Uncle Paul's ‘Reverse Mabo’ court battle adjourned again

Joseph Guenzler
Joseph Guenzler Published April 2, 2025 at 10.35am (AWST)

Wiradjuri man Paul Towney's trespassing case has been adjourned again, until 23 April, following another brief appearance in Orange Local Court.

He arrived in Traditional attire and attempted to speak, but the magistrate reportedly declined to hear his statement.

Mr Towney says he views this adjournment as a positive step.

"That's good for me because it means they're trying to find legal documents for the grants," he told the National Indigenous Times.

He maintains that he should not be required to prove anything.

"I don't have to show anything," he said.

"They are the ones to have to show why they arrested me for trespassing."

Mr Towney recently occupied a 2000-acre property held by Charles Sturt University, asserting that native title was never extinguished and challenging the institution to prove its legal claim rather than requiring him to prove continuous connection.

He was arrested for trespassing after replacing locks and posting signs declaring Wiradjuri sovereignty over the land.

Citing a recent legal case about invalid colonial grants above 200 acres, Mr Towney argues that historical approvals were never obtained and calls for a "reverse Mabo decision," meaning it should fall on governments and universities to demonstrate valid title.

Despite being taken into custody and appearing in court, he continues to maintain his right to the land based on unbroken Wiradjuri custodianship.

For Mr Towney, the 23 April hearing represents an opportunity for the university and the Crown to produce evidence of lawful title over the 2000-acre property he claims as Wiradjuri land.

He hopes to transform the site into a place for cultural education and revival.

"I'm hoping once we get our lands, I'm going to start running courses," he said.

"Especially about Wiradjuri language... it'll be for anyone who wants to come to our 2000 acres," he said.

While waiting for the case to progress, Mr Towney remains in Orange, distributing information about the next court date to locals and supporters.

A bail condition prevents him from coming within a kilometre of the property, and he says authorities appear to be monitoring his movements.

He views these restrictions as an attempt to limit his campaign, but says he is committed to seeing the matter through.

Many of his supporters plan to attend on 23 April, hoping for a resolution that addresses his long-standing assertion of Wiradjuri sovereignty over the land.

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National Indigenous Times

Disclaimer: This function is AI-generated and therefore may mispronounce.