Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister advise the Senate on the government's Indigenous land reform agenda, including progress on negotiating township leases in the Northern Territory?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for the question and his longstanding interest in these matters. Last year marked the 40th anniversary of Aboriginal land rights in the Northern Territory. I know that Senator McCarthy, as part of the Yanyuwa group, has been there—and I have been there with her. There is this sense of 'now it will change', 'now it is going to be different for us'. I think it is reasonable to say that we just have not delivered on that reasonable expectation of 'this will mean something different for me economically'. That is why we have worked side-by-side with communities to ensure we can negotiate practical land reform solutions that meet the particular individual needs of communities across the Territory.

I recently had the very great honour of being able to attend at the base of Uluru a leasing ceremony for Mutitjulu—the long-term leases over individual lots, and particularly local decision-making for the community about land about their land. This is the first township lease that has been finalised since 2007. There are a number of others in the pipeline. We are the first government, I think, to properly consider community-controlled leases. I am not saying we have done well, but it is a lesson for everybody. We thought we had the answer. Eventually, when nothing seemed to be working, we said to the community, 'How do you think it will be?' and, remarkably, in different ways and in different places, they have put up the solutions. I would particularly like to acknowledge Sammy Wilson, Dorothea Randall and Craig Woods in Mutitjulu. I really appreciate your work. And I would like to thank traditional owners from right across the Territory for the advice that you provided me to get to this particular point. I hope it is a reflection not so much of government but of parliament. I know that people will be using these lessons on the other side when they come to the treasury bench. I am very pleased to be working in partnership with those traditional owners. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a supplementary question.

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister explain how land reform supports more jobs and business development in remote communities across Australia?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Land reform is absolutely critical if we are going to support better outcomes for Indigenous communities. Whether you want to get a job, you want it to own your own house or you want to get into a business, just like everyone else, land reform is critical. These are long-term transferable land use agreements so people can start their own business or build their own house. Residents need land tenure arrangements to be able to go to the bank and access a loan that every other Australian just takes for granted. If you want to leave something, you normally leave your own property. In Mutitjulu, I spoke to the residents about their plans for a tourism business, their plans for an arts centre and their continued plans for land tenure arrangements under the township lease.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Smith, a final supplementary questions.

Dean Smith (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What other measures is the government delivering to support the better use of Indigenous land, including through the government's developing Northern Australia agenda.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Northern Australian white paper announced a range of measures to assist Indigenous economic participation. Over $20 million is being provided to support native title holders, and that is in the prescribed body corporates, so that is the organisation that is effectively made up of the court of determinations in native title. This is the first time that we have provided funding directly to those native title holders and supported communities, including those in your home state like Gooniyandi. We have provided $17 million towards cadastral surveys—that is area mapping and those sorts of things—$12 million to expand opportunities for Indigenous ranger groups and $10 million for land pilots. But the most important is the first $20 million we provided to provide equity. We have a developer come to your community. You have only just had this land that you have lost forever being handed back to you. This will give you equity. You can buy expertise and have legal advice like everyone else in the arrangement.