Rather than providing certainty and support to Aboriginal people in Community Living Areas (CLAs) in the NT, the Federal Government continues its obsessive march to remove control from Aboriginal Peoples.
It is understood that current leases for CLAs need to be less restrictive, and there is evidence for this from some of the larger CLAs. The Federal Government, however, intends to use this opportunity to take control over future development in these areas through sections 35 (4) and 35 (5) to the Stronger Futures legislation which allow changes to regulations without consultation with owners and where their consent is not required.
Such loss of control will deny certainty for those living in CLAs and deny them the right to self-determination.
This is disgraceful legislation and in breach of Australia’s commitments under international law. The controls that have been set are arbitrary and there is no avenue for appeal.
For more info, please see http://www.concernedaustralians.com.au/ and
http://www.respectandlisten.org/nt-intervention/stronger-futures.html
I would like to encourage you – individuals as well as groups/organizations - to also voice your opinion on this. Should you like to have your comments/submission posted at www.respectandlisten.org, even after 12 April, please send them to info@respectandlisten.org.
Should you like to make an official submission, please see:
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/community-living-area-land-reform-in-the-north...
"The Australian Government invites written feedback to the discussion paper by 12 April 2013. It is intended that written feedback will inform discussions at in-community meetings.""Feedback can be submitted by post:
Land and Economic Development Branch
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
PO Box 7576 Canberra
Business Centre ACT 2610
By email: CLAlandreform@fahcsia.gov.au
All written feedback will be made public at this web address."
Thank you very much for your kind attention
Feel free to circulate widely
Best wishes,
Sabine Kacha