In Australian history, the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act established the basis upon which Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could claim rights to land based on traditional occupation. The act, the first of the Aboriginal Land Rights Acts, was signed by the Governor-General of Australia 16 December 1976. It was the first Australian law which allowed a claim of title if claimants could provide evidence of their traditional association with land. History of Australia before 1901 Main article: History of Australia before 1901 Australia has been inhabited for at least 50,000 years, since the remote ancestors of the current Australian Aboriginal people arrived from Southeast Asia. ... Australian Aborigines are the main indigenous people of Australia. ... Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $10,418 (8th)  - Product per capita  $51,634/person (2nd) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  207,700 (8th)  - Density  0. ... In Australian history, the Aboriginal Land Rights Acts were acts of law that established land rights for Australian aborigines who made traditional use of the land. ... Michael Jeffery, the current Governor-General of Australia The Governor-General of Australia is the representative in Australia of Australias head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, who lives in the United Kingdom. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There are four land councils established under the Act, they are the:

• Central Land Council is in the southern half of the Northern Territory
• Northern Land Council covering the Top End
• Tiwi Land Council covering Bathurst and Melville Islands north of Darwin
• Anindilyakawa Land Council covering Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

In August 2006, the Federal Government amended the Act. The Land Right Legislation Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Bill 2006 added several clauses which intend to promote economic development in remote townships. Amongst these, low interest loans were subsidised to promote private home ownership. The Amendment ended the monopoly of the Land Councils on owning land in Indigenous townships. The Amendment also prescribed for the 'fast-tracking' of mining negotiations between corporations and Indigenous communities. It is intended that royalty settlements will be reached sooner. The Central Land Council is in the southern half of the Northern Territory of Australia. ... Capital Darwin Government Constitutional monarchy Administrator Ted Egan Chief Minister Clare Martin (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 2  - Senate seats 2 Gross Territorial Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $10,418 (8th)  - Product per capita  $51,634/person (2nd) Population (End of September 2006)  - Population  207,700 (8th)  - Density  0. ... The Northern Land Council (NLC) is in the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. ... The Top End is, Cape York Peninsula aside, the northernmost part of Australia. ... Melville Island lies off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. ... Darwin is the capital city of the Australian Territory of the Northern Territory. ... Groote Eylandt from space, November 1989 Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northeastern Australia and is the homeland of and is owned by, the Anindilyakwa people, spoken isolated Anindilyakwa language. ... The Gulf of Carpentaria from a 1859 Dutch map The Gulf of Carpentaria The Gulf of Carpentaria is a large, shallow sea enclosed on three sides by northern Australia and bounded on the north by the Arafura Sea (the body of water that lies between Australia and Indonesia). ...

See also

• Vincent Lingiari
• The Gurindji Strike

Prime Minister Gough Whitlam pours the sand into Vincent Lingiaris hand. ... Shows location of Gurindji (blue, near top left) in the Northern Territory The Gurindji (or Wave Hill) Strike refers to the walk-off by 200 Gurindji stockmen, house servants and their families in August 1966 at Wave Hill cattle station in the Northern Territory of Australia. ...

External links

• Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth) background
• ActNow summary of the 2006 Amendment - Further details of the 2006 Amendment