'Like an ambush': Gove Peninsula elder rejects new land council plan
A key clan elder on the Gove Peninsula has voiced his frustration, confusion and concern over a bold plan to create a new Aboriginal land council in his region.
Gumatj clan elder Djawa Yunupiŋu made an unexpected announcement at the Garma Festival, revealing plans for a new Aboriginal land council in the Northern Territory. This news caught other prominent leaders in the region off guard, including Rirratjiŋu Aboriginal Corporation chairman Wanyubi Marika, who expressed strong disapproval.
The announcement occurred on the 50th anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act and would be the first new land council formed in the NT in approximately 35 years. Yunupiŋu stated that the new council would still collaborate with the existing Northern Land Council, but this move has been met with concerns from at least two key clan groups.
Marika described the announcement as an "ambush," feeling frustrated and confused by the lack of consultation. Meanwhile, Yiŋiya Guyula, an independent Yolŋu elder, raised concerns about the proposal's inclusivity and the potential lack of representation for all Yolŋu clans. Yunupiŋu refuted these criticisms, stating that all 13 Gove Peninsula clans were consulted.
However, Guyula emphasized the need for a Yolŋu-run land council that adheres to the Yolŋu system of law and avoids non-Indigenous influence. The minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, is yet to receive a formal proposal for the Dilak Land Council, but acknowledged respect in Yunupiŋu's announcement. The announcement of the land council comes as the Gove Peninsula prepares for the closure of its main employer, a Rio Tinto bauxite mine, in 2029.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
