1998

 

 

 

 

THE PARLIAMENT OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

 

 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

 

 

ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS (NORTHERN TERRITORY)

AMENDMENT BILL (No. 1) 1998

 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

 

(Circulated by authority of the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs,

Senator the Hon John Herron)

 

 

ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS (NORTHERN TERRITORY) AMENDMENT BILL (No. 1) 1998

 

OUTLINE

 

The Bill makes provision for the following amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 :

 

·          the Bill would raise the retiring age for the occupant of the position of Aboriginal Land Commissioner from 65 years to 70 years.  The occupant of this position is required to be a Judge of the Federal Court or the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory.  The present retiring age for Judges of these courts is 70 years.

 

·          the Bill would add 2 new parcels of land to Schedule 1 of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 as the result of an agreement reached between the Northern Territory Government, traditional owners and the Land Councils in settlement of prior land claims brought under the Act.  This would bring the total number of parcels of land which have been scheduled under that Act since 1977 to 61.

 

FINANCIAL IMPACT STATEMENT Financial impact of the amendment is expected to be nil.

 

 

 

NOTES ON CLAUSES

 

 

Clause 1 - Short title

 

This clause provides that the Act may be cited as the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Act (No. 1) 1998 .

 

Clause 2 - Commencement

 

This clause provides that the Act will commence on the 28 ^th day after the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

 

Clause 3 - Establishes Schedule of Amendments as follows:

 

Item 1. - Item 1 would amend subsection 52(3) of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 by raising the retiring age for the Aboriginal Land Commissioner from 65 years to 70 years.

 

Item 2. - Item 2 would add a parcel of land described as Innesvale to the existing Part 4 of Schedule 1 of the Principal Act.

 

Item 3. - Item 3 would add a parcel of land described as Urrpantyenye to the existing Part 4 of Schedule 1 of the Principal Act.