Human Rights Commission can be read here and a follow-up article in The Guardian can be read here.
