Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I table the explanatory memorandum relating to the bill and I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

It is my pleasure to introduce the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment (Scheduling) Bill 2024 (Bill) to the chamber.

The Bill adds an area of land to Schedule 1 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Land Rights Act), enabling the grant of land to an Aboriginal Land Trust and finalisation of the Wakaya Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim.

The land comprises approximately 484,000 hectares near Canteen Creek community, in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory approximately 275km south east of Tennant Creek.

The scheduling and proposed grant of Aboriginal land is supported by Traditional Owners and all relevant stakeholders, consistent with the terms of the Canteen Creek Area Indigenous Land Use Agreement executed by the Central Land Council and the Northern Territory Government under the Native Title Act 1993. The Indigenous Land Use Agreement resolves native title rights and interests over all land within the boundary of Canteen Creek Township..

The Bill recognises the rights of First Nations people to own and control their traditional lands and demonstrates Government's commitment to finalising land claims in the Northern Territory.

This Bill recognises the enduring connection of the people of the Wakaya and Alyawarre language groups with the land, which is associated with Emu and many other Dreamings. Traditional Owners have been waiting many years for resolution of this land claim. The area, along with other land, was previously subject to a land claim lodged in 1980 and subject to the Wakaya Alyawarre (Repeat) Land Claim lodged in 1990.

The Bill directly contributes to targets under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, under which governments have committed to a 15 per cent increase in legal rights and interests to land and sea by 2030. Legal recognition of rights and interests is critical to enable First Nations people to maintain distinctive cultural, spiritual, physical and economic relationships to land and waters.

Rights and interests in land are a central pillar enabling First Nations Territorians to harness economic development opportunities including from key priorities including the transition to renewable energy, Future Made in Australia and critical minerals.

The Government acknowledges the work of the Traditional Owners, Central Land Council and the Northern Territory Government to reach this significant step towards the realisation of land rights and looks forward to the finalisation of the grant of Aboriginal land to the Traditional Owners.

I commend this Bill to the chamber.

Ordered that further consideration of the second reading of this bill be adjourned to the first sitting day of the next period of sittings, in accordance with standing order 111.