Northern Land Council facts for kids

The Northern Land Council (NLC) is a special group that helps Aboriginal people in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. Its main office is in Darwin.

The NLC was started in 1974. But its story really began with Aboriginal people fighting for fair pay and their land rights. A big moment was the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill cattle station in 1966. This and other actions helped lead to the NLC being formed.

How the NLC Started

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 rights to their traditional lands.

A judge named Justice Woodward suggested that two land councils should be created: the Northern Land Council and the Central Land Council. These councils would help share the views of Aboriginal people.

A law about land rights was planned, but the government changed before it could be passed. Later, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 became law on 16 December 1976. It started working on Australia Day, 26 January 1977.

This new law was very important. For the first time, Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could claim rights to land based on their traditional connection to it. It meant that ownership of most Aboriginal reserve lands could be given to them. They could also claim other land that wasn't already owned or used by someone else.

Kathy Mills was a very important person. She was the first woman ever elected to the Northern Land Council.

What the NLC Does

The main job of the Northern Land Council is to talk with traditional owners and other Aboriginal people. They discuss how Aboriginal land should be used and managed. This includes talking about things like tourism, mining, and other businesses that want to use the land.

Sometimes, the NLC helps many different Aboriginal groups come together to make decisions. This can be a big job, as many groups need to agree.

Many Aboriginal people in the NLC's area live in towns. As of 2012, there were about 200 communities on Aboriginal land. These communities range from small family groups on outstations to larger settlements with up to 3,000 people.

How the NLC is Run

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.

The NLC is one of four land councils in the Northern Territory. It is the largest one. The other three are:

• the Central Land Council (CLC), which covers the southern part of the NT.
• 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.

The main group that makes decisions is called the Full Council. As of 2021, it has 78 elected members and five extra women members, making 83 members in total. There are also smaller groups called the Executive Council and Regional Councils.

The NLC works across seven areas in the Top End. These areas include Darwin/Daly/Wagait, West Arnhem, East Arnhem, Katherine, Victoria River District (VRD), Ngukurr, and Borroloola/Barkly.

NLC Offices and Leaders

The main office of the Northern Land Council is in Darwin.

The NLC also has seven regional offices. These offices help people in different parts of the Top End. The regional offices 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

As of October 2022, the NLC has important leaders:

• The NLC Chair is Samuel Bush-Blanasi. He has been on the council for many years and has been chairman three times. He is also an artist. He helped start groups like the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists.
• Joe Martin-Jard is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer). He started this role in December 2021. Before this, he was the CEO of the Central Land Council.

Some important people from the past include:

• Marion Scrymgour was the first woman CEO of any land council in the Northern Territory. She was CEO from March 2019 to July 2021.
• John Bugy Bugy Christophersen (around 1951–2021) was a strong supporter of Indigenous rights. He passed away in April 2021. He helped organize a big protest in Sydney in 1988.
• Kathy Mills (around 1935 – 24 April 2022) was the first woman to be elected to the Northern Land Council.

Land Rights News Newspaper

Land Rights News is the longest-running Aboriginal newspaper.

In 1976, both the Central Land Council and the Northern Land Council started their own newspapers. The NLC's paper was called 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 show a different side of stories than what was in other Australian newspapers.

In 1985, the two land councils joined forces to create one newspaper called Land Rights News: One Mob, One Voice, One Land. This newspaper won an award in 1988 for promoting peace. It also won a print media award in 1989.

Since 2011, Land Rights News has been published three times a year. It comes out in two 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.