[MSN] A British museum has agreed to unconditionally return Australian Aboriginal remains to Australia, the federal government says.

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Indigenous remains return to Australia
October 16, 2007 - 11:04AM

A British museum has agreed to unconditionally return Australian Aboriginal
remains to Australia, the federal government says.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough said the National Museums Liverpool
had agreed to return the remains after discussions with the Australian
government.

The remains will be held at the National Museum of Australia pending their
return to their communities of origin when known.

"We encourage other institutions that have yet to consider Australia's
claims, to follow in National Museums Liverpool's footsteps," Mr Brough
said.

This repatriation comes after a much more controversial fight between
Tasmanian Aborigines and the Natural History Museum in London for the return
of 17 remains.

Those remains were finally handed back to the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre in
early May after a court battle.

More than 1,000 Indigenous remains have been returned to Australia since
1996.

http://www.smh.com.au/