Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

Just briefly, Senator Ludlam, we will not be supporting these amendments. We think that the Aboriginal land rights act in itself is probably one of the most comprehensive processes run by the land councils to find those matters of free, prior and informed consent that you referred to. But this is not about the Northern Land Council; it specifically applies to land councils, and this is an insertion in there. You said that being a land council meant that it had to actually be in the Northern Territory or somewhere remote. But New South Wales has a heap of land councils, and whether you are in a piece of land in Melbourne or in South Australia and, presumably, it is not already occupied then it is extremely likely you are going to have to go through the processes within the state or territory to ascertain free, prior and informed consent. It is not only the Northern Territory land councils. But we agree with the advice that has been provided to the government with regard to the amendments, that being mentioned in two pieces of legislation is unhelpful, and we will not be supporting the amendments.