A review of the Commonwealth Water Act is presently underway and this review process included the opportunity for groups, including Aboriginal traditional owner organisations, to submit ideas and views about the state of Aboriginal recognition in water law at that (Federal) sphere and about ways to advance recognition.

In this brief paper, we have considered key themes from those submissions and undertaken a legal analysis of them. This document looks at principal legal mechanisms Aboriginal organisations (among others) are advocating to advance recognition within water law at the Federal level and it provides commentary on these innovative and important ideas and debates.

View paper: Aboriginal water rights: Legal analysis of submissions to Review of the Commonwealth Water Act (PDF, 403KB)