Rainer Mathews

First Nations Legal & Research Services

First Nations Legal & Research Services ( previously Native Title Services Victoria) facilitates sustainable native title and land justice outcomes. In the wake of the 2002 High Court decision in Yorta Yorta v Victoria there was a common view that native title as a doctrine would have little application in Southern Australia. Since its formation in 2003, First Nations Legal & Research Services has proved this view wrong. Victoria now has five settlements/determinations of native title covering much of the crown land of the State. (picture: Yapenya! Dja Dja Wurrung's celebration of their landmark native title settlement over lands in central Victoria, November 2013).