Small island, big fight

…Where I come from is Murray Island. We call it Mer. The home of the famous Mabo land rights case. We won that battle, but now we’ve got a new fight on our hands…this time with outside fishing fleets over who can profit from our waters. (Aven S. Noah) Situated on the eastern side of the Torres Strait between Papua New Guinea and Australia, Murray Island or Mer, is home to around 450 indigenous people with each family belonging to one of eight clans. Following the historic Mabo case which won recognition for traditional ownership of their land, the Mer people are now fighting for the same recognition of their sea - land and sea are all part of Aboriginal territory and have a historical cultural link to their spiritual beliefs and customs. Their sea is being invaded by commercial fishing fleets and local islanders are struggling to compete - already some have left the Island and three-quarters of the population are on welfare. What has not been resolved by the Mabo case must now be resolved by the Torres Strait Treaty which was designed to protect indigenous rights to fishing and environmental concerns. The documentary presents all sides to the argument including interviews with the commercial fishermen, Mer Island fishermen and community leaders, and legal representatives for the Mer people as well as archival footage of Eddie “Koiki” Mabo discussing sea rights in 1989. Narrated by Aven S. Noah.