The state government and opposition are pressuring Canberra to honour a commitment to fund native title compensation.
Under a 1994 agreement by then Prime Minister Paul Keating, later reaffirmed by the government of John Howard, the Commonwealth committed to fund 75 per cent of native title costs.
But in the state parliament yesterday, Attorney-General Christian Porter tabled a letter sent in May from Prime Minister Julia Gillard to Premier Colin Barnett saying the federal government had no legal obligation to foot the bill.
"The prime minister, in one letter, simply and breathlessly reneges on that agreement," Mr Porter said.
Opposition frontbencher Ben Wyatt has backed the state government's stance.
"If the Commonwealth government walks away from native title, then the future success of future native title settlements looks more grim," he told reporters.
"Without the federal government support then native title will fail to continue its path of reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians."
The state government is seeking $240 million from the federal government to meet 75 per cent of the $320 million it has paid out in native title settlements and compensation.
