Mabo case

The Mabo case, decided by the High Court of Australia in 1992, was a landmark legal decision that recognized the land rights of Indigenous Australians, specifically the Meriam people of the Torres Strait Islands. Before this case, Australian law upheld the principle of "terra nullius," meaning the land belonged to no one before British colonization. The court ruled that Indigenous people could have native title rights to their land if they could prove continuous occupation and use. This decision overturned the doctrine of terra nullius, significantly advancing Indigenous land rights and shaping future land legislation in Australia.