Media
Welcome to the resource area for locating NLC publications including media releases, newsletters, public notices and the Land Rights News (Northern Edition), Australia's longest running Aboriginal newspaper.
Land Rights News (Northern Edition) is published by the Northern Land Council and is distributed free to communities in the Northern Territory. See the rates to advertise in the only newspaper to reliably reach Aboriginal people in the remote Top End.
Remote Top End communities closed off to non-essential travel due to coronavirus - ABC News Darwin
Remote communities in the Northern Territory's Top End have been closed to all non-essential travel in response to concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information sheet, Australian Government Department of Health
There is one confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Territory as at 13 March 2020 – this person is located in Darwin. There are no other confirmed cases anywhere else in the Territory.
Ranger Compliance Support Project Update Dec 2019
What you need to know about the Ranger Compliance Support Project at the Northern Land Council.
NLC's Community Planning and Development Program - an overview
Watch this video to learn more about the NLC's Community Planning and Development Program.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
Aboriginal groups continue to work with the NLC’s Community Planning and Development (CP&D) team to drive their own development. Through the CP&D Program Aboriginal groups use their land use agreement income to do projects that bring lasting community benefit.
Indigenous Ranger Forum 2019
Hundreds of rangers from across the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland came together near Darwin in August to share their knowledge and hone their skills.
Territory Q's profile of NLC CEO Marion Scrymgour
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.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
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
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
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.
1970s Aboriginal children’s art offers window into history
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
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
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
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
Two historic native title claims are now resolved, decades after they were first claimed.
High Court comes to Darwin: Valuing native title in dollars
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
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.
Timber Creek Rangers trained in sawfish monitoring
NLC’s Timber Creek rangers and CSIRO have established a sawfish monitoring program on the Victoria River to record population estimates.
Aboriginal Housing NT takes home Fitzgerald Human Rights Award
Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) has won the 2018 NT Human Rights Commission’s Fitzgerald Award for Diversity.
Case Study: Twin Hill Aboriginal Corporation
Twin Hill Aboriginal Corporation has been running a cattle agistment business on the Delissaville Wagait Larrakia Aboriginal Land Trust for more than 20 years.
Tales from the Tinny: Fishos face lockouts as Blue Mud Bay negotiations bog down
The Northern Land Council has given the Government till December 4th to negotiate, or they will lock out all fishermen from up to 80 per cent of the Territory's coastline.
Community Planning and Development Newsletter
Eight traditional owner groups have now signed up and are working with NLC’s CP&D program. Together they have set aside over $5.7 million in Aboriginal land use payments to invest in the program.
Upgrades to Marralum outstation: Building a strong future for native title holders
Native title holders are driving upgrades to Marralum outstation near the Western Australian border using funds generated from a major prawn farm project.
Re-connecting Women with Country
The Northern Land Council’s Caring for Country Branch has adopted a Women’s Employment Strategy in response to the requests from Traditional Owners, community members and women rangers to increase opportunities for women to work as rangers.
The Women’s Culture Walk 2018
Thirty women from Numbulwar took part in the Women’s Culture Walk from 25-29 June 2018, traversing 40km of coast in the South East Arnhem Land Indigenous Protected Area.
NT Country Hour: Why has the NT Government changed its mind on amending the Pastoral Land Act to allow cattle stations to sub-lease?
NLC CEO Joe Morrison speaks to ABC's The Country Hour about why changes to the Pastoral Land Act to allow stations to sub-lease for non-pastoral purposes have "been deferred".
Vernon Islands Handed Back
The Vernon Islands have been officially returned to the Mantiyupwi Tiwi people, 40 years after the land claim was lodged.
NLC Rangers among first NT Fisheries Inspectors
Two NLC rangers are among the first six Indigenous Rangers in the Northern Territory to become Fisheries Inspectors.
Community Planning and Development: Youth Activities in Galiwin’ku
It’s 6pm and young Yolngu are racing up and down the basketball courts in Galiwin’ku. Youth program coordinator Josie Wright organises a group of girls into teams for a game, while others watch from the sidelines.
ABC Darwin: Ranger funding announcement 2018
More than $250 million over three years has been announced for Indigenous Rangers. The funding will continue to deliver 2000 jobs to 118 Indigenous rangers groups, keeping country and culture strong for the benefit of all Australians and the world. Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion made the announcement on Friday 27 April 2018 alongside NLC's Malak Malak Rangers.
NLC CEO Joe Morrison on the lifting of the fracking moratorium
Joe Morrison speaks to Kate O'Toole on ABC Darwin Drive about the lifting of the fracking moratorium
ALFA Pre Fire Season Meeting
Our Yugul Mangi and Numbulwar Numburindi Rangers attended the annual pre fire season meeting organised by ALFA NT from 10-11 April at Barrapunta.
Gunyungara signs Township Lease
The community of Gunyangara in north east Arnhem Land celebrated the signing of a 99-year township lease to the Ngarrariyal Aboriginal Corporation on 18 November 2017, 10 years after the Gumatj people, led by Dr Galarrwuy Yunupingu, put forward a similar proposal to then Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough.
A Territory Treaty
The NLC’s Executive Council hosted a workshop in Darwin, 19-20 February, to discuss how a Treaty could be progressed between the Northern Territory Government and Aboriginal people. Staff of the Central Land Council also attended. The workshop preceded a meeting of the Executives of the four NT Land Councils in Darwin in early March.
The Wardaman: Looking after Country
Birds are closely connected to Wardaman culture. Many Wardaman dances have been adapted from bird movements and much Wardaman rock art depicts birds.
Remembering Land Rights News 1988
These days, the Northern and Central Land Councils each publishes its own editions of Land Rights News. Thirty years ago, the time of the Australia’s Bicentenary, Land Rights News was a joint publication, and its production was not without tribulation.
Evidence to the Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee on changes to the Pastoral Land Legislation Amendment Bill
NLC CEO Joe Morrison and Principal Legal Officer Michael O’Donnell gave evidence to the NT Legislative Assembly’s Economic Policy Scrutiny Committee on 2 February, and argued for changes to the Pastoral Land Legislation Amendment Bill.
Pastoral Land Bill Changes Wanted
The Northern Land Council is pressing the Northern Territory Government to amend its Pastoral Land Legislation Amendment Bill, which, in its present form, would give pastoralists the right to secure sub-leases on their properties to allow for land to be used for a range of non-pastoral purposes, but would severely curtail the rights of native title holders.
