The Greens and Labor are exchanging preferences in Saturday’s NT election, with candidate Blair McFarland claiming that the major problem for local Aboriginal people is poverty.
Yet they own half the Territory’s land, about 700,000 square kilometres. How much of this is used or leased for commercial purposes?
Editor ERWIN CHLANDA put this question to Australia’s new Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, one of the Territory’s two Senators since 2016.
She deflected several questions to the Central Land Council but its CEO, Lesley Turner, declined to be interviewed.
McCARTHY: I have to get the figures for you but what I can say is that I have raised the issue of poverty consistently, especially the cost of living situation.
NEWS: What’s the annual earnings of enterprises on Aboriginal land?
McCARTHY: I can certainly get those issues for you. Look at organisations such as the Arnhem Land Progress Association, which has an incredibly high turnover, in the millions, in the shops they have, not only in Northern but also a couple in Central Australia. I believe Mutitjulu is one of them. These organisations have been run significantly well. I can certainly get other examples for you.
NEWS: The MacDonnell Ranges (pictured, Finke River and Mt Sonder) are probably the biggest tourism magnet in Central Australia. They are owned by Aboriginal people. Yet there are just minor Indigenous enterprises there, the Standley Chasm restaurant, a canteen at Ormiston Gorge and sometimes the small Glen Helen resort.
McCARTHY: We also have tourism businesses, you only have to look at the awards in Alice Springs on Saturday night. You’ve got a whole list of businesses that won awards.
The Minister was referring to the 2024 Blak Business Awards when the 14 category winners included these from Alice Springs: Kungkas Can Cook; Ltyentye Apurte Traditional Craft Centre; Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation (Standley Chasm); No Fixed Gallery; Rachel Ellis Centre Pest Management; Courtney Summers SUMTIMESSAD and Penangke Cultural Consultants.
NEWS: Do you think the Central Land Council (CLC) should have a leading role in setting up businesses on Aboriginal land?
McCARTHY: Under the Aboriginal Landrights Act the initial statutory responsibility of the land councils is supporting traditional owners with what it is they wish to do on their land. There is no doubt the CLC plays an important part to assist traditional owners in that. You would need to ask them further questions. If you are a traditional owner or not a traditional owner you should always have the opportunity to find yourself in business if that’s the direction you wish to go.
The CLC says online its “multi-disciplinary team includes Aboriginal people with expert traditional knowledge, rangers, community development professionals, ecologists, lawyers, anthropologists, geologists, accountants, bookkeepers, librarians and trades people”. Business managers or advisors are not mentioned.
NEWS: Should the CLC have expert staff who either set up Aboriginal businesses for the traditional owners or attract them to Aboriginal land?
McCARTHY: Some traditional owners may not want to set up businesses. They may wish to just set up homes to raise they children and to look after country, like in the role of a ranger program where they are caring for country, not just for themselves but the broader community, burning off, making sure there are no major bushfires, but also to look after our animal species. That is a really strong role. There are different capacities in which the CLC can be involved.
The Minister said we would need to ask the CLC whether they are involved in negotiations with major companies, and we should ask the gold mine Newmont in the Tanami how many local Indigenous people are working there.
NEWS: How much does Newmont pay in royalties under the Landrights Act?
McCARTHY: That would have to be a question for the Central Land Council.
NEWS: The CLC, Congress and Tangentyere are the shareholders of Centrecorp. Its assets, at least some of them, are commonly known. But their value and earnings are not, believed to be in the hundreds of millions. Should they be means tested? Should they spend their own money before they get taxpayers’ funds from your government?
[In March Centrecorp is believed to have sold its share in Peter Kittle Motor Company which now has a new owner.]
McCARTHY: Our investment in Congress is quite substantial because of the health gaps and the life expectancy of First Nations people. We recognise the enormous responsibility of Closing the Gap and Congress plays a massive part in that. If they want to take on other ventures or moving into other areas then those questions would have to go to the Congress board.
Minister McCarthy said she is impressed with Centrefarm’s operation in Ali Curung, and the quantities of produce given the “tiny” size of the community: “Hats off to them. They are doing a terrific job.”
NEWS: Some people say most of the harvesting is done by itinerant backpackers and others from outside the community.
McCARTHY: I can certainly say the day I visited they were all Aboriginal people from Ali Curung and they were very proud to show me around. There were certainly no backpackers when I was there.
Meanwhile some of Prime Minister Albanese’s $250m over four years is hitting the ground, including increasing funding for police, domestic violence services and youth services; expanding domestic violence services in remote communities; delivering Traditional Owner community night patrols in Alice Springs; improving access to preventative health services for children and families with early intervention, FASD and autism diagnosis and support; supporting more alcohol and other drugs treatment and rehabilitation services; increasing funding for every school in Central Australia, getting more kids to school and keeping them there; funding the construction of 20 beds to provide safe short-term accommodation in Alice Springs; improving lighting and safety measures at community spaces across Alice Springs; building better health infrastructure, such as the Todd Street Health hub and backing more youth programs and activities in Town Camps with a new purpose built Mobile Youth Hub Bus.
More than $216m has been allocated and the government is working with stakeholders to determine the allocation of the remaining $34m.
UPDATE 21/8/24 at 12 noon
A spokesperson for the Minister provided this statement:
The extent of land leased for commercial purposes is a matter for the Northern Territory Land Councils who have responsibilities under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (ALRA) to consult with Traditional Aboriginal owners about land use proposals on Aboriginal land and to negotiate with proponents about developments.
Annual earnings are a commercial matter for those enterprises who operate on Aboriginal land.