Print PageA Torres Strait leader in far north Queensland says there has been conflict in the community after a land transfer in December.
The State Government transferred ownership of the Murray Islands to a native title body corporate to hold in trust for the Meriam people.
However, a group of Meriam elders say they are bitterly opposed to the body corporate's involvement.
Spokesman Mike Passi says they are seeking legal advice to overturn the decision.
"There's a lot of tension," he said.
"The trustee's supposed to look after the best interests of all the native title landowners, including elders, but they haven't been working alongside with the elders.
"The elders see this as a threat and it's sort of pushing them out and taking over all aspects to the land.
"Firstly there was no proper consultation with all the native title landowners.
"Landowners are living elsewhere around Australia ... like in far north Queensland, Townsville, Cairns, further down south and those landowners down there.
"They were not consulted and are not aware of the process before and after the land transfer that occurred here."
