EARLY this year, a judge will decide how to proceed with a case that could substantially alter the way Aboriginal land rights operates in the Northern Territory. The case involves the two most powerful Yolngu clans, the Gumatj and the Rirratjingu, both of which hosted Prime Minister Tony Abbott during his visit to Arnhem Land in September. It is superficially simple: a fight over power and money. But in practice the litigation challenges interpretation of the law affecting distribution of the proceeds from using Aboriginal land. Those proceeds are supposed to underpin development of remote economies, and hence Aboriginal advancement, meaning the final outcome of the case could have far-reaching consequences. It also raises questions about the role of land councils, bodies administering land rights, which have found themselves under pressure recently and are likely to be more so in 2015.
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 22:07:49 +0000
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