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The Central Land Council says more communities are likely to investigate whether methods such as creating an incorporated body will give them a greater say over their futures.
Moves have been made by people living in Santa Teresa to form a corporation to represent and act on behalf of the community.
CLC director David Ross said Aboriginal communities in Central Australia are feeling frustrated and disenfranchised after the Northern Territory Government scrapped community councils and replaced them with shires.
“The impact of the shires, combined with the Northern Territory Emergency Response, has meant that people feel they don’t have a voice in how things are run in their communities,” he said.
“They don’t have a local council that represents their community, their interests. Decisions that affect their lives are taken from a distance.
“It limits the amount of people who get a chance to speak up for their community and has created a governance gap.”
Mr Ross said if the incorporated body is set up in the right way with its goals and role clearly laid out and community members, organisations and traditional owners are fully consulted and involved, the new institution could be useful in providing people with an independent voice.
“With resourcing and support, these bodies could play a key role in representing communities with governments of all levels, not just local government,” he said.
“This sort of step might be a positive move for communities to take by enabling them to get their concerns and problems heard and restoring some self-determination over their day to day lives.”
