Author: tess.oloughlin
The Central Land Council has pledged to work closely with the Albanese government in its second term to progress the commitments in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
The CLC welcomes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s commitment in his election night speech to supporting the empowerment of First Nations people “because we will be a stronger nation when we close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians”.
“I congratulate Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and look forward to meeting him and the Minister for Indigenous Australians to ensure everything that can be done is being done with respect to the sky-high cost of living, lack of real jobs and overcrowded and dilapidated houses,” chair Warren Williams said.
“Residents urgently need relief from high grocery, fuel, electricity, and transport costs, along with a substantial increase in the remote area allowance, which has not been adjusted in 25 years”.
Through its membership in the Coalition of Peaks and Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT, the CLC will continue to support resetting the National Agreement on Closing the Gap to address the Productivity Commission and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led reviews.
The CLC also welcomes the treasurer’s commitment to finalising a First Nations Economic Empowerment Partnership with the Coalition of Peaks, which needs to focus strongly on building blocks such as employment.
At the same time, the CLC wants to see a significant shift in the policies and programs surrounding remote employment services, focusing on job creation, strengthening community control and ensuring greater accountability and reporting.
Introducing 3,000 jobs through the Remote Jobs and Economic Development program is an important part of the reform effort and a welcome first step. Clearly, more jobs are needed to support approximately 40,000 people who will not get a job through the current RJED program.
The CLC looks forward to working constructively with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister Malarndirri McCarthy to progress Indigenous policy priorities.
“Together, we hope to strengthen outcomes for our communities, support self-determination, and ensure Aboriginal voices continue to shape the decisions that affect our lives,” said Mr Williams.
The traditional owners of land near Canteen Creek in the Northern Territory will gather on Wednesday 16 April to celebrate the handback of country they first claimed more than four decades ago.
The Central Land Council lodged the original Wakaya-Alyawarre Land Claim 42 in 1980. Since then, the traditional owners have received two of three portions of the claimed area and agreed to withdraw the township of Canteen Creek from the claim.
They have waited ever since for the rest of their country to be returned.
To finally settle the Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim No. 130, traditional owners consented to an agreement between the CLC and the Northern Territory Government to surrender their native title rights to the Canteen Creek community.
After years of consultation, the Indigenous Land Use Agreement was supported by both the traditional owners and the Canteen Creek community. The CLC’s elected members certified the agreement on 30 October 2019.
Under the agreement, the Canteen Creek Landholding Aboriginal Corporation, run by residents and traditional owners together, will receive freehold title to parts of the community. The rest of the claim area will be granted as Aboriginal freehold land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.
Eileen Bonney, the most senior surviving claimant, is happy to be alive to see the handback ceremony finally happening on her family’s homeland, just north of Canteen Creek.
“I’m feeling happy to get this title. I waited a long time when I was young. I kept talking and kept fighting until I got old. And now it’s going to happen,” she said.
“This handback honours the determination and strength of the traditional owners who never gave up on their claim,” said CLC chief executive Les Turner.
“It’s a moment to celebrate and reflect on the sacrifices of those who didn’t live to see this day. We recognise their legacy and the leadership of the families who have carried this claim forward.”
The Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Malarndirri McCarthy, will present a framed copy of the title deed to the traditional owners, officially handing back the land to its rightful owners.
Traditional owners will celebrate the event by performing a traditional dance and cutting a cake to mark the occasion.
The Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) claim is one of the CLC’s final two land claims under the Land Rights Act. Over its 50-year history, the CLC has helped traditional owners win back more than half the land in the southern half of the Northern Territory and continues to support them to manage it through its 14 Aboriginal ranger groups.
The Central Land Council calls on the Northern Territory Government to respect Aboriginal people and due process by stopping the Sacred Sites Legislation Amendment Bill pending proper consultation with traditional owners.
It also asked Minister Josh Burgoyne to confirm during this consultation process some promises he made during his discussion with the council today.
“We strongly urge you to bin this bill and co-design a consultation process with the land councils so you can take into account the views of Aboriginal traditional owners and reflect the commitments you made today,” CLC chair Warren Williams said.
Mr Burgoyne told CLC delegates that traditional owners will decide whether there will be an ‘enforceable undertaking’ or a prosecution where a site has been damaged and that sacred site clearance certificates will only be transferred from one developer to another if the scope of a project is exactly the same as in the original certificate.
The proposed bill does not include these commitments.
The minister also agreed to “keep talking”. The delegates welcomed this and resolved to hold him to his commitments.
They told him that the NT land councils have long advocated for the recognition of their sacred sites processes and how to strengthen the Territory’s sacred sites law.
“The Country Liberal Party’s fast tracked amendments are designed to please land users and developers, but sideline us completely,” Mr Williams said.
“We are outraged because our sacred sites mean the world to us, and it’s our duty to protect them and not just take the government’s word on trust.
“Our sites belong to us, not the government, and it should not change the law protecting our sites without our informed consent.”
CLC processes and approvals guarantee to developers that the right people have been consulted and that approved projects won’t land them in court.
A co-designed bill would streamline the process by recognising land council sacred site clearance certificates that traditional owners and proponents often prefer because they provide certainty and save costs.
Mr Williams said the Territory will not be able to deliver certainty to developers or achieve lasting positive legislative and policy outcomes by cutting corners at the expense of Aboriginal people.
“Despite the unholy rush of the government we have made a submission that builds on our earlier submissions and includes the amendments to the bill that are important to us.”
The Central Land Council has re-elected Warren Williams as CLC chair and Barbara Shaw as deputy chair at its meeting at Yulara today.
Mr Williams, a retired assistant Yuendumu school principal, thanked the CLC’s 90 community representatives for the faith they have placed in him for the second time.
“It’s the delegates that put me in as the chair. They are doing a lot of work in our communities and they put their trust in me,” he said.
Mr Williams has twice been a CLC deputy chair, represents Warlpiri communities on the Central Desert Regional Council and chairs Yuendumu’s Yapa Kurlangu Ngurrara Aboriginal Corporation.
He continues to help men overcome problems with domestic violence and to mediate community conflicts across the southern Tanami region.
He called on politicians to visit remote Territory communities if they are in any doubt about the sky-high cost of living, lack of real jobs and overcrowded and dilapidated houses.
“They should get out of their offices and look at the state the houses are in out in our communities,” he said.
“We need to see more young people training and working in our communities and on roads. Our roads need lots of work.”
He said residents need urgent relief from the exorbitant grocery, fuel, electricity and transport costs, as well as a substantial increase in the remote area allowance for the first time in 25 years.
“It really does matter. It’s alright for people in cities to complain about the cost of living. Come to our communities and see how much we have to pay. We pay twice what they pay, yet we have the lowest incomes.”
The CLC’s deputy chair since 2019, Ms Shaw works with the Tangentyere Family Safety Group that targets family violence in Alice Springs town camps.
She also chairs Aboriginal Investment Northern Territory.
“Our land councils and our rights are under attack again and I am ready to support our members and our chair in this fight,” she said.
This afternoon the CLC delegates will elect the remaining nine members of council’s executive committee.
The CLC election is carried out by the Northern Territory Electoral Commission.
Traditional owners are united in calling out the Territory government’s ill-conceived and rushed changes that move it ever closer to an anti-democratic regime pursuing development at any cost.
Giving away our precious water to foreign and interstate interests deprives our people of development opportunities today and robs all Territory children tomorrow.
This government cannot be trusted.
Its latest attack on water rights is a bill designed to rip Aboriginal water reserves out of Aboriginal hands.
These reserves are small portions of water set aside in water allocation plans for Aboriginal people to use for trade or economic development.
Combined with the imposition of an all-powerful, unelected Territory co-ordinator, the assault on sacred sites protection and the removal of Territorians’ rights to seek merits review of government decisions, this proposal demolishes the integrity of the Territory government.
We had worked in good faith with the previous Labor government to make Aboriginal water reserves work for our people.
We had agreed a process with the NT Division of Water Resources for negotiating informed consent which was about to go to cabinet before last year’s election.
As with all land council processes, it would have given certainty to developers that the right people have been consulted and guaranteed that approved projects won’t land them in court.
Last week, and again without consultation with traditional owners, the Country Liberal Party government scrapped this in favour of another rushed bill that will create great uncertainty.
The bill removes traditional owners from decisions about the Aboriginal water reserves and hands that power to the Territory water controller.
This bureaucrat would decide who is an “eligible” Aboriginal person to apply for water in the reserve or whether “eligible” Aboriginal people have given consent.
It is completely unclear how he would do this.
What is clear is that the government aims to sideline the NT land councils that were set up with the sole mandate to support Aboriginal decision-making and which have a successful record of facilitating consensus and informed consent across groups that creates certainty.
Its proposed bill exposes developers to legal challenges and loss of their social license.
It undermines Aboriginal people’s hard-won collective rights and decision-making practices, threatens community harmony and removes guardrails against exploitation and corruption.
The scrapping of the standard democratic process of third-party merits reviews has removed the right of any Territorian to check that government decision-making is of an acceptable standard.
Third-party merits reviews hold governments accountable to all citizens, not just wealthy investors.
Coupled with a lack of solid evidence about Territory water resources the government’s latest bill ushers in chaos, conflict and increasing inequality.
Quotes from CLC and NLC chairs
“Instead of giving industry the confidence to invest in the Territory, the proposed changes will see traditional owners challenge dodgy decisions in court, development proposals embroiled in community conflict and investors fighting accusations of corruption,” said CLC chair Warren Williams.
“By contrast, our council’s consultation processes have true integrity and deliver the certainty industry needs.”
“These changes are divisive. The NT Government is opening the floodgates for industry to exploit the Aboriginal Water Reserve for profits,” said NLC chair Matthew Ryan.
“The constant attacks on Aboriginal self-determination are exhausting and insulting. They need to stop.”
The Central Land Council has condemned the Territory government’s latest attempt to rush through ill-considered changes to laws that will threaten traditional owners’ rights and interests – without consulting them.
Late on Thursday afternoon the CLC executive members and representatives of the other NT land councils met with Minister Josh Burgoyne to find out about mooted amendments to the NT’s Sacred Sites Act.
“We asked for information, he gave us platitudes. He disrespected us and treated us like little children,” said CLC chair Warren Williams.
“He asked us to simply accept that the government’s intentions behind the changes are good. He wouldn’t give us any details about the changes or how they would work. All he had was empty talk. No wonder we are all very alarmed.”
“Do not believe him if he tries to pass off this cynical tick-a-box exercise as ‘consultation’ with the land councils.”
The CLC is concerned the government will rush the changes through parliament without leaving sufficient time for land councils to consult their membership.
“Sacred sites belong to us, not the government, and it should not change the law protecting our sites without consulting traditional owners and native title holders,” Mr Williams said.
“This is not how informed consent works.”
The CLC asked the minister for adequate time to consult with traditional owners about the proposed changes before they are rushed through the parliament.
“He refused to give us this commitment,” Mr Williams said.
“The government needs to stop this rushed process and take time to consult with the people whose culture will be affected by it.”
The Central Land Council’s executive committee asked everyone to join them on a community march next week against domestic and family violence.
Meeting in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) today, the 11-member executive discussed the coroner’s report into the deaths of four Northern Territory Aboriginal women.
“These four women’s stories are a heartbreaking reminder of the ongoing violence against our women, who face alarming rates of domestic and family violence,” CLC chair Warren Williams said.
“We thank the coroner for her report and call on everyone to join us on Tuesday 10 December at the ‘End the Silence! Stop the Violence!’ march in Alice Springs.”
“This is a wake-up call for everyone. We must break the cycle of violence, starting with listening to Aboriginal women and taking their concerns seriously.
“Too many lives have been lost, and far too many families continue to live in fear. The time for action is now.”
In May this year the council urged the Northern Territory and Australian governments to:
- Provide the NT with needs-based funding that is desperately needed for prevention and support programs.
- Strengthen efforts to support the targets of the Closing the Gap National Agreement that align with reducing incarceration and improving safety.
- Invest in culturally relevant and meaningful men’s healing programs that support breaking the cycle of violence.
- Support place-based, community-led initiatives that ensure women’s and children’s safety so they can safely remain in their communities.
It also highlighted the vital role men play in breaking the cycle of violence.
“We encourage men to take responsibility for their actions, support one another in choosing non-violent paths, and stand together with women in creating safe and respectful communities,” said Mr Williams.
“We will continue to advocate for stronger protections for our women and children.
“Together, we can honour the memories of the victims by ensuring their tragic deaths lead to lasting change.”
Eileen Bonney, the most senior surviving claimant to the land around a remote Northern Territory community, has welcomed the resolution of a 44-year old land claim “while I’m still living”.
Today the Australian Parliament passed the legislation that settles the claim at long last.
Ms Bonney has been waiting for this day since the Central Land Council first lodged the Wakaya Alyawarre Land Claim 42 in 1980.
Since then the traditional owners won back two small parcels of the original claim area and agreed to withdraw the Canteen Creek township area from the rest.
In order to settle what is now known as the Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim No. 130 they consented to an agreement between the CLC and the Northern Territory Government that surrenders native title rights to the township area known as Canteen Creek.
The Indigenous Land Use Agreement is the outcome of exhaustive consultations over many years and has the support of both the native title holders and residents of Canteen Creek.
The CLC’s elected members acknowledged the rigorous and inclusive decision making process by certifying the agreement on 30 October 2019.
The agreement grants ordinary freehold title to some parts of the town to an Aboriginal land holding body, the Canteen Creek Landholding Aboriginal Corporation.
Under the agreement, the NT government also supports the granting of the remainder of the claim area as Aboriginal freehold land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.
“I am happy to see this settled for my children and all our families,” Ms Bonney said.
“It’s happened at last. I’m still here. I was strong, now I got weaker. I’m still right.
“The traditional owners all wanted to get this done for a long time. Too many of us have died waiting for this day.”
Ms Bonney said the resolution of the claim means her daughters can move to their homeland near Canteen Creek.
She is looking forward to a handback ceremony in the new year.
The Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) land claim is one of the CLC’s last two outstanding claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
During its 50-year history the council has won back more than half of the land in the southern half of the NT for its traditional owners, and its 14 Aboriginal ranger teams help them to manage the land.
Elke Wiesmann | 0417 877 579 | media@clc.org.au
On Saturday, July 6, the WETT advisory committee won the education category, recognising nearly two decades of support across a range of partnerships and programs that align with Warlpiri education priorities in Yuendumu, Willowra, Nyirrpi, and Lajamanu.
The committee advises WETT on investing gold mining royalties in community-driven initiatives supporting education and training priorities in the four communities.
Maisie Kitson, a retired teacher of 40 years, has been on the WETT advisory committee for 19 years and is one of the strong Warlpiri women who founded the trust in 2005.
Ms Kitson accepted the award on behalf of her colleagues.
“And when we heard ‘Warlpiri Education and Training Trust,’ we all hugged. I was feeling happy and proud. And my tears were coming down,” she said.
Sharon Anderson, an educator from Lajamanu and member of the WETT advisory committee since 2007, accepted the award with Ms Kitson.
“It’s for WETT. It’s been a great achievement all those years of what we have been doing—all the work with the Kurra Directors, community members, and [project] partners. Everyone is getting involved in children’s education. It’s for all Warlpiri,” Ms Anderson said.
“I thought of the Elders, educators and founding [WETT] members who have been guiding us along our journey. And the four Warlpiri communities.”
Many of WETT’s founding members are still on the advisory committee today, and innovative measures are being taken to support new and younger members in joining the committee and growing into these important roles.
WETT is a Warlpiri-controlled and governed initiative administered through the CLC.
The WETT advisory committee, comprising four Warlpiri representatives from the four communities and one each from Newmont and the CLC, plays a crucial role in designing, planning, and monitoring WETT-funded initiatives. This committee meets three times a year and advises the directors of the Kurra Aboriginal Corporation, whose members are traditional owners of the mine site. The Kurra directors, guided by this advice, allocate funding to the WETT programs.
So far, WETT has invested more than $57 million to support Yapa (Warlpiri people) across its five education program areas:
- Children and families
- Language and culture in schools
- Youth development
- Secondary school support
- Learning community centres
Contact: Tess O’Loughlin | 0461 396 054 | media@admin
The members and staff of the Central Land Council are deeply saddened by the passing of the esteemed former Anindilyakwa Land Council chair, Mr T Wurramarrba AO.
“Mr Wurramarrba was a remarkable leader and advocate for his people,” CLC chief executive Les Turner said.
“His unwavering dedication to the Anindilyakwa community and his significant contributions to advancing the rights and interests of Indigenous people will always be remembered.
“Throughout his career, Mr Wurramarrba represented the Anindilyakwa people at all levels of government, always focusing on the future,” Mr Turner said.
Mr T Wurramarrba understood that a strong cultural foundation was essential to self-determination. He retired last month after many years of service to the Anindilyakwa people.
He was at the forefront of ALC’s biggest milestones, including the Groote Archipelago Local Decision-Making Agreement, the establishment of the Northern Territory Aboriginal Investment Corporation and the return of the Groote Eylandt township lease to community control.
Mr T Wurramarrba played important roles on several boards and committees including, Aboriginal Peak Organisation NT, Miwatj Health, and the MJD Foundation. He was also a valuable member of the former ABA Advisory Committee.
In 2013, Mr T Wurramarrba was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Australia for his exceptional service to the Indigenous community of the Groote Archipelago.
“Our thoughts are with Mr Wurramarrba’s family, friends and colleagues, especially those at the ALC,” CLC chair Matthew Palmer said.
“He was a great man who profoundly impacted the people of Groote Eylandt and the wider community. He will be remembered with immense respect and admiration.”
The executive committee of the Central Land Council condemns yesterday’s senseless and shameful behaviour.
Meeting in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) today, the CLC executive called for the perpetrators of yesterday’s disturbance to be held to account.
“It is never ok to frighten residents and damage their property,” CLC chair Matthew Palmer said.
“They have disrespected the native title holders of Mparntwe who have made it very clear how they expect people to behave.”
“Young people should not take matters into their own hands but follow cultural leadership and authority.”
Deputy chair Warren Williams said the peacemakers deserve everybody’s support.
“We commend the Aboriginal leaders and the steps they have taken so far and who are trying to resolve the dispute peacefully.”
“Cultural processes are best dealt with on country, under the guidance of the elders and senior community leaders.”
The CLC will support community leaders to help families resolve the underlying disputes.
Contact: Tess O’Loughlin | 0461 396 054 | media@clc.org.au
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The Central Land Council applauds the unprecedented investment of $4 billion over 10 years in new houses in remote Northern Territory communities.
“Today’s announcement is a most welcome step towards significantly reducing overcrowding in our communities and I congratulate the prime minister for investing in our people,” CLC chief executive Les Turner said.
More than half of the NT’s Aboriginal people live in overcrowded houses. This funding boost will move us much closer to achieving the Closing the Gap target of 12 percent.
“This investment goes beyond building much-needed houses. It has the potential to contribute towards closing the gap in health, education, employment and social outcomes as well.”
“I look forward to considering the detail of the commitment and working with the NT and Commonwealth governments, Aboriginal Housing NT and the other land councils to develop a genuine 10-year partnership agreement.” Mr Turner said.
Today’s announcement will see up to 270 houses built every year for a decade, according to the prime minister.
Contact: Tess O’Loughlin | 0461 396 054 | media@clc.org.au
The Central Land Council is mourning the passing of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG, who died peacefully on February 4 2024, at 91.
She was a proud Yankunytjatjara woman who devoted her life to advocating for and improving the health and well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Dr O’Donoghue played a crucial role in drafting an agreement that laid the foundation for the Native Title Act and worked out the implications of the High Court’s Mabo decision.
According to former CLC Director David Ross, who led what is now the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation at the time, Dr O’Donoghue was known for her directness when dealing with then Prime Minister Paul Keating. She understood that the High Court had opened a door that could quickly close.
Dr O’Donoghue saw an opportunity to create Native Title laws that would change Australia, and she seized it.
“Dr O’Donoghue was a tenacious leader who opened many doors for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and we owe her a debt of gratitude because without her we wouldn’t have Native Title,” said Les Turner, CEO of the Central Land Council.
Born in remote South Australia, Dr O’Donoghue was a child of the stolen generation and was taken from her mother at just two years old.
It would take 33 years for her to reunite with her mother Lily. She was raised in a children’s home and received training as a domestic worker.
Her first achievement in a life dedicated to fighting for justice for Indigenous people was becoming the first Aboriginal nurse in South Australia.
Dr O’Donoghue accomplished many remarkable feats throughout her career. She was the founding chairperson for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, the first Aboriginal to address the United Nations General Assembly, and the first Aboriginal woman appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia.
The Central Land Council extends its deepest condolences to Dr O’Donoghue’s family and friends.
Contact: Tess O’Loughlin | 0461 396 054 | media@clc.org.au