NT chief minister's Garma town promise on land rights anniversary

The Northern Territory chief minister has used her first appearance at the Garma Festival to promise the town of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land will stay in Aboriginal hands for the future.There has been much anxiety about what will happen to the Northern Territory town, as the region prepares for the looming end of its major employer, a Rio Tinto bauxite mine, in 2029.Currently, the town's lease is held by Rio Tinto, but a new "in-principle" agreement will see the lease handed over to the local Rirratijingu clan after Rio eventually surrenders its lease. Lia Finocchiaro has used her first Garma Festival speech to promise land and fuel security in north-east Arnhem Land after its main employer leaves town. (ABC News: Marcus Kennedy)'Importance of this cannot be glossed over'Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said the agreement would see a "long-term, traditional-owner-led tenure model that supports an open town, tradeable titles, and future investment"."We have supported Rirratjingu, who have clearly said that they want long-term sub-lease arrangements when Rio Tinto concludes its operations in 2029," she said."This agreement will provide confidence and certainty for home ownership, business investment, and lending and finance, so that the full potential of this region and its people can be achieved."The importance of this cannot be glossed over."It is structurally and symbolically critical to the future of this region and acts as a cornerstone decision on which the future will be laid."Rirratjingu Aboriginal Corporation chairperson Wanyubi Marika said in a statement that his board was "encouraged by the progress that has been made on this important part of securing the future of our region"."We will continue to work with our members, the Northern Land Council, the NT government, and others to ensure our culture endures through economic strength and social cohesion," he said.The Nhulunbuy land tenure announcement comes as long-term businesses prepare to sell up and leave the region, including Nhulunbuy's long-standing Woolworths supermarket.It also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the NT Aboriginal Land Rights Act.The agreement has been made on the 50th anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, and has been welcomed by the Gove Peninsula's Aboriginal clan groups. (ABC News: Hamish Harty)Fuel security and homelands announcementsMs Finocchiaro also made a separate announcement that the government had joined forces with both the Rirratjingu and Gumatj clans to call for greater fuel security in the region post-mining."Earlier this year, after the war in the Middle East exposed the fragility of Australia's fuel supply chains, the Commonwealth committed $3.2 billion to establish a one billion litre Australian Fuel Security Reserve of diesel and aviation gas for the regions," she said."Today, I am calling on the prime minister, with the support of Gumatj and Rirratjingu Corporations, for the Commonwealth government to make the Gove Peninsula a critical part of that national solution."The ABC has seen a letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese from Ms Finocchiaro together with the Gumatj and Rirratjingu, calling for the Commonwealth to help recommission seven Rio Tinto tanks to be used as a future fuel base, to help power the Gove region's future.Gumatj Corporation chief executive Klaus Helms said the Commonwealth should look to upgrade Rio Tinto's existing infrastructure, rather than building new facilities elsewhere."We have infrastructure that can do a lot of things here, but there seems to be reluctance by governments to actually put their money down here — and that's a problem for us," he said.Klaus Helms says the federal government should upgrade Rio Tinto's existing infrastructure, rather than build new facilities elsewhere. (ABC News: Billy Cooper)The Gumatj Corporation today also announced that they had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation to form a new partnership to try to drive traditional owner-run mining projects to power the region.Ms Finocchiaro's keynote address at the high-profile Indigenous festival did not feature any mention of her government's controversial recent child protection law changes, which have been widely opposed by Aboriginal and legal non-government organisations.