Patrick Gorman (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I present the explanatory memorandum to this bill and move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

It is my pleasure to introduce the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Scheduling) Bill 2024 (Bill) to the chamber.

The bill adds an area of land to schedule 1 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976(Land Rights Act), enabling the grant of land to an Aboriginal Land Trust and finalisation of the Wakaya Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim.

The land comprises approximately 484,000 hectares near Canteen Creek community, in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory approximately 275km south east of Tennant Creek.

The scheduling and proposed grant of Aboriginal land is supported by Traditional Owners and all relevant stakeholders, consistent with the terms of the Canteen Creek Area Indigenous Land Use Agreement executed by the Central Land Council and the Northern Territory Government under the Native Title Act 1993. The Indigenous Land Use Agreement resolves native title rights and interests over all land within the boundary of Canteen Creek Township..

The bill recognises the rights of First Nations people to own and control their traditional lands and demonstrates government's commitment to finalising land claims in the Northern Territory.

The bill recognises the enduring connection of the people of the Wakaya and Alyawarre language groups with the land, which is associated with emu and many other dreamings. Traditional owners have been waiting for many years for resolution of this land claim. The area, along with other land, was previously subject to a land claim lodged in 1980 and subject to the Wakaya Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim lodged in 1990.

The bill directly contributes to targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, under which governments have committed to a 15 per cent increase in legal rights and interests to land and sea by 2030. Legal recognition of rights and interests is critical to enable First Nations people to maintain distinctive cultural, spiritual, physical and economic relationships to land and waters.

Rights and interests in land are a central pillar enabling First Nations Territorians to harness economic development opportunities, including from key priorities, including the transition to renewable energy, Future Made in Australia and critical minerals.

The government acknowledges the work of the traditional owners, the Central Land Council and the Northern Territory government to reach this significant step towards the realisation of land rights and looks forward to the finalisation of the grant of Aboriginal land to the traditional owners.

I commend this bill to the chamber.

Debate adjourned.

Leave granted for second reading debate to resume at a later hour this day.