Christina Batson
She/herSenior AssociateChristina Batson advises registered native title bodies corporate (RNTBCs), native title parties, mining companies and local governments on native title, Aboriginal heritage, land access and agreement making.
Her practice includes negotiating and drafting mining agreements, Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAs), joint management agreements and renewable energy arrangements. She advises on statutory obligations, governance, land tenure, heritage compliance and dispute resolution.
Dual-admitted in Australia and England and Wales, Christina has over 20 years’ experience across the public and private sectors, including more than a decade in civil litigation and native title law. Her background encompasses legal strategy, negotiation and stakeholder engagement in complex legal environments, as well as leading teams and delivering legal services within government settings.
- LLB (Hons) Law 1999
EXPERIENCE
- Advising an Australian energy utility on land tenure pathways and long-term land access for remote communities, including heritage protection agreements, and licences and leases for power stations and renewable energy infrastructure.*
- Advising registered native title bodies corporate (RNTBCs) on native title, Aboriginal heritage and corporate governance, including negotiating mining, carbon farming, Indigenous Land Use Agreements and joint management agreements for the joint vesting and management of terrestrial reserves. This experience also includes advising on statutory compliance and policies and procedures.*
- Advising native title parties on ILUAs for mining, the Plan for Our Parks project, hydrogen renewables and carbon farming, and a heritage protection agreement for a petroleum permit.*
- Advising native title parties and mining companies on rights, obligations and procedures under ILUAs, future act and Aboriginal heritage agreements in the Mid-West, Gascoyne and Goldfields region in WA, including negotiating gold, nickel and cobalt mining agreements for a native title party.*
- Acting for native title parties in National Native Title Tribunal expedited procedure and future act determination proceedings, including a section 35 application in which the Tribunal imposed 25 proposed conditions, with some modifications, on the grant of a mining lease.*
- Providing litigation support in the National Native Title Tribunal and Federal Court, and managing a judicial review case before the Royal Courts of Justice, London.*
- Advising local governments on illegal dumping, commercial lease termination for non-payment of rent, caveats and the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997, including drafting policy guidelines.*
- English
Prior Experience
Christina has held senior legal, management and specialist advisory roles across the public and private sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom.
Her prior experience includes working with an Australian energy utility, native title service organisations and representative bodies. Specialist areas include land access issues, native title, Aboriginal heritage, and Indigenous Corporate governance.
Earlier in her career, Christina practised in the United Kingdom, developing significant experience in civil litigation and medical negligence, including leading a medical negligence practice.