Queensland government backflips on plan to contest all native title claims

The policy reversal came after a federal court judge asked the government to explain why it had stopped negotiating with Cape York traditional owners Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The Queensland government has made an 11th hour backflip on a secret policy to contest every new native title claim in court, on the eve of being hauled before the federal court to explain themselves. But the Liberal National party’s position appears to still be unclear after Queensland natural resources minister, Dale Last, doubled down on contesting native title in a statement to Guardian Australia on Tuesday. Most native title claims are consented to by both parties – typically a traditional owner group claiming the land right and the state government – before being signed off by the federal court in a consent determination hearing. Few claims are litigated in a contested court hearing, which is more expensive, slower and more complex for the applicant. But in February, the Queensland natural resources minister, Dale Last, ordered that all native title claims should be contested. That instruction was revealed in an aff