Jacinta Price

Media Statement: September 10 2024

September 10, 2024 Share

INQUIRY INTO NATIVE TITLE BODIES AND LAND COUNCILS VOTED DOWN AGAIN

The Labor government have today voted against a motion that would establish an Inquiry into Native Title bodies.

The motion was shot down by the Labor Party, the Australian Greens and Independent senators Fatima Payman, David Pocock and Tammy Tyrrell in a 31-33 vote.

The Labor government has chosen to vote against an Inquiry that would ensure that Indigenous traditional owners have fair and transparent bodies to represent their interests in land,” said Senator Nampijinpa Price.

“The Albanese government’s suggestion that this would simply be a duplication of the existing Law Reform Commission Review into Native Title is ill-conceived.”

“This Inquiry would examine the statutory bodies that have been given responsibility for the management of land and funding – that is not the ambit of the current Review being undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

“By voting against this motion, Anthony Albanese and his government are refusing to listen to the widespread frustration and desperation of Indigenous Australians who are living with the realities of a painfully broken native title system.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price said “we know that these bodies are not functioning the way they could be, and the Albanese government is shutting down any attempt to get them back on course.”

“Anthony Albanese says he wants economic independence for Indigenous Australians, but he won’t support a motion that would give them the best chance of that happening.”

“His opposition to this motion should be proof to all Australians that this is a Prime Minister and a government that is so obviously two-faced and cannot be trusted,” said Senator Nampijinpa Price

[ENDS]

Media Contact: Rebekah Hart 0459 893 181

Media Statement: August 27 2024

August 27, 2024 Share

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.