April 16, 2025
South Burnett councillor Ros Heit has expressed frustration that Native Title has delayed plans by the Wondai Men’s Shed to build a workshop in Sundstrup Park.
The Division 6 councillor told Wednesday’s Council meeting that Non-Exclusive Use Native Title existed over the land.
Cr Heit said the Men’s Shed members were a fantastic group which had catered for council’s community catch-up meeting in Wondai on Tuesday night and were keen to do lots of things for the community.
“But they just need a shed,” Cr Heit said.
“I want to highlight the fact that the issue is that there is Native Title over that land but it’s not exclusive, so it’s non-exclusive.
“It would be fantastic – and I guess this is just a general plea to the State Government – can we speed these things up and reduce the cost?
“It is not economic for Council to pay a huge amount of money to extinguish or modify … Native Title.
“It is actually really hampering our community and, in particular, this group.
“We’ve got a perfectly good block of land which has got water, it’s got power. It would be ideal for them to put (up) a shed.
“They’re keen to apply for grants to get the shed but they can’t do that until they’ve got tenure.
“We’ve got the block of land. It belongs to Council. We want to give it to them but it’s all being held up because of Native Title.
“I’m just airing a frustration.
“We’ve got volunteer groups that want to achieve stuff in our community, and make the community better.
“We all know Men’s Sheds are very good for men’s mental health and keeping them engaged.
“It ticks all the boxes and it’s been held up by one thing. It’s an issue and I don’t know what the answer is.”
Mayor Kathy Duff said this was one of the items that Council would be advocating to change as part of the “red tape busting” agenda by the State Government.
- Related article: Park Identified For Men’s Shed Site
How about being proactive on things you can influence? Town planning is diabolical. Council’s responsibility. Native title – 200 years of oppression may count for something by having a safety valve on Crown Land (ie. white man’s government claiming ownership).
Wow. Where to start? You’re feeling frustrated!! How about the Native Title people who had to wait about 30 years to get their cases before a court? And finally after hundreds of meetings with lawyers and such finally got their recognition by white man’s law? Wow. A tiny percentage of land in the area they got a “non-exclusive” use. That means they have been told they MUST share it with the people who took every other inch of their land without so much as a thank you. Native Title is white law and is a real these days as any other form of land ownership recognised by a court. You can’t just say that I can use it better than you. There are processes and compensation. Maybe there would be better ways to use some of the farms around here also!
It would be economic for Council and the State of Qld to work together with the Wakka Wakka representatives and the Wondai Men’s Shed to form a partnership where all parties were afforded an opportunity to have equity in land ownership, and achieve their goals.
Has the question been asked if the land was donated to the Prescribed Body Corporate that holds Native Title for the Wakka Wakka people, would they agree to a partnership where a long-term tenure arrangement was with the Men’s Shed?
The money everyone saved in extinguishing Native Title could be attributed in ways where everyone wins.
Each of the parties have clever people involved, so it would be quite basic to work out something less complicated and expensive than what process is being followed at the moment.
Seriously, can’t build a shed? This Native Title is absolute crap.
Hey Allan, I need a shed, do you mind if I build it in your back yard? If the local council decided to build a shed on your land, I bet you’d get lawyers involved and want some compo. Native Title is not made-up. It’s Australian law and as real as your land title.