Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Hansard source

I will just explain again some of the background. There has been a history of traditional owners cancelling permits that have been issued by land councils, and land councils cancelling permits issued by traditional owners. I know of some circumstances when it has in fact been for their spouse. It is very difficult to have a distant land council, which is often the case, cancel someone’s permit when it is for a spouse. The fundamental right to invite someone or to have your spouse live with you in the community is something that should not be able to be overridden by a distant land council. So, again, it is removing the power of the gatekeepers over some of the traditional owners who live on country. This just seeks to provide a clarity on that matter to stop this confusion. In terms of the law and order issue, it is always going to be a matter for the police rather than the land councils.