In a landmark judgement the High Court has answered important questions of native title compensation law in favour of the Gumatj people, rejecting the Commonwealth’s arguments and paving the way for compensation to be claimed for various acts done by the Commonwealth government between 1939 and 1969.

The decision of Munkara v Santos NA Barossa Pty Ltd. (No.3) sets clearer standards on the evidentiary burden to establish risks to tangible and intangible cultural heritage posed by a project.

In Gomeroi People v Santos NSW Pty Ltd and Santos NSW (Narrabri Gas) Pty Ltd [2024] FCAFC 26, the Gomeroi People successfully appealed the National Native Title Tribunal’s (NNTT) previous determination in Santos NSW Pty Ltd v Gomeroi People [2022] NNTTA 74.