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

The Minister for Resources and Energy has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) Yes. It is noted that the Northern Land Council (NLC) provided detailed advice regarding this payment in oral testimony on 30 March 2010 to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee (at page 16 of transcript) and in a written response dated 28 April 2010 to questions on notice from the Committee (Senator Ludlam and Senator Crossin).

(2) The site nomination deed was signed by representatives of the Commonwealth, the NLC and the Muckaty Aboriginal Land Trust, rather than by individual traditional owners in their own right. This accords with the structure and requirements of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. The NLC provided detailed advice as to its disbursement of the funds in oral and written testimony to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee in 2010 (as referred to above).

(3) No.

(4) As explained above, individual traditional owners are not party to the deed under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. Accordingly, any question of such persons withdrawing from it (or associated liability as to payments received) does not legally arise.