Barry Wakelin (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Would the minister inform the House how the government is performing with land tenure in remote Aboriginal communities to encourage home ownership and commercial activity? Are Aboriginal communities taking up this opportunity? Are there any alternative policies?

Mal Brough (Longman, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Grey, who represents many remote Indigenous communities in South Australia. Many Australians are probably unaware that there is a small percentage of fellow Australians who are incapable of owning their own home where they choose to live and who are not able to own their own business or to start any enterprise. That is because we do not allow them to have ownership in their own right, because, under a system that has been in place since 1976, land in these areas can be owned only by corporations, not individuals. On 5 October last year, this government undertook to open up Aboriginal townships in these circumstances and, under the Northern Territory Aboriginal Land Rights Act, to establish long-term leases—such as the 99-year leases that occur here in the ACT. This would enable these Indigenous people to have exactly the same rights and the same aspirations as all other Australians—that is, to be able to own their own home, to be able to own their own business, to be able to grow and be part of the market economy. To date, in many parts of Australia, this has been simply impossible.

Last week I travelled to the Tiwi islands to sign what I believe is an historical heads of agreement document with the Tiwi people. This will allow the town of Nguiu—the centre of the community—to be leased back. For the first time, these people can join in the economic benefits that this country has been enjoying. The people of the Tiwi islands have shown great leadership to step out from what could have been seen as a comfort zone. They are an inspiration to other Indigenous communities. They have embraced what the Howard government is putting forward to them and, in doing so, they are seeing a new future for their young people.

While I was up there, I was also very pleased to announce that the federal government would add another $10 million to the community to enable them to establish a community secondary college. It is because they understand the value of education that they want to see a new path; they recognise that the path they have been on for many, many years has been substandard and has failed their community. They want to embrace home ownership, they want to be part of the market economy and they want to go forward. The Howard government stands by them and with them and will support them the whole way to ensure that they can enjoy the same rights, responsibilities and opportunities as all Australians.