Central Land Council

The Commonwealth Government abandons its own national land rights legislation but not proposed amendments to weaken land rights in the Northern Territory. In the face of a public scare campaign by the mining industry and the backdown by the Western Australian Labor Party, the Government retreats from its own commitments feebly claiming that most states have made 'advances' towards land rights.

The CLC organises an intensive uranium education program, including a three-day tour of the Ranger Uranium Mine, to help traditional landowners make informed decisions about mining exploration in the Tanami Desert.Several companies then present exploration proposals to the traditional landowners.

Twenty years after the Gurindji walkoff sparked the modern struggle for land rights, the Gurindji are given inalienable freehold title to Daguragu under the Land Rights Act.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Clyde Holding, hands back the title of 60,000 square kilometres to the Karlantijpa Land Trusts at Yankirrikirlangu, 190 kilometres west of Tennant Creek. The area is made up of land returned under the Warlmanpa and Kaytej-Warlpiri land claims.

The Commonwealth Government still proposes amendments to the Land Rights Act even though the National Land Rights Model has now been dropped. The amendments would effectively remove the Aboriginal consent for mining on Aboriginal land and prevent land claims over stock routes and Aboriginal-owned pastoral leases. The CLC lobbies intensely to defend the Act.

It is the Law I have been telling of my grandfathers'. It is the Law. White man has no business with this kind of things. We tell straight, honest Law. it is our grandfathers', brothers', uncles'. It is their Law. The Law of the land - olden-time Law, Aboriginal Law. I am not a kid. I am an initiated man. We have got it strong inside the Law. Peter Kanari, Lake Amadeus land claim

Traditional landowners and representatives of major Australian business firms exchange eight leases and access and equity agreements in relation to the Palm Valley to Darwin pipeline. The pipeline will travel through more than 700 kilometres of Aboriginal land in the CLC areas. The Aboriginal investment company Centrecorp acquires 1.4 per cent of Northern Territory Gas and the pipeline.

The Aboriginal Land Commissioner Michael Maurice recommends that most of the Ti-Tree land claim be granted, but rules that a 1.6-kilometre stock route across the former station is a public road which cannot be granted. The stock route area contains sacred sites and cuts the station in half. Excluding it from the grant would make the station unworkable and the traditional owners apply to the Federal Court for a review of the Commissioner's decision.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Interim Protection) Act 1984 is amended. In 1984 Aboriginal Affairs Minister Clyde Holding told Parliament the Act 'would be replaced by more comprehensive legislation dealing with Aboriginal land rights and heritage protection'. The Act was supposed to expire naturally through a 'sunset clause' that gave it a two-year life but now the Government simply removes the sunset clause and the word 'Interim Protection' from the Act's title and it continues to operate. The CLC and other organisations are disappointed that the Act leaves the protection of sacred sites up to ministerial discretion rather than making it mandatory.

The Northern Territory Government establishes a committee, chaired by Solicitor-General Brian Martin, to review the operation of the Aboriginal Sacred Sites Protection Authority. The committee, which does not include any Aboriginal people, is asked to make recommendations regarding the Northern Territory legislation to 'protect areas which are sacred or otherwise of significance to Aboriginals'.

The Northern Territory Minister for Mines and Energy, Barry Coulter, proposes the establishment of a toxic waste incinerator near Warrego, west of Tennant Creek. The Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal residents of the Tennant Creek region join forces against the proposal and the Northern Territory Government backs down.

The CLC and other Aboriginal organisations convince the Commonwealth to revamp proposed amendments to the Land Rights Act. Amendments to the mining section are deferred so that the views of Aboriginal groups can be properly considered.

Agreement is reached in principle with the Commonwealth Minister for Communications to transfer title to 5.3 hectares of Telecom land at the old Barrow Creek Telegraph Station reserve to the Kaytetye people to set up a store, resource centre and museum.