The Law of the Land

When it was first published in 1987, The Law of the Landreassessed the legal and political arguments traditionally used to justify European settlement of Australia. Henry Reynolds argued compellingly that the British government in fact conceded land rights to the Aborigines early in the nineteenth century. In rejecting the concept of terra nulliusin the historic Mabo case of 1992, the High Court of Australia effectively verified Henry Reynold's conclusions on the issue of native title. Now update to cover the Mabo judgement, the Wik decision of 1996 and subsequent developments, Reynold's remarkable and seminal work remains central to the race debate in Australia.