The transfer was the culmination of years of work, based on the stated aspirations of Traditional Owners across the 3 Townships of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra.
At the event, the Anindilyakwa Land Council Chairman, Mr Tony Wurramarrba AO said;
'This is a very important day for the Anindilyakwa Land Council and Traditional Owners. After 14 years of the Executive Director working with Groote communities to manage land use in our communities, now Anindilyakwa Traditional Owners are ready to take over this role.’
The transfer could not have been achieved without the dedication and collaboration between the Office of Township Leasing, the nindilyakwa
Land Council and the Anindilyakwa Royalties Aboriginal Corporation. The trust that had been built between the Office and our Traditional Owner partners created the environment where the complexity of the transaction was managed without major delay.
Minister Burney, in celebrating the milestone achievement noted;
‘Township leasing in the Northern Territory is an important vehicle that drives Aboriginal decision-making in communities and provides an opportunity for whole-of-community management over economic activity on Aboriginal land. This historic transfer reminds the country of the strength of existing leadership structures in First Nations communities.’
By focusing on a partnership approach, the Office was able to support Traditional Owners in their vision to establish secure tenure and take responsibility for its administration. The Office continues to provide support to ARAC in the form of access to a standalone ‘clone’ of the OTL proprietary database. This has enabled the community entity to continue to administer and establish leases with minimal disruption and provides consistency for developers and tenants. This support demonstrates how the Township Leasing Model is able to support Traditional Owners to realise their aspirations across a range of scenarios, without compromising tenure security.
The Executive Director, speaking during the handover event said;
‘As the first Township Lease to transition to a Traditional Owner controlled entity, the Anindilyakwa people have set a path for others to follow, encouraging other Traditional Owners to consider Township Leasing as a mechanism to achieve their aspirations. I am confident the work we have accomplished in partnership with the Anindilyakwa additional Owners over the last 14 years will put them and ARAC in a strong position to continue realising their future aspirations across the Groote Archipelago.’
