Native title

RNTBCs

When a determination recognising native title is made by the Federal Court, the Native Title Act 1993 requires traditional owners to establish a corporation to represent them and their interests. These organisations are prescribed for the purposes of the native title determination and referred to as prescribed bodies corporate (PBCs). Once a determination is made and registered on the National Native Title Register the corporation then becomes a registered native title body corporate (RNTBC).

Key findings

  • The combined income of the top 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander corporations for 2014–15 was $1.88 billion (compared to $1.74 billion in 2014–15, an increase of 8.2 per cent).
  • The ten-year average annual growth rate of total income for corporations was 9.4 per cent.
  • In comparison to 2013–14 the average income of the top 500 corporations in 2014–15 increased from $3.48 million to $3.76 million.
  • Corporations in the Pilbara region have experienced the first fall in average income s

The CATSI Act and native title

If the Federal Court determines there are native title rights and interests, these are held and managed by a corporation. This corporation must register under the CATSI Act and is a requirement under:

These corporations are Registered Native Title Bodies Corporate (RNTBCs) or as they are more commonly called Prescribed Bodies Corporate (PBCs).