The Central Land Council is in the southern half of the Northern Territory of Australia. It has its origins in the struggle of Australian Aboriginal people for rights to fair wages and land. This included the strike and walk off by the Gurindji people at Wave Hill, cattle station in 1966. The head office is located in Alice Springs. Motto: None Nickname: ? Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Administrator Chief Minister Const. ... Australian Aborigines are the main indigenous people of Australia. ... 1966 was a common year starting on Saturday (link goes to calendar) Events January January 1 - In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa ousts president David Dacko and takes over the Central African Republic. ... Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of significant size...

It is one of four in the Northern Territory, the others are:

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

The Central Land Council region covers 771,747 square kilometres of remote, rugged and often inaccessible areas. There are 18,000 Aboriginal people from 15 different Aboriginal language groups in Central Australia. The region is divided into nine regions based around these language groups. The Top End is, Cape York Peninsula aside, the northernmost part of Australia. ... There is also Bathurst Island, Northern Territory off the coast of Australia Categories: Canada-place stubs | Islands of Canada ... Melville Island can refer to: Melville Island, Canada shared between Northwest Territories and Nunavut Melville Island, Northern Territory in Australia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The word Darwin, when used alone, has several possible meanings in the English language. ... Groote Eylandt is the largest island in the Gulf of Carpentaria in northeastern Australia. ... The Gulf of Carpentaria viewed from orbit. ...

The Central Land Council is a representative body with statutory authority under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. It also has responsibilities under the Native Title Act 1993 and the Pastoral Land Act 1992.

Today Aboriginal people make up 27 per cent of the Northern Territory's population and own some 49% of the land in the Northern Territory.

History

The Commonwealth Government of Gough Whitlam set up the Woodward Royal Commission in February 1973 set to inquire into how land rights might be achieved in the Northern Territory. Justice Woodward's first report in July 1973 recommended that a Central Land Council and a Northern Land Council be established in order to present to him the views of Aboriginal people. Honourable Gough Whitlam Edward Gough Whitlam (born July 11, 1916), Australian politician and 21st Prime Minister of Australia, was the only Australian Prime Minister to be dismissed by the Governor-General. ... In countries that are members of the Commonwealth a Royal Commission is a major government inquiry into an issue. ... Motto: None Nickname: ? Other Australian states and territories Capital Darwin Government Administrator Chief Minister Const. ...

In response to the report of the Royal Commission a Land Rights Bill was drafted, but the Whitlam Government was dismissed before it was passed.

The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 was eventually passed by the Fraser Government on 16 December 1976 and began operation on Australia Day, that is 26 January 1977. The Aboriginal Land Rights Act was signed by the Govenor-General of Australia 16 December, 1976. ... Rt Hon Malcolm Fraser John Malcolm Fraser (born May 21, 1930), Australian politician and 22nd Prime Minister of Australia, came to power in the circumstances of the dismissal of the Whitlam government. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1976 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Australia Day is Australias official national day, January 26. ... January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ...

This Act established the basis upon which Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory could, for the first time, claim rights to land based on traditional occupation. In effect it allowed title to be transferred of most of the Aboriginal reserve lands and the opportunity to claim other land not owned, leased or being used by someone else.

Office locations

• Alice Springs (Head Office)
• Tennant Creek
• Kalkaringi
• Papunya
• Mutitjulu
• Alparra
• Yuendumu
• Atitjere

Alice Springs on a large scale map Alice Springs is a large town in the Northern Territory of Australia located at 23°42′ S 133°52′ E. Its population of 28,178 (2001 Census) makes it the second-largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of significant size... Tennant Creek is a town located in the Northern Territory of Australia. ... Mutitjulu is an Australian Aboriginal community located at Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) in Australia. ...

Communities and councils

• Arrente Council

Arrente Council is an Australian Aborigine council for the Arrente, Eastern Arrente, Central Arrente and Western Arrente people of Central Australia. ...

External links

• Home page
• The Land Is Always Alive Central Land Council history

Australian National Audit Office

• Performance Audit of Northern Territory Land Councils and the Aboriginals Benefit Account No. 28, Tabled: 7 February 2003
• Audit Report 28 (Adobe PDF 1,162Kb)