News & Publications
The NLC reinforces that any examination of Yuendumu shooting be independent and transparent
Nov 12, 2019
The Chairman and Members of the NLC extend their deepest sympathies to the family of Kumanjayi Walker at this difficult time.
Territory Q’s profile of NLC CEO Marion Scrymgour
Nov 8, 2019
Marion Scrymgour was the first Indigenous woman in Parliament and later became the first Indigenous leader of an Australian government in history when she was made Acting Chief Minister.
NLC to NT government: ‘Stop blaming Aboriginal people for your failures’
Oct 14, 2019
The Northern Land Council says Aboriginal Territorians have been betrayed by the shock announcement today that the government won’t proceed with proposed amendments to the Pastoral Land Act.
Burial & Cremation Bill fails Aboriginal people
Oct 13, 2019
The Northern Land Council is profoundly disappointed with the failure of the NT Legislative Assembly’s Social Policy Scrutiny Committee to address serious concerns raised by Aboriginal people about the Burial & Cremation Bill 2019.
Connecting school students to learn on country
Oct 11, 2019
A three-day Learning on Country forum took place in Darwin in September, involving more than 80 school principals, teachers, rangers and ranger coordinators, Learning on Country coordinators and Indigenous cultural advisors.
Learning on Country: connecting school students to work on country
Sep 9, 2019
More than 80 school principals, teachers, rangers and ranger coordinators, Learning on Country coordinators and Indigenous cultural advisors came together for a three-day Learning on Country forum in Darwin this month.
NLC calls on the NT Government to delay the introduction of the Burial & Cremation Bill
Sep 5, 2019
The NLC's East Arnhem Regional Council has urged the NT Government to delay the introduction of the contentious Burial & Cremation Bill (2018) into the Legislative Assembly at the next sitting.
Rangers honing their skills at 2019 Indigenous Ranger Forum
Sep 3, 2019
Hundreds of Indigenous rangers travelled thousands of kilometres from across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland to learn, grow and share their knowledge last week.
NLC Corporate Plan 2019/20 to 2022/23
Sep 3, 2019
The NLC Corporate Plan provides information about the significant activities which the NLC will undertake over the four years, 2019/20 to 2022/23
NLC Regional Councils shout out on water security crisis in the bush
Aug 21, 2019
The 42nd joint meeting of the NLC's Borroloola Barkly and Ngukurr Regional Councils at Robinson River heard more details about an impending water security crisis in remote communities and homelands in the NLC’s area.
NLC objects to the McArthur River Mine approvals
Aug 20, 2019
The NLC objects to Minister for Primary Industry and Resources Paul Kirby’s approval of an amendment to the existing mine management plan (MMP) for the McArthur River Mine.
West Arnhem and Katherine Regional Councils express ‘anger and disappointment’ at health service provision out bush
Aug 19, 2019
At their meeting at Jabiru this week the Northern Land Council’s West Arnhem and Katherine Regional Councils passed a resolution expressing anger and disappointment at the poor state of health services for remote communities in the Katherine and West Arnhem regions.
Blue Mud Bay: NLC welcomes historic Nitmiluk agreement between first nations peoples, fishing industry and government
Jun 26, 2019
For the first time since the Blue Mud Bay Decision by the High Court of Australia in 2008, a vision to resolve Blue Mud Bay has been realised in a Heads of Agreement signed today at the 120th Full Council meeting of the Northern Land Council at Nitmiluk near Katherine in the Northern Territory.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
Jun 12, 2019
The NLC Community Planning and Development (CP&D) Program started in 2016. It works with Aboriginal land-owning groups and supports them to use their money from land use agreements, such as royalties or lease money, to drive their own development and secure benefits from their land, waters and seas.
Compensation awarded in Timber Creek in Australian first
Apr 17, 2019
Twenty years after the native title holders of Timber Creek – five estate groups of the Ngarliwurru and Nungali peoples – filed their original native title claim, the High Court of Australia has awarded them compensation for the loss of native title rights over parts of the land within the town area.
“It took us 20 years, but we finally got it!” Native Title finally recognised in Pine Creek
Apr 17, 2019
The Wagiman and Jawoyn Bolmo, Matjba and Wurrkbarbar groups have been recognised as the native title holders of the town of Pine Creek at a determination ceremony held on country, two decades after the first claim was lodged.
Native Title over Pine Creek finally recognised
Apr 9, 2019
The Wagiman and Jawoyn Bolmo, Matjba and Wurrkbarbar groups were today recognised as the native title holders of the town of Pine Creek at a dedication ceremony held in the town, 20 years after it was lodged.
Pine Creek Native Title Determination Ceremony
Apr 8, 2019
The Federal Court of Australia will hold a special hearing in Pine Creek at 11am on Tuesday 9 April 2019 to recognise native title rights and interests over the town.
Meet NLC CEO Marion Scrymgour
Mar 19, 2019
Tiwi woman Marion Scrymgour has today been announced as the new CEO of the Northern Land Council, the first woman to hold the CEO position at any Northern Territory land council.
NLC welcomes High Court judgment of native title compensation at Timber Creek
Mar 13, 2019
The NLC interim CEO, Jak Ah Kit, today welcomed the High Court’s judgment which awarded compensation of $2,530,350 to the Ngaliwurru and Nangali peoples – including $1.3 million for cultural loss – for the extinguishment of native title by NT Government grants of land since 1975.
Audit Committee exonerates NLC Executive Council over conflict of interest claims
Mar 8, 2019
The NLC interim CEO, Jak Ah Kit, today welcomed the NLC Audit Committee’s recognition that Executive Council members properly handled concerns about conflicts of interest.
Minister’s Extraordinary Full Council Meeting
Mar 4, 2019
The interim NLC CEO, Dr Jak Ah Kit, today slammed the Indigenous Affairs Minister, Senator Nigel Scullion, for dismissing the NLC’s decision to also meet on Thursday 7 March 2019 (the day prior to the Minister’s extraordinary Full Council meeting on 8 March 2019) to discuss an Audit Committee report and a written opinion by Raelene Webb QC as “political games”.
Minister’s extraordinary Full Council meeting
Feb 22, 2019
The interim NLC CEO, Dr Jak Ah Kit, today condemned the announcement by Senator Nigel Scullion, Indigenous Affairs Minister, that he will convene an extraordinary NLC Full Council meeting in two weeks on Friday 8 March 2019 to consider perceived conflict of interest “findings” said to be contained in an Audit Committee report.
Report into detriment review tabled in Parliament
Feb 21, 2019
The Aboriginal Land Commissioner’s Report on the review of detriment into Aboriginal Land Claims recommended for grant but not yet finalised was tabled in Parliament on Thursday, 21 February 2019.
NLC welcomes new Treaty Commissioner
Feb 18, 2019
The Northern Land Council welcomes the appointment of Professor Michael Dodson AM to the role of Northern Territory Treaty Commissioner.
NLC and CLC Joint Submission to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee
Feb 15, 2019
Northern Land Council and Central Land Council Joint Submission to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2018
NLC Governance Issues and NLC Chief Executive Officer arrangements
Feb 3, 2019
Statement from NLC Interim Acting CEO Rick Fletcher
NLC welcomes new Aboriginal Affairs minister
Jan 31, 2019
The NLC welcomes the announcement today of Ms Selena Uibo as the new Minister Aboriginal Affairs in the Northern Territory Government.
1970s Aboriginal children’s art offers window into history
Jan 23, 2019
A project to reunite children’s drawings from the 1970s with their original Yolngu artists is now underway involving Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala and the National Museum of Australia.
Carbon farming supports Yugul Mangi culture camp for young people
Jan 22, 2019
The Yugul Mangi Rangers ran a two-day culture camp in September 2018. Traditional Owners from the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area (SEAL IPA) supported the camp using income from the carbon farming work of their rangers.
Waanyi-Garawa ranger presents at international conference
Jan 22, 2019
Waanyi-Garawa ranger Josephine Davey, Ganalanga-Mindibirrina IPA coordinator Ostiane Massiani and NLC Caring for Country women and youth coordinator Kate van Wezel travelled to the University of Queensland in early December to present a paper at Unsettling Australia, the 2018 biennial conference of the International Australian Studies Association.
ABA Homelands Project Update
Dec 23, 2018
The Aboriginals Benefit Account (ABA) Homelands Project has been allocated a total of $40 million from the ABA; $35.5 million will be allocated for the delivery of activities in homelands across the four Aboriginal Land Council regions in the NT. These funds are accessed through a grant application process coordinated by the NLC.
History made as native title rights finally recognised
Dec 22, 2018
Two historic native title claims are now resolved, decades after they were first claimed.
High Court comes to Darwin: Valuing native title in dollars
Dec 21, 2018
In September 2018, the Timber Creek native title compensation claim – one of the biggest test cases in Indigenous rights since Mabo – brought the High Court of Australia to the Northern Territory for the first time in its 116-year history.
NLC prepares for 2019 council elections
Dec 21, 2018
The Northern Land Council is reviewing the way its members are allocated across its jurisdiction, ahead of Council elections to take place in the second half of 2019.
