Ms CARNEY - 2005-08-24
I refer to the letter from your CEO to the CEO of the Department of Planning and Infrastructure, a letter you say that you have not seen. In the letter, Mr Tyrrell says:
On page 4 of the document I tabled, the CLC states:
Given that you say that you govern for all Territorians, will you now reassure the cattle industry in the Northern Territory that you will not open up their pastoral leases for further claims?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the way we have approached land title issues in the Northern Territory has been a very constructive one. The way we have dealt with difficult areas, such as what we did with the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Act Framework for the Future with our parks and reserves, meant that anything that we did we certainly talked through with all stakeholders.
Because the Central Land Council has raised issues - oOf course lobby groups raise issues. - tThey want to talk to government about where they see areas of serious disadvantage. We have just heard the Education minister talk about the challenges we have with indigenous education. I congratulate the Central Land Council because - at the top of their list is indigenous education. Their priorities are absolutely right. Along with indigenous education, they are talking about land management initiatives, parks and reserves, training and employment, mining issues, economic development issues, governance and community development - a whole range of issues. I notice that the Opposition Leader has not even mentioned any of these.
When I see the detail of this, I am delighted the CLC has gone into that much detail about what they would like to talk to government about for our next term of government.
Ms Carney: Should the cattlemen be worried? That is the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Our cattlemen should be concentrating on doing what they do best;, that is, getting live cattle into the markets to our north. Our cattlemen should be very assured that their cattle stations are secure for the future in terms of their leases. That is what we want to see them do.
If the Opposition Leader wants to say there is a proposal to change that – look, there are proposals to do all kinds of things. I can say, quite clearly, to the cattlemen and women of the Northern Territory that their leases on their land are very secure. What we want to see for the future areis very cooperative arrangements. I believe we have achieved that over four years. Hopefully, we can build on that for the next four years.
I would like recognition from the Opposition Leader that this document from the CLC is not about some sort of a focus on total land issues, as seems to be almost implicit in the question, but about a whole comprehensive range of issues to do with indigenous Territorians and lifting their opportunities. I congratulate the CLC for the work they have done.
- Both the Northern and Central Land Councils have written to the Chief Minister raising a number of issues that they would like to see progressed cooperatively during the second term of government.
On page 4 of the document I tabled, the CLC states:
- There are many unmet land needs, particularly for landowners whose traditional country is covered by pastoral leases and was not available for claim.
Given that you say that you govern for all Territorians, will you now reassure the cattle industry in the Northern Territory that you will not open up their pastoral leases for further claims?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the way we have approached land title issues in the Northern Territory has been a very constructive one. The way we have dealt with difficult areas, such as what we did with the Parks and Reserves (Framework for the Future) Act Framework for the Future with our parks and reserves, meant that anything that we did we certainly talked through with all stakeholders.
Because the Central Land Council has raised issues - oOf course lobby groups raise issues. - tThey want to talk to government about where they see areas of serious disadvantage. We have just heard the Education minister talk about the challenges we have with indigenous education. I congratulate the Central Land Council because - at the top of their list is indigenous education. Their priorities are absolutely right. Along with indigenous education, they are talking about land management initiatives, parks and reserves, training and employment, mining issues, economic development issues, governance and community development - a whole range of issues. I notice that the Opposition Leader has not even mentioned any of these.
When I see the detail of this, I am delighted the CLC has gone into that much detail about what they would like to talk to government about for our next term of government.
Ms Carney: Should the cattlemen be worried? That is the question.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Our cattlemen should be concentrating on doing what they do best;, that is, getting live cattle into the markets to our north. Our cattlemen should be very assured that their cattle stations are secure for the future in terms of their leases. That is what we want to see them do.
If the Opposition Leader wants to say there is a proposal to change that – look, there are proposals to do all kinds of things. I can say, quite clearly, to the cattlemen and women of the Northern Territory that their leases on their land are very secure. What we want to see for the future areis very cooperative arrangements. I believe we have achieved that over four years. Hopefully, we can build on that for the next four years.
I would like recognition from the Opposition Leader that this document from the CLC is not about some sort of a focus on total land issues, as seems to be almost implicit in the question, but about a whole comprehensive range of issues to do with indigenous Territorians and lifting their opportunities. I congratulate the CLC for the work they have done.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016