Native title could thus still be valid where Aboriginal groups maintained a connection to the land. In 1996, the high court ruled that native title can coexist with pastoral leases, though pastoral rights would take precedence over native title claims. The 1998 amendments to the Native Title Act placed restrictions on Aboriginal claims to pastoral land. In March 1999, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination called Australia s land practices racially discriminatory and urged the government to review four provisions of the amended Native Title Act that discriminate against indigenous title-holders. The official Human Rights Commission continued to criticize the government s practice of detaining asylum seekers pending resolution of their claims, which can take up to five years.
Domestic violence is reportedly relatively common.
In May, a court handed down the first prison sentence to an Australian convicted in Australia of sexual abuse of children abroad. Australian trade unions are independent and active, although recent legislation has weakened labor rights and contributed to a decline in union rolls. The 1994 Industrial Relations Reform Act encouraged the use of workplace contracts linked to productivity rather than industry wide collective bargaining. The 1997 Workplace Relations Act restricted the right to strike to the periods when the contracts are being negotiated, abolished closed shops, and limited redress for unfair dismissal.