A Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT) is the name for a system of community-level land trust established in Queensland to administer former Aboriginal reserves and missions. They came about through the enactment by the Queensland Government of the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984 and Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984 in 1984, allowing community councils to be created to own and administer former Aboriginal reserves or missions under a Deed of Grant in Trust). The trusts are governed by local representatives who are elected every three years to councils called Incorporated Aboriginal Councils. These councils have the power to pass by-laws, appoint police for the community, and are responsible for maintaining housing and infrastructure, running the Community Development Employment Program and issuing hunting, fishing and camping permits. As such, they work much like a local government, but are different in character as they own the land they administer on behalf of the community.
Most of the Torres Strait Islands entered DOGIT arrangements in October 1985, with the notable exception of Mer Island, which became the subject of the Mabo No.1 (1988) and No.2 (1992) cases. The first Aboriginal community to receive a DOGIT was Hope Vale on 27 July 1986. In the years following, many DOGIT communities were established—mostly in the Cape York Peninsula, Torres Strait Islands and Carpentaria regions. The Local Government (Community Government Areas) Act 2004 extended to community councils many of the provisions and benefits of the Local Government Act 1993 normally enjoyed by shire councils.
From 1 January 2015, some trustees, namely those classified as "urban" or "future urban" (numbering 34) are able to convert parts of the collective title to either Aboriginal freehold or Torres Strait Islander freehold title.
Communities
The following is a list of DOGIT communities in Queensland.
Name of community Area (km²) Population Excised from Date granted Deed number Primary occupants Badu Island 102.0 786 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296126 Bamaga 67.6 869 Shire of Torres 27 October 1986 21328057 Boigu Island 71.7 295 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296127 Cherbourg 31.3 1241 Shire of Murgon 28 August 1986 16929228 Wakka Wakka Dauan Island 3.6 120 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296130 Doomadgee 1786.0 1181 Shire of Burke 1987 50184313 Gangalidda/Waanyi Erub (Darnley) Island 5.9 320 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296129 Hammond Island 15.7 208 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296131 Hope Vale 1115.4 856 Shire of Cook 27 July 1986 21321062 Iama (Yam) Island 1.7 363 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296138 Injinoo 795.4 463 Shire of Cook 27 October 1986 21328058 Kowanyama 2571.9 1112 Shire of Carpentaria 23 July 1987 21345064 Kokoberra, Yir Yorant, Kunjen Kubin Island 152.5 226 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296132 Lockhart River 3596.9 605 Shire of Cook 29 October 1987 21352021 Mabuiag Island 6.4 240 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296133 Mapoon 550.1 262 Shire of Cook 26 April 1989 (none) Tjungundji Napranum 2007.3 921 Shire of Cook 1 October 1989 21378037 New Mapoon 93.9 381 Shire of Torres 27 October 1986 21328060 Palm Island 71.0 2165 City of Townsville 27 October 1986 21328055 Bwgcolman, Manbarra Pormpuraaw (Edward River) 4362.0 653 Shire of Carpentaria 28 July 1987 21345063 Thaayorre, Mungkan Poruma (Coconut) Island 6.5 175 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296128 St Pauls Island 18.5 239 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296136 Saibai Island 104.5 368 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296134 Seisia (Red) Island 2.6 184 Shire of Torres 29 October 1987 21352022 Ugar (Stephen) Island 0.4 57 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296135 Umagico (Alau) 53.4 267 Shire of Torres 27 October 1986 21328059 Warraber (Sue) Island 0.9 239 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296137 Woorabinda 388.1 928 Shire of Duaringa 27 October 1986 30563185 Wujal Wujal (Bloomfield River) 11.0 361 Shire of Cook 29 October 1987 21352023 Kuku Yalanji Yarrabah (Cape Grafton) 156.1 2599 Shire of Mulgrave 27 October 1986 21328056 Gujangii Yorke Island 1.6 336 Shire of Torres 17 October 1985 21296139
See also Indigenous land rights in Australia References
External links Aboriginal Law Bulletin (1984) Public Health Law and Indigenous Health Project (2002)