We want the Mereenie sealed too

The Central Land Council says the Territory Government should stop blaming the CLC and get on with sealing the Mereenie Road.

CLC director David Ross says it’s been clear for a long time and confirmed in this week’s budget that the government just doesn’t have the money to do the work.

“We’ve put up with being blamed for the government’s inaction for long enough,” Mr Ross said. “It’s not our fault, the CLC and traditional land owners want what Delia Lawrie calls the ‘inner loop’ and the Mereenie Loop Road sealed like anyone else with an interest in it.

“If they have the money and the will to do so the government could seal the 75 odd kilometres of the inner loop, that is yet to be sealed, tomorrow.

“To seal the Mereenie loop, which is on Aboriginal land between Watarrka National Park and the Areyonga turn off, all they have to do is agree to sacred site provisions that the Country Liberal Party agreed to when the road was originally built,” Mr Ross said.

“The Minister for Central Australia Karl Hampton said in a radio interview this week that there’s $36 million sitting there in the budget waiting for negotiations with the CLC to be completed, so why don’t they get on with it?”