8.6 Geiza Stow, Badu Island, Torres Strait Geiza Stow is a Torres Strait Islander woman from Badu Island, third largest island in the Torres Strait, with population approximately 750 in the last ABS census. Geiza’s totems are Thumpmul (porcupine stingray), Koedal (crocodile) and Umai (dog). Geiza was the first female board member, and has been one of just a few female board members, for the PBC, Mura Badhulgal (Torres Strait Islanders) RNTBC. Geiza is also active in the community in many other ways, including as the Badu Island representative on the Queensland Community Justice Group. Over her working life, Geiza has worked in the following roles (from most recent): Student Welfare Officer, Tagai Badu Campus for 7 years; Senior Housing Officer, Queensland Government for 4 years; Community Support Officer, Department of Children’s Services, Queensland Government for 3 years; Badu Island Council Housing Officer for 10 years; receptionist for MacKay Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Legal Services for 1 year; Field Officer delivering courses to outer islands for Far North Queensland TAFE on Thursday Island Campus for 8 years; Community Education Counsellor with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary students (at least 300 students, grades 8–12) at Trinity Bay High School in Cairns for 5 years. Geiza started her working life as a shop assistant for See Hop & Co, Thursday Island, when she was 13 years old and was living independently as a tenant by 18 years old in the blue flats opposite Thursday Island Primary School. Geiza started her native title journey with her father, when he was pushing for recognition of Badhulgal Traditional Ownership of Badu Island at the same time as Koiki Mabo was fighting for recognition of Traditional Ownership of Mer Island. The Badhulgal application for native title over Badu Island was made in 1996 and determined by consent in 2004 in Nona on behalf of the Badulgal v State of Queensland [2004] FCA 1578. Despite the group’s successful native title determination, Geiza considered there to be a lack of community control in this post-determination stage. Geiza also felt that processes associated with native title governance contributed to the reinforcement of existing power imbalances within the community – specifically, some men had been able to use native title to bolster their existing positions of power. Badu women had been denied representation on the Elders Committee of the PBC out of respect for tradition. Geiza felt that women’s cultural knowledge, as well as women’s experience in administrative and governance roles is often overlooked and the community misses out on the benefits of that expertise. She also noted that the roles women played in the homes and community more generally were overlooked by men and not recognised for their important contributions. Geiza herself had many roles within the community and they often enabled her to understand the community’s needs, facilitate processes to secure resources, and facilitate the community coming together. Geiza discussed how she has found men in native title governance roles do not always have their focus on the benefit of the whole community. One example that Geiza gave was about areas of land regarding which there was a lack of cultural knowledge – it was not clear whose land it was. Geiza felt that there should have been transparency and community consultation about those areas and consistent information and opportunities provided to everyone to claim that land or advise of the Traditional Owners. 78 Women in Native Title: Native Title Report 2024