Leanne O'Neill
Partner
Native Title & Cultural Heritage
Expertise
Leanne is a trusted advisor to government and industry on complex native title and cultural heritage matters. She has played a key role in legislative reform, including the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003, and has advised on landmark policy programs such as the Cape York Tenure Resolution and North Stradbroke Island reforms. Leanne has extensive experience negotiating cultural heritage agreements and Indigenous Land Use Agreements, and regularly advises on native title compliance, future acts, and tenure complexities for major projects across Queensland.
Experience
- Advising the State of Queensland regarding the drafting and implementation of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 and associated regulatory reform;
- advising the State of Queensland regarding native title and cultural heritage matters affecting key policy deliverables including legislative reform including Queensland’s Landmark Cape York Tenure Resolution Program, North Stradbroke Island Protection and Sustainability Act 2011 and amendments in 2013, Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 amongst others;
- participated in several native title and cultural heritage advisory panels to the State of Queensland;
- representation and advice on numerous significant and often precedent forming cultural heritage agreements for the State of Queensland, developers and resources companies;
- advising governments, developers, and landowners on complex native title issues, including compliance with native title requirements for future acts and the impact of claims for determination of native title, such as resolving native title issues related to the first grants of geothermal permits; and
- representing the State of Queensland in Indigenous Land Use Agreement negotiations often coupled with legislative reform.