kids encyclopedia robot

Land council facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Land councils, also known as Aboriginal land councils, are special groups in Australia. They represent Indigenous Australians, including both Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. These groups are usually set up for a specific region. They help people who lived in that area before Europeans arrived.

Land councils work to get traditional land rights recognised. They also support Indigenous people in other important areas. This includes things like fair wages and good housing. Land councils pay for themselves. They do not get money from government taxes.

The first land councils started in the Northern Territory. This happened because of a law called the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976. Later, other states made their own laws. These laws also created land councils.

This Act also set up Aboriginal land trusts (ALTs). These trusts hold the legal ownership (called freehold title) of the land. This land was given back to Indigenous people. There are 151 Aboriginal land trusts in the Northern Territory. They own almost half of the land there. Four land councils manage this land.

Land councils must listen to and get permission from the traditional owners. This means the traditional owners control their land. The land council helps them do this. Each state has its own system for Aboriginal-owned land. The groups that represent people have different names. For example, in New South Wales, there are also local Aboriginal land councils (LALCs). These local groups work closely with their communities. They support the larger land council.

What Are Land Councils?

The Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 was a big step for Australia's government. It was the first law to officially recognise Aboriginal land ownership. This law gave Indigenous people special legal ownership. This ownership is called "inalienable freehold title." It means the land cannot be taken away.

This law only applied to the Northern Territory at first. But it set an example for other states. It showed how Aboriginal people could claim land rights. These claims were based on their long history of living on the land.

The land councils help traditional owners manage their land. They make sure decisions are made with the owners' agreement. This gives control of Aboriginal-owned land to the traditional owners.

Land councils are different from Registered Native Title Body Corporates (RNTBCs). RNTBCs are funded by the government. Native title in Australia is about rights to land and water. These rights come from Indigenous people's traditional laws and customs. RNTBCs protect these native title rights. But they do not own the land itself. Land councils are not funded by taxes. They find their own ways to pay for their work.

Land Councils Across Australia

The Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 created two main land councils in the Northern Territory. These were the Central Land Council and the Northern Land Council. Later, two more were added: the Tiwi Land Council and the Anindilyakwa Land Council.

These four land councils manage nearly half of the land in the Northern Territory. This land is held by 151 Aboriginal land trusts. The traditional owners have the power to decide how their land is used. Land councils help them buy and look after their land.

New South Wales

In New South Wales, a network of local land councils (LALCs) was set up. This happened under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983. There is also a state land council. These groups do not manage land that Aboriginal people own outright.

Queensland

Queensland has both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander freehold land. This land is managed by the Aboriginal Land Act 1991 and the Torres Strait Islander Land Act 1991. This type of land makes up only 5 percent of the state.

Some land in Queensland is held under a special type of ownership. It is called a Deed of Grant in Trust (DOGIT). This land is held by the community for future generations. It cannot be sold. Some DOGIT land in cities is being changed to freehold ownership.

South Australia

In South Australia, there are three main Aboriginal land groups. They are the (South Australian) Aboriginal Lands Trust, Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY), and Maralinga Tjarutja. The South Australian Government helps these groups. They work together on projects for money, community, and land care.

Tasmania

In Tasmania, some land was given to a land council. This land is held in trust for Aboriginal Tasmanians. This happened because of the Aboriginal Lands Act 1995.

Victoria

Between 1970 and 1991, different laws gave land to Aboriginal communities in Victoria. Victoria has groups called Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs). These RAPs do similar work to land councils for Aboriginal people. Many of them are also Registered Native Title Body Corporates (RNTBCs).

Western Australia

In Western Australia, the Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority Act 1972 created the Aboriginal Lands Trust (ALT). As of 2021, the ALT is in charge of about 24 million hectares. This is about 10% of the state's land. Many communities live on 44 reserves on this land. Several land councils represent these communities.

List of Land Councils by State

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Main article: Aboriginal land councils in the Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

  • Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council

Victoria

As of July 2019, 11 Registered Aboriginal Parties (RAPs) cover about 66% of the state. They are:

Western Australia

See also: Aboriginal groupings of Western Australia

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Land council Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.