LOCAL ARRERNTE ELDERS CALL FOR AN INQUIRY INTO THE CENTRAL LAND COUNCIL

Today in Alice Springs Arrernte elders and traditional owners Veronica Ngkwarraye Lynch, Margaret Ngkwarraye Lynch, and Sabella Ngkwarraye Turner all called for the Prime Minister to launch an Inquiry into the Central Land Council.

“They’ve had enough of it,” said Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price who appeared at the press conference today in Alice Springs with three Arrernte elders.

“The bullying, the poor governance and lack of accountability has reached a breaking point with the Central Land Council’s treatment of Chair Matthew Palmer,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

“It is symptomatic of Land Councils’ dysfunction more broadly and it is why we need an Inquiry. The Prime Minister and the Australian Parliament cannot ignore this call from Veronica, Margaret, and Sabella.”

The three Arrernte elders alleged the recent conduct of the of the Central Land Council breached the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976, and called for the formation of breakaway Land Councils based on language groupings.

“For too long the Central Land Council has been the focal point for group and family conflict, with many members telling me privately that this sort of conflict is in fact weaponised by members to achieve certain goals. Devolved Land Councils based on language groups, with greater transparency and accountability measures desperately need to be on the table,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

“The Prime Minister and the bureaucracy may not like it, but the path towards closing the gap amongst the most marginalised Indigenous Australians leads through scrutiny of the Land Councils. They are the most important organisations in the lives of our most marginalised and cannot be left to operate as they have been,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.