Law Reform in Australia: Examining Native Title and Sexual Assault Issues

parole charged with violent or sex offences would have their parole automatically cancelled.” This minor law reform in Victoria will prove effective as they will disallow criminals with violent or sex offences to recommit or apply for parole.An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander have a right to an area of land which they have had an ongoing association with, this is known as native title.

Native title is important to an Indigenous Australian and law reform has risen to the occasion to acknowledge this. The concept of native title has developed over time and the High Court in Mabo v Queensland (1992) established the guidelines for future claims of native title. The Mabo case abolished the myth of terra nullius and led to the Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) being passed through the federal government. This law reform proved effective and changed everything for Indigenous Australians – it provided them with equality and recognition of their rights as individuals.Laws will continue to change as society advances forward in order to protect an individual rights and the community as a whole.

Law reform will always be happening as issues continue to rise in society; however, the effectiveness of it can be questioned. Law reform contains aspect of effectiveness as well as ineffectiveness, but work is still needed before issues surrounding native title and sexual assault will be resolved.