Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I have pleasure in moving this amendment jointly with Senator Bartlett. As he explained, it is an attempt to ensure that Indigenous people’s access to their land, in accordance with their traditions and customs, is not interfered with unnecessarily by what we do today. In taking the quite dramatic and major step in terms of Aboriginal property rights of taking out five-year leases over townships compulsorily, it seems to us that we have to be sensitive and protect the capacity of Indigenous people to observe cultural and traditional practices.

This amendment is about ensuring that Aboriginal property rights are protected. It will send a signal to Indigenous people that this intervention is not about removing their right to practise and observe their culture and that we are conscious of and sensitive to their needs in taking this action. We think it is an important amendment in that it makes clear the sort of assurance that the government has provided. We also think it is important that the legislation reflects that, because it will allow confidence in both the operation of the act and the intentions of the parliament, and that the parliament expresses the intention reflected in the act. This will send a very clear signal to Indigenous people that it is not the parliament’s intention to interfere with their right of access to land or with their observation of traditions and customs.