Northern Land Council facts for kids

The Northern Land Council (NLC) is an important group that helps Aboriginal people in the Top End of Australia's Northern Territory. Its main office is in Darwin. The NLC started in 1974. It grew from the long fight by Australian Aboriginal people for fair pay and their rights to land. This included a famous event in 1966, when the Gurindji people went on strike and walked off Wave Hill cattle station. This was part of many efforts for Indigenous land rights.

How the NLC Began

The NLC's story began with a big step towards land rights for Aboriginal people. In February 1973, the Australian Government, led by Gough Whitlam, set up a special inquiry called the Aboriginal Land Rights Commission. This group was asked to find out how Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could get their land back.

Justice Woodward's Recommendations

Justice Woodward led this inquiry. In July 1973, he suggested that two main groups, the Northern Land Council and the Central Land Council, should be created. These groups would help Aboriginal people share their ideas and wishes about land rights.

The Land Rights Act

A new law, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, was written based on these ideas. Even though the government changed, the law was passed by the Fraser Government on 16 December 1976. It officially started on Australia Day, 26 January 1977. This law was a huge step. For the first time, Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could claim rights to land based on their traditional connections. It allowed them to get back ownership of most Aboriginal reserve lands. They could also claim other land that was not already owned or used by others. The Northern Land Council itself was officially set up in 1974. Kathy Mills was the first woman to be chosen to be part of the Northern Land Council.

What the NLC Does

The NLC has a very important job. It talks with traditional owners and other Aboriginal people who have a connection to Aboriginal land. They discuss how the land should be used and looked after. This includes talking about things like tourism, mining, and other businesses wanting to use the land.

Working Together

Sometimes, the NLC helps many different Aboriginal landowner groups and other affected people come together. They work to find agreements and make decisions about the land. Many Aboriginal people in the NLC's area live in bigger towns. As of 2012, there were about 200 communities spread across Aboriginal land in the NLC's area. These ranged from small family groups on outstations to larger settlements with up to 3,000 people.

How the NLC is Organized

The Northern Land Council is a group that represents Aboriginal people. It has special powers under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It also has duties under the Native Title Act 1993.

Other Land Councils

The NLC is one of four land councils in the Northern Territory, and it is the largest. The others are:

• the Central Land Council (CLC), which covers the southern part of the territory.
• the Tiwi Land Council, which looks after the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin.
• the Anindilyakwa Land Council, which covers Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Decision-Making

The main group that makes decisions for the NLC is called the Full Council. As of 2021, it had 78 elected members and five women who were chosen to join, making 83 members in total. There is also a smaller Executive Council and several Regional Councils. The NLC works across seven regions: Darwin/Daly/Wagait, West Arnhem, East Arnhem, Katherine, Victoria River District (VRD), Ngukurr, and Borroloola/Barkly.

NLC Offices

The main office of the NLC is in Darwin. The NLC's area in the Top End is divided into seven regions, each with its own regional office. The main office and the Royalties Office are located in Darwin City.

Regional Offices

The regional offices that represent the seven districts are in:

• Katherine
• Jabiru (for West Arnhem)
• Nhulunbuy (for East Arnhem)
• Tennant Creek
• Ngukurr
• Borroloola (for Barkly/Borroloola)
• Timber Creek (for Victoria River district)

Important People at the NLC

Here are some of the people who have played important roles at the NLC:

Current Leaders

• Jessie Schaecken became the Interim CEO (Chief Executive Officer) of the NLC on 15 March 2024.
• As of October 2022, Samuel Bush-Blanasi is the NLC Chair. He has been on the council for seven terms and has been chairman three times. He is also a talented artist and helped start groups like the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists.
• Joe Martin-Jard became the CEO on 22 December 2021. Before this, he was the CEO of the Central Land Council.

Past Leaders

• Silas Ngulati Roberts was the very first chairman of the NLC, serving from 1974 until about 1982.
• Marion Scrymgour was the CEO from March 2019 to July 2021. She was the first woman to be a CEO of any land council in the Northern Territory.
• John Bugy Bugy Christophersen (around 1951–2021) was a strong supporter of Indigenous rights for a long time. He represented the Kakadu area. He helped organize a big protest in Sydney in 1988 and became a vice-president of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples in 1990.
• Kathy Mills (around 1935 – 24 April 2022) was the first woman ever chosen to be part of the Northern Land Council.

Land Rights News Newspaper

Land Rights News is a very important newspaper for Aboriginal people. It is the longest-running Aboriginal newspaper.

History of the Newspaper

In April 1976, the Central Land Council started the first edition of Central Australian Land Rights News. Then, in July 1976, the NLC launched its own paper, Land Rights News: A Newsletter for Aboriginals and Their Friends. The main goal of these newspapers was to give Aboriginal people correct information about land rights. They also wanted to correct wrong information, explain complex native title issues in detail, and challenge unfair ideas about Aboriginal people often seen in other Australian newspapers. They also encouraged readers to take action.

In September 1985, the two land councils worked together to create Land Rights News: One Mob, One Voice, One Land (LRN). This newspaper won an award in 1988 for promoting peace. In 1989, it won another award for print media.

Current Publication

From 2011 and as of October 2022, Land Rights News is published three times a year. It comes out in two different versions: "Central Australia" and "Northern Edition". It is still the longest-running Aboriginal newspaper. It is also the only printed newspaper published in Central Australia.