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| Tony Abbott to visit Eddie Mabo's grave during Torres Strait Islands trip | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Tony Abbott will visit the resting place of Eddie Mabo, the father of Indigenous land rights. | |
| Abbott arrived in the Torres Strait on Sunday night to honour his pre-election commitment to spend one week every year in a remote Indigenous community. | Abbott arrived in the Torres Strait on Sunday night to honour his pre-election commitment to spend one week every year in a remote Indigenous community. |
| As his first official business, on Monday morning he landed on Mer Island, a tiny island in the far east of the Torres Strait Islands archipelago to visit Mabo’s grave. | |
| The prime minister was greeted with a wreath of leaves, drumming and Indigenous dancers. | |
| “It is an honour for me to be here on an island which now resonates right around Australia as the place where native title was first acknowledged,” Abbott told the locals who greeted him. | |
| Mabo led the landmark high court case that in 1992 handed Indigenous Australians land rights and rejected the doctrine of terra nullius – land belonging to no one. | Mabo led the landmark high court case that in 1992 handed Indigenous Australians land rights and rejected the doctrine of terra nullius – land belonging to no one. |
| Related: Muckaty: our case is like Mabo, our land is ours to protect | Related: Muckaty: our case is like Mabo, our land is ours to protect |
| The decision sparked the drafting of the Native Title Act, which established the legislative framework for claims for rights to traditional land. | The decision sparked the drafting of the Native Title Act, which established the legislative framework for claims for rights to traditional land. |
| The 55-year-old trade unionist did not live to see the outcome of the high court challenge, dying about six months earlier from cancer. | The 55-year-old trade unionist did not live to see the outcome of the high court challenge, dying about six months earlier from cancer. |
| Mer Island, home to 450 locals and eight tribes, is the birth and resting place of Mabo. | Mer Island, home to 450 locals and eight tribes, is the birth and resting place of Mabo. |
| Abbott will tour the community and meet locals before heading to Thursday Island for a ceremonial dinner. | Abbott will tour the community and meet locals before heading to Thursday Island for a ceremonial dinner. |
| Up to eight ministers, including the attorney general, George Brandis, and the health minister, Sussan Ley, are expected to join the prime minister throughout the week. | Up to eight ministers, including the attorney general, George Brandis, and the health minister, Sussan Ley, are expected to join the prime minister throughout the week. |
| It’s the first prime ministerial visit to the region since John Howard travelled to the islands 18 years ago. | It’s the first prime ministerial visit to the region since John Howard travelled to the islands 18 years ago. |