PRESS CTRL AND SHIFT TO EDIT Northern Edition April 2021 • www.nlc.org.au Learning on Country: connecting school students to work on country MeetJack Greenthe NLC receives Deputy lifetime Chair FightingNLC slams Gamba illegal grass activity across on the LeadershipMinister Wyatt training talks for Covid-19, Richardachievement Dixon award NorthernAboriginal Territory land womenremote housingrangers and policing 1 Australia’s oldest Aboriginal newspaper. Since 1973. NEWS EDITORIAL Land Rights News Striking a fair balance between TOs’ Northern Edition is published by Samuel sea country rights and access for Bush-Blanasi for the Northern Land Council. recreational fishers Land Rights News A message about Aboriginal sea country from the NLC Chairman welcomes stories and Samuel Bush-Blanasi photos about Aboriginal people and organisations. High Court of Australia in 2008. Since 2008, the NLC has Contact Bob Gosford built on that win in the High and Leah McLennnan at court by negotiating with the [email protected] NT Government and other stakeholders. All the time, we know we have to protect the rights and interests of the sea country mob. We also have to look after NLC CONTACTS Aboriginal people who want Northern Land Council to do commercial fishing on 45 Mitchell St their land like at Maningrida, Darwin NT 0820 Port Keats and hopefully (08) 8920 5100 more in the future. In 2019 at Nitmiluk, the www.nlc.org.au NLC signed a comprehensive agreement with the NT Government and the other stakeholders. It was the biggest step forward in 10 FOLLOW US years of tough negotiations. @northernlandcouncil In 2020, we signed an implementation agreement with the NT Government. @NLC_74 Recreational fishers can already access more than @northernlandcouncil one thousand kilometres of sea country under Long Watch NLC TV on Mr Bush-Blanasi says fishos need to register before casting a line in Aboriginal coastal waters Term Agreements made YouTube by searching in 2013 on our terms and Northern Land Council HELLO you mob, I want to mob across the Top End miles from the coast. that support strong sea give you an update about welcomed Macassan traders When the Land Rights Act country management. Aboriginal sea country. into our country for many was presented to Parliament From 1 March 2021 From 1 March 2021 years. Aboriginal people by the Whitlam government recreational fishers have SUBSCRIPTIONS there have been some across the Top End were the in October 1975 it allowed been able to register for To subscribe fill changes to how our sea first international traders for sea rights out to 2 miles an automatic permit to out the online form country is dealt with. in this country! from the shoreline. access an additional 2,000 at www.nlc.org.au These changes will mean We lost control of a The Whitlam government kilometres of sea country that our sea country mob lot of our land and sea was thrown out of – again under strong will have more information country for +many years. It government the next month. conditions – until the end about who is on sea country was only in the 1960s and When the Land Rights Act of December 2022. and why. This will give our 70s that we started to get came back to the Parliament We reckon this ADVERTISING rangers more information so organized to fight for our under the Fraser government is a fair deal. Rates are at www.nlc.org. they can protect our sacred Land Rights. At Yirrkala, in 1976, the 2 miles of We are calling this the Blue au/media-publications or sites, homelands and other at Newcastle Waters, at sea rights for Traditional Mud Bay registration process email [email protected] dearly held areas. Wave Hill, in Darwin and Owners was gone. in recognition of the landmark Circulation These new arrangements many other places. But we never forgot about High Court case. 3,000 print allow for us to share our sea The NLC started fighting fighting for our sea country. There is a lot more country – in a fair way and on for land and sea rights We started off with the information on the NLC our terms and in our law. nearly 50 years ago. Croker Island case and while website and the NLC We’ve been sharing It’s been a long, hard fight we didn’t win all we wanted, Facebook page. This isn’t COVERS our country with visitors and we’ve won a lot of our our native title rights in sea the last step in the ongoing Back cover: Barunga for around 400 years now. land back over the years. country were recognized. fight to strengthen our sea Festival, 11-13 June 2021 That’s a long time before In 1973, the NLC told the In 2002, the NLC started country rights. I look forward Captain Cook sailed into Federal government that we the Blue Mud Bay case that to updating you more in Botany Bay. Saltwater wanted sea rights out to 12 was finally decided by the the near future. 2 Land Rights News • Northern Edition April 2021 • www.nlc.org.au NLC EXECUTIVE COUNCIL Governance training refresher for NLC Executive Council In February members of the NLC Executive Council attended three days of governance training provided by the Australian Institute of Company Directors. DURING the training members learnt about the roles and responsibilities of being company directors, how to read and interpret financial statements and reports, and the importance of strategic planning and identification and monitoring of risks. It was a long three days following the Executive Council meeting, with a lot of discussion about how to improve and NLC Executive Council in Darwin, February 2021. Back R-L: Bill Danks, Matthew Ryan, Samuel Bush- strengthen the NLC. Blanasi, Djawa Yunupingu, Richard Dixon, Front L-R: Brian Pedwell, Chris Neade, Grace Daniels, Helen Lee Meet NLC’s Full Council deadly Deputy Chair Mr Dixon RICHARD Dixon is a Garawa man from Robinson River and is one the senior Traditional Owners for the community. He is a member and former director of the Gulf Savannah NT Aboriginal Corporation, whose principal function is to provide Community Development Program services to the Gulf region. He is also a member and former Deputy Chairman of the Mungoorbada Aboriginal Corporation, which delivers a range of essential services to Robinson River residents, including through its community store. His vision is to help his people and the government NLC Deputy Chair Richard Dixon is a Garawa man from Robinson River to work together. THE Ngukurr Arts Centre has launched In memory of Mr L Norman its latest exhibition of work—Bla Mela Kantri (Our Country)—from the small THE Chairman, CEO, members and staff of the Northern Land Council mourn the passing of former NLC Executive Council member Mr L Norman, but culturally and creatively active who had also represented the NLC as a representative for Borroloola community of Ngukurr on the Roper River since the 1990s. south-east of Katherine. Mr Norman was educated at Borroloola and St John’s College in Darwin. He was a revered Yanyula elder of the Mambaliya-Wawukarriya clan group who worked for many years with the Li-anthawirriyarra Sea The exhibition will run until 10 May 2021. Rangers and was instrumental in the establishment and operation of the Yanyuwa Indigenous Protected Area since 2011 and of which he was particularly proud. For more information on the ‘Bla Mela Mr Norman was a long-term member of the Aboriginals Benefit Kantri’ exhibition go to the Godinymayin Account, had served as Deputy Chairman of the Gulf Health Services and Yijard Rivers website at was a member of the Mawurli and Wirriwangkurna Aboriginal Corporation. In 1988 he played a key role in the films Journey East (Buwarrala https://gyracc.org.au/ Akarriya), followed by Aeroplane Dance (Ka-wayawayama) in 1994 and worked as a key advisor on many other projects that served to preserve and protect his beloved sea country. Mr Norman also played an important role in ensuring that knowledge of and love for country was passed onto emerging generations of Traditional Owners and custodians of land and sea country. Mr Norman will be sadly missed by all of us in the Northern Land Council family and we send our heartfelt condolences to Mr Norman’s family, kin and friends. He will be sadly missed by us all. April 2021 • www.nlc.org.au Land Rights News • Northern Edition 3 CARING FOR COUNTRY Meet our rangers: What do you love about your job? “I love being out on country in the peace and quiet rather than being on the internet!” Natalie Blitner, Wardaman Rangers “It’s good going out on country. I spent a lot of time out there with our elders. Plus I go to school and learn kids about bush tucker and they’ll learn their culture.” Daphne Huddleston, Wagiman Rangers “It’s important to look after the country and teach our children.” Josie Davies, Waanyi Garawa “It’s important to look after our country and protect our sacred “I love getting out on the river sites.” Karen Noble, and patrolling.” Cindy Archie, Garawa Rangers Timber Creek In late March, the Caring for Country Women’s Leadership Forum took place, attendees included:Jana Daniels, Yugul Mangi; Eva Nungamadjbarr, Numbulwar; Joanne Pomery, Numbulwar; Eslyn Wauchope, Garngi; Cindy Archie, Timber Creek; Josie Davies, Waanyi Garawa; Sonia Shadforth, Garawa; Karen Noble, Garawa; Natalie Blitner, Wardaman; Daphne Huddleston, Wagiman; Teresa Burr Burr, Bulgul; Sheila White, Malak Malak; Charmaine Mininikirr, Mardbalk; Sharon Jimarin, Wudicupildiyerr, Sherylin Umbull, Wudicupildiyerr, Sophie Simon, Gajerrong; Desiree Simon, Gajerrong; Mary Blythe, “I love caring for country, learning different things every day and Training; Penny Mules, W&Y Coordinator teaching our next generation.” Jana Daniels, Yugul Mangi 4 Land Rights News • Northern Edition April 2021 • www.nlc.org.au HEALTH COVID-19 vaccines: your questions answered Do you want to know more about the COVID-19 vaccines? These answers have been compiled by Danila Dilba Health Service using resources from the Australian d e n g si e D a ki Government Department of Health.