The National Native Title Tribunal has today registered the Northern Territory’s 100th indigenous land use agreement (ILUA).
The Kalkarindji (Lot 87) Agreement, between the Northern Territory Government, Bernard Pontiari Japalyi on behalf of the Jiyil and Yilyilimawu Gurindji Aboriginal people and the Central Land Council (CLC), enables the Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation to provide additional housing for health workers in Kalkarindji.
The agreement, negotiated by the NT Government and the CLC, allows for a Crown Lease Term to be granted to the Katherine West Health Board Aboriginal Corporation for a 924sq m block, which is potentially convertible to freehold title over the land.
The registration by the Tribunal today is the final step in the legally-binding ILUA process. The final ILUAs, between indigenous groups and others with interests in a particular area, agree on the use and management of land.
The Tribunal’s NT manager Tony Shelley said that almost a quarter of the registered ILUAs in Australia were in the NT. Nationally 440 ILUAs have been registered with 228 in Queensland.
“The large number of ILUAs registered in the NT reflects that these agreements are continuing to benefit indigenous people, government, and other land users around the Territory,” he said.
“This type of agreement can be developed to suit the needs of various parties with different types of interests, and all the land issues can be worked through.”
The Tribunal’s role in the ILUA process is to provide registration and agreement-making services to people and groups who want to formalise how land is to be used, while also respecting each other’s rights, interests and aspirations.
The Tribunal also registered the Territory’s 99th ILUA today, an agreement between the NT Government’s Department of Lands and Planning, the Northern Land Council and Jessie Brown, Ivy Brumby, Marie Dowling, Gary Manbulloo and Amy Marrapunyah on behalf of the Dragoman People and Sally Mumbin, Denise Williams and Bill Harvey Snr on behalf of the Wardaman and Jawoyn People, for a cultural precinct in Katherine.
