Land Councils join NT Government in joint Land Rights Act reform package

Paul Henderson with a map showing Aboriginal land subject to exploration

The four Northern Territory Land Councils and the NT Government have agreed on a package of measures to streamline the workings of the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976, including proposals to free up the mining provisions of the Act and to simplify Land Council administrative processes.

It is the first time the Land Councils and any government have agreed on reforms of the Act, and – if accepted by the Federal Government – will be the first substantive reforms to the Act in almost two decades.

This is an historic moment in the history of Aboriginal land rights in the Northern Territory. Never before has a State or Federal Government sat down in a non-adversarial way to reach consensus with Aboriginal people on ways to improve the Act.

NLC Chairman Galarrwuy Yunupingu

Central Land Council Director David Ross said the 12 recommendations agreed to by all parties included:

These and other recommendations, if agreed to by the Federal Government, will provide a quantum leap forward in the ability of Land Councils to respond quickly and efficiently to the twin demands of safeguarding traditional owners’ interests while at the same time promoting economic independence for Aboriginal people living in the NT, he said.

Much has been made in some quarters of how the Land Rights Act has been an impediment to the development of the NT. The challenge for our critics now is to respond constructively to this initiative rather than continuing to run a negative campaign based on the prejudices of yesteryear.

We look forward to working with the new Indigenous Affairs Minister, Senator Amanda Vanstone, to get these important changes through the Federal Parliament.
The reform package was agreed to in response to an Options Paper put out by the previous Minister for Indigenous Affairs, the Hon. Philip Ruddock, in which he said he was seeking an agreed approach on reforms to the Act that will maximise the potential benefits for Indigenous Territorians.

NT Resource Development Minister Paul Henderson said: The Territory Government and the NT Land Councils have delivered the Commonwealth that agreed approach, and I urge the Commonwealth to move forward quickly."