The Australian Parliament’s Northern Australia Committee has tabled the report of its inquiry: The engagement of traditional owners in the economic development of northern Australia.

Media release issue date: Tuesday, 8 February 2022

The Australian Parliament’s Northern Australia Committee has tabled the report of its inquiry: The engagement of traditional owners in the economic development of northern Australia. The report found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are keen to participate in the economic development of northern Australia, both for their own communities and for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Committee Chair Hon Warren Entsch MP said, ‘The challenge for traditional owners is to leverage the rights provided by native title and land rights for the economic and social advancement of their communities.’ ‘The bodies representing traditional owners have a very large burden of responsibilities and expectations placed upon them, but government funding and capacity-building support for them is insufficient. Secure, long-term funding is essential’ Mr Entsch added. Mr Entsch stressed, ‘There are important new opportunities for traditional owners in emerging sectors of the economy. These include environmental protection initiatives such as savanna burning, land management, carbon abatement and renewable energy’. ‘Opportunities like these have the special strengths of using traditional knowledge of country. They also support efforts to stay connected with country and to fulfill traditional obligations of custodianship.’ Further information, including a copy of the report, can be obtained from the Inquiry website. Media enquiries Tamara Srhoj, Office of Hon Warren Entsch MP, Chair tamara.srhoj@aph.gov.au 0438 234 306 For background information Committee Secretariat jscna@aph.gov.au 02 6277 4500

In the interest of public health the Northern Australia Committee has decided to cancel the planned public hearings in Broome, Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland and Perth.

Media release issue date: Friday, 13 March 2020

Update 13/03/2020 In the interest of public health the Northern Australia Committee has decided to cancel the planned public hearings in Broome, Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland and Perth.  Cancelled hearings Monday, 16 March 2020 Broome Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Level 1, Unit 7 Woody’s Arcade, 15-17 Dampier Terrace’ Broome Tuesday, 17 March 2020 Council Chambers Karratha, Lot 1083 Welcome Road, Karratha Wednesday, 18 March 2020 Newman House, 15 Iron Ore Pde, Newman Wednesday, 18 March 2020 WEB Business Hub – Collaboration Space, 18 Edgar Street, Port Hedland Thursday, 19 March 2020 Committee Room One, Legislative Council Committee Offices, 18-32 Parliament Place, Perth End As part of a Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament are travelling to Western Australia next week. The Northern Australia Committee is holding public hearings in Broome, Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland and Perth, and will hear evidence from Land Councils, Native Title holders, Indigenous business leaders, mining companies and other stakeholders. Committee Chair Warren Entsch says that the northern Australia policy that we have will not succeed unless we bring the Indigenous population with us on this journey of economic empowerment. ‘We've realised, as part of this Committee, that the one area where we are failing absolutely is in bringing the major landholders, our Indigenous population, with us on this journey,’ Mr Entsch said. In its submission, the Kimberley Land Council stated that ‘economic development in Northern Australia must place Indigenous people at its centre rather than on the periphery waiting for “trickle down” benefits’. It argued that ‘past experience proves that, when engaged by government and industry in good faith, Traditional Owners are empowered to identify commercial opportunities which use resources sustainably, thus protecting Indigenous-held core values of country and culture whilst building strong communities and capability’. The Government of Western Australia stated that ‘an impediment to economic development opportunities for Traditional Owners is tenure options that allow for divestment and resulting economic development opportunities, without extinguishing native title’. It argued that ‘appropriate tenure can be an enabler of new opportunities, but many communities hesitate to agree to native title being extinguished to enable the granting of new tenure’. The WA Government ‘is exploring innovative ways of minimising the impact of tenure reform on the exercise of native title rights and interests, while enabling economic development opportunities’. The Committee will hold public hearings in Broome, Karratha, Newman, Port Hedland and Perth. Programs are available on the Committee’s website. Public hearing details Date: Monday, 16 March 2020 Time: 8:30am to 2:00pm Location: Broome Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Level 1, Unit 7 Woody’s Arcade, 15-17 Dampier Terrace’ Broome Witnesses include: Kimberley Land Council True Kimberley Tours Nyamba Buru Yawuru Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation NAAKPA KALACC Kimberley Development Commission   Date: Tuesday, 17 March 2020 Time: 9:00am to 12:00pm Location: Council Chambers Karratha, Lot 1083 Welcome Road, Karratha Witnesses include: Yara Pilbara Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation Pilbara Development Commission Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation   Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2020 Time: 8:30am to 9:30am Location: Newman House, 15 Iron Ore Pde, Newman Witnesses include: Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa   Date: Wednesday, 18 March 2020 Time: 2:00pm to 3:00pm Location: WEB Business Hub – Collaboration Space, 18 Edgar Street, Port Hedland Witnesses include: IBN   Date: Thursday, 19 March 2020 Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm Location: Committee Room One, Legislative Council Committee Offices, 18-32 Parliament Place, Perth Witnesses include: Government of Western Australia Rio Tinto Gumula Enterprises Pty Ltd Vimy Resources Limited Sheffield Resources Limited Roy Hill Desert Support Services Fortescue Metals Group Ltd Regional Implementation Committee Western Desert Land Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC   The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Further details of the inquiry, including expanded terms of reference, can be found on the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Hon Warren Entsch MP warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au 07 4051 2220 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4162 jscna@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

As part of the Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, the Northern Australia Committee is holding a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow, taking evidence from government agencies, academics and Indigenous stakeholders.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 6 February 2020

As part of the Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, the Northern Australia Committee is holding a public hearing in Canberra tomorrow, taking evidence from government agencies, academics and Indigenous stakeholders. Committee Chair Warren Entsch says tomorrow’s hearing will give the Committee the opportunity to test evidence heard in the regions against the testimony of government agencies and experts. ‘We have heard a lot about the problems facing Traditional Owners in recent hearings—the significant barriers to economic development on Northern Australia. We are keen to hear from government and other leading experts about solutions to those problems. We need solutions that will promote the economic development of the North and opportunities for Indigenous communities,’ he said. In its submission, the Indigenous Reference Group (IRG) argues that ‘unless Indigenous interests in the Northern Australian economy are optimally activated, Northern Australia will at best never reach its social and economic potential and at worst, fail to develop socially and economically’. To meet this need, the IRG ‘strongly recommends either a stand-alone Northern Australian Indigenous economic development body … or a statutory re-tasking of the existing Indigenous economic development organisations to achieve this result’. The Australian National University highlighted the ‘false dichotomy’ between western individualism and Indigenous collectivism. It observed that ‘There is growing recognition in the international arena that such diverse forms of Indigenous development (cultural, heritage, intellectual property, environmental, etc.) have considerable value to the world and the economies of individual countries’. The program is available on the Committee’s website. Public hearing details Date: Friday, 7 February 2020 Time: 8:30am to 1:00pm Location: Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra Witnesses include: Indigenous Reference Group to the Ministerial Forum on Northern Development Australian National University (Submission 33 & Submission 39) Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations Indigenous Business Australia (Submission 14 & Submission 14.1) National Indigenous Australians Agency Minerals Council of Australia The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Further details of the inquiry, including expanded terms of reference, can be found on the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Hon Warren Entsch MP, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au 02 6277 4803 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4162 jscna@aph.gov.au

As part of a Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament are travelling to Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs.

Media release issue date: Monday, 9 December 2019

  As part of a Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament are travelling to Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs. The Northern Australia Committee is holding public hearings in the Northern Territory this week, and will hear evidence from Land Councils, Native Title holders, Indigenous business leaders, local councils and other stakeholders. Committee Chair Warren Entsch says that Indigenous Australians represent a major social, cultural and economic asset. ‘Traditional Owners are major landholders in Northern Australia. How we tap into that land resource is the key to promoting the economic development of Indigenous communities and the development of Northern Australia,’ he said. In its submission, the Northern Territory Government notes that ‘approximately 30% of the NT’s population is Aboriginal’, and that ‘Aboriginal Territorians own or have rights and interests in a substantial portion of the Territory’s land mass and a large majority of its coastline. This made ‘Aboriginal Territorians key drivers and partners in the NT’s economic future’. The Central Land Council emphasises that Aboriginal people were not lacking enterprise or endeavour, but ‘need to be supported and resourced to engage with the mainstream economy and capitalise on their significant social, cultural and land assets’. Critically, it noted that ‘this support must align with peoples’ aspirations and cultural traditions and practices’. The Committee will hold public hearings in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs. Programs are available on the Committee’s website. Public hearing details Date: Tuesday, 10 December 2019 Time: 9:00am to 3:00pm Location: Ballroom B, Hilton Hotel, Mitchell St, Darwin Witnesses include: Northern Territory Government Northern Land Council Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation Yingiya Mark Guyula MLA NAILSMA Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network Aboriginal Investment Group Mr Kevin Stephens Arafura Resources Limited Date: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 Time: 9:30am to 1:15pm Location: Roper Gulf Regional Council, Crawford St, Katherine Witnesses include: Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation Savanna Solutions NT Cattlemen’s Association Roper Gulf Regional Council Centrefarm/ALSEDA NARMCO Date: Thursday, 12 December 2019 Time: 10:30am to 3:00pm Location: Ballroom C, DoubleTree by Hilton, Barrett Dr, Alice Springs Witnesses include: Central Land Council Aboriginal Carbon Foundation Central Desert Regional Council MacDonnell Regional Council Mr Dennis Kunoth The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. Further details of the inquiry, including expanded terms of reference, can be found on the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Hon Warren Entsch MP, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au 02 6277 4803 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4162 jscna@aph.gov.au

As part of a Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament are travelling to the Northern Territory.

Media release issue date: Monday, 2 December 2019

  As part of a Federal Parliament inquiry into economic engagement with Traditional Owners, Members of Parliament are travelling to the Northern Territory. The Northern Australia Committee is holding public hearings in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs, and will hear evidence from Land Councils, Native Title holders, Indigenous business leaders, local councils and other stakeholders. Committee Chair Warren Entsch says that with 48% of the Territory’s land mass and 80% of its coastline granted as Aboriginal freehold, the Northern Territory is potentially a land of opportunity for Indigenous Australians—the key is finding a way to engage Indigenous people in exploring the opportunities their lands provide. The Committee will hold public hearings in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs.  Public hearing details Date: Tuesday, 10 December 2019 Time: 9:00am to 5:00pm Location: Ballroom B, Hilton Hotel, Mitchell St, Darwin Date: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 Time: 9:30am to 1:15pm Location: Roper Gulf Regional Council, Crawford St, Katherine Date: Thursday, 12 December 2019 Time: 10:30am to 3:45pm Location: Double Tree by Hilton, Barrett Drive, Alice Springs The hearings will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live. The inquiry commenced in the last Parliament, and was suspended during the election period. To date, the Committee has received 35 submissions and held four public hearings. Further details of the inquiry, including expanded terms of reference, can be found on the Committee’s website. Media inquiries Hon Warren Entsch MP, Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia warren.entsch.mp@aph.gov.au 02 6277 4803 For background information Committee Secretariat 02 6277 4162 jscna@aph.gov.au