Aboriginal land councils in the Northern Territory facts for kids
Aboriginal land councils in the Northern Territory are special groups that help Aboriginal people manage their traditional lands. They are like representatives for different areas in the Northern Territory of Australia. These councils make sure Aboriginal people have a say in how their lands are used and protected.
What Are Land Councils?
There are four main land councils in the Northern Territory. Each one looks after a different part of the land:
- The Anindilyakwa Land Council covers Groote Eylandt. This island is in the Gulf of Carpentaria.
- The Central Land Council is in the southern part of the Northern Territory. It represents about 24,000 Aboriginal people across a very large area.
- The Northern Land Council covers the top part of the Northern Territory, known as the Top End.
- The Tiwi Land Council looks after Bathurst and Melville Islands. These islands are north of Darwin.
How Land Councils Started
The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was a very important law. It was the first time Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could officially claim rights to their land. This was based on their traditional connection to the land. The law allowed many Aboriginal reserve lands to be given back to Aboriginal ownership. It also gave them a chance to claim other lands that were not already owned or used by someone else.
The land councils were created by this law. They have special powers and duties. They also have responsibilities under other laws, like the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992.
These councils get their funding from a special account called the Aboriginals Benefit Account. This account collects money from mining royalties on Aboriginal land.
In the past, during the Northern Territory Emergency Response, the Australian Government temporarily leased some town areas. These areas were held under the Native Title Act 1993. The government provided payment for these leases.
