The Territory Labor Government today introduced the Water Further Amendment Bill 2019 to Parliament, which opens up opportunities for future economic development and local jobs for Aboriginal people on country.
Once passed, the Bill will amend the Water Act 1992 so that Aboriginal economic development is established as a new beneficial use category and allocations are made to Aboriginal Water Reserves in future water allocation plans for eligible land.
The Bill reflects our policy framework which aims to support Aboriginal people accessing water resources so they can:
· Run their own enterprise on their land;
· Partner with other businesses to run enterprises on Aboriginal or non-Aboriginal land; or
· Trade access to their entitlements to another entity in exchange for agreed benefits that could include monetary or employment opportunities.
In October 2017, the Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserves Policy Framework was launched and was the first of its type and scale to be released anywhere in Australia, representing significant progressive policy reform without an equivalent in other Australian jurisdictions.
A cross-agency implementation of Aboriginal Water Reserves is underway, such as in the Western Davenport Water Allocation Plan 2018-2021 where there is a current allocation.
Quotes from the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Eva Lawler:
“We are leading the way as the first jurisdiction in Australia to establish Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserves providing Aboriginal people with increased opportunity to access water resources for economic development.
“Our work will also reduce barriers and disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people in competing for access to water and other commercial interests.
“We promised to reinstate the Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserves after they were scrapped by the CLP, because we saw future opportunities that it could create for Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory and the jobs on country it would support.”
Media Contact: Ellie Clancy 0436 646 689