Matt Thistlethwaite (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today is Eddie Mabo Day—the day when we commemorate the life and work of a great Australian, Eddie Koiki Mabo, who campaigned all the way to the High Court for legal recognition of traditional ownership of the Murray Islands land by the Murray Islands people. After a 10-year battle by Eddie Mabo and his legal team, on this day in 1992 the High Court handed down a decision which overturned the outdated principle of terra nullius and paved the way for native title rights to traditional lands to be legally recognised for all Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. Sadly, Eddie Mabo had passed away five months prior to that decision being made by the High Court.

Despite the opposition of the Bjelke-Petersen government and conservatives at the time, Eddie Mabo never gave up on his belief and passion for his traditional lands. Because of that passion and because of that belief, a historical injustice was overturned and undone.

I pay tribute to Eddie Mabo's legal team, Greg McIntyre, Ron Casten and Bryan Keon-Cohen, who also undertook quite a bit over the 10 years that they campaigned.

On behalf of the people of Kingsford Smith, thank you, Eddie Mabo, for your work and your legacy.