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| January |
Four
years after the Land Rights Act, more than forty areas of land are
under claim in the CLC area, and fourteen areas have been handed
back. The CLC is working in co-operation with the Department of
Aboriginal Affairs and the Aboriginal Development Commission for
excisions on eight stations: Mt Skinner, Lake Nash, Yambah, Hamilton
Downs, Middleton Ponds, Maryvale, Napperby and Ambalindum.
Negotiations
begin with Magellan Petroleum on development of the Palm Valley
Gas Field with a pipeline to Alice Springs, and with North Flinders
Mines on development of a gold mine in the area of the Granites,
north-west of Yuendumu. The CLC reaches an agreement with Pancontinental
to ensure that sacred sites are protected in a seismic work program
on Aboriginal and pastoral land.
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| February |
The
Northern Territory Government's opposition to the basic principles
of the Land Rights Act continues and Chief Minister Paul Everingham
proposes a package of amendments to the Act. The package would stop
claims over Aboriginal-owned stations, stock routes, stock reserves
and national parks, and severely restrict the ability of Aboriginal
people to apply for living areas on pastoral leases.
A series
of meetings is held with the Land Councils, the Northern Territory
Government and the Commonwealth to resolve differences, but Mr Everingham's
proposed amendments are not accepted by the Commonwealth.
The
Federal Minister has got a problem too. They are pushing him from
one side and we're pushing him from the other side. How should we
get around pastoralists? We should try and talk to them and they
should talk to us. Then we know the problem then we can see clear.
When we are talking to them, don't get hot and hot. Talk really
smooth. If they talk that way and say 'you're not going to get your
land', don't start making it hot straight away. Leave and come back
and talk again. The
late Jampijinpa Martin of Willowra
The
Australian National Railways approaches CLC to ensure that a proposed
railway line from Alice Springs to Darwin does not interfere with
sacred sites. The CLC agrees to consult traditional landowners to
identify an acceptable route as far as Elliot while the Aboriginal
Sacred Sites Protection Authority is commissioned to clear the northern
part of the corridor.
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| March |
Traditional landowners, for the area around the Alice Springs Telegraph
Station, meet to discuss the Northern Territory Government's plan
for a recreation lake that would inundate and destroy important
sacred sites, including Werlatye Atherre, a sacred site of great
importance to women and part of the Two-Women Dreaming. The traditional
landowners ask the CLC for help and send a letter to Chief Minister
Paul Everingham stressing the importance of the sacred sites and
the need to protect them. Mr Everingham announces that the Government
will go ahead with the lake at the Telegraph Station anyway.
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| April |
The Mary Ann Recreation Dam at Tennant
Creek is officially opened by local MLA Ian Tuxworth. The dam reserve
includes land that has been under claim since 1978 when the Warumungu
land claim was first lodged. The dam was built without consulting
the traditional landowners and will permanently submerge an important
group of sacred sites. |
| May |
The
Northern Territory Government purports to offer a lease for a substantial
part of the Lake Amadeus/Luritja land claim area to Messrs Ian Conway
and Tim Lander. The Government's action attempts to alienate the land
and prevent the claim. The area affected is the same one that the
Luritja families wanted to lease in 1975. They were told then that
the land was dry and unsuitable. The 'lease' is in breach of Everingham's
commitment not to alienate land under claim and in 1988 the Federal
High Court rules that the 'lease' was never valid. The Mt Barkly pastoral
lease, 360 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, is purchased by
the traditional landowners using profits generated on the neighbouring
Willowra pastoral lease. A land claim over Mt Barkly is lodged in
June. Angarapa Aboriginal Land Trust receives title to Utopia, the
first pastoral station successfully claimed by Aboriginal people.
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| August |
A
Northern Territory Government-Department of Aboriginal Affairs working
party proposes amending the Land Rights Act to deal with the question
of living areas and stock route claims. The amendments would prevent
Aboriginal people who have been forced off stations from applying
for living areas, give the Northern Territory Minister for Lands the
final say on applications and not provide secure title. Mr Everingham
says that this is the Northern Territory Government's last word, but
the proposals are unacceptable to the CLC. |
| November |
The
Mereenie Oil and Gas Field agreement between CLC and Magellan Petroleum
is signed. The agreement was actually finalised in February 1980 but
the formal signing was delayed for almost two years because of a dispute
between the Northern Territory Government and Magellan. |
| December |
The
Kaytej (Kaytetye), Warlpiri and Warlmanpa land claim hearing begins
before Justice Toohey, taking evidence at Alekarenge and Alice Springs
over the next two months. The hearing revives memories of the 1928
Coniston Massacre.
The
killings occurred in and around the land under claim when Constable
William Murray and 'Nugget' Morton led a revenge party through the
area following the murder of dingo-trapper Fred Brooks.
Although
they had nothing to do with the death of Brooks many of those killed
were the mothers and fathers of traditional landowners who gave
evidence at the land claim hearing.
Johnny
Nelson Jupurrula's father was taking part in an important ceremony
when the revenge party rode along Hanson Creek. And poor old my
old fella, they been make big business.
And
old fella go round and they didn't know the trouble there. They
ran in. They grab them there, make [him] prisoner. they ran into
Murray then. Grabem them. Two of them been shot in the Hanson Creek.
[After] showing them all [the rockholes and water] along the country
they know. They bin have a chain in the neck, all the way along.
When they bin findem all the people then, last one all right. 'Right
you two done it now, you two can get shot.' Bang! Johnny
Nelson Jupurrula giving evidence at the Warlmanpa land claim hearing.
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