Indigenous

A Murray-Darling Basin water advocacy group says $100 million in federal funding for Aboriginal water entitlements is expected to lose about 30 per cent of its value before it’s spent. The Murray Lower Darling Rivers Indigenous Nations group wants traditional owners to be given control over the funding to restore ancestral sites. What’s next? The federal government says it is taking "proactive measures" to make sure its water purchasing programs don't drive up water prices.

Hugh Schuitemaker. An initiative to acquire water entitlements for indigenous communities – in order to "rectify historical and systemic inequities" – overlooks the financial struggles of Riverland grape growers, according to the region’s federal MP. The Federal Government has this week confirmed $100m in funding will be used to purchase water entitlements for indigenous communities in the Murray-Darling Basin, through the Aboriginal Entitlements Program.

Sebastian Calderon. An upcoming art project will share Aboriginal knowledge and culture with Riverland communities and beyond … The art project will involve the construction of seven 3m-high cylindrical sculptures, made of rustic steel representing the river red gum trees as providers and nurturers of the region.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act (ATSIHP Act) allows the Federal Environment Minister to make a declaration protecting a significant Aboriginal heritage area where it is under threat of injury or desecration ... I have decided to make a partial declaration under section 10 of the ATSIHP Act to protect a significant Aboriginal heritage site near Blayney, in central west New South Wales, from being destroyed to build a tailings dam for a gold mine.

The elephant in the room is poverty, says Greens candidate for Namatjira, Blair McFarland, in the election campaign mostly focussed on what to do about crime. “We’re already the most over policed region in Australia. If public safety depended on police numbers we’d be one of the safest places in the world.”

The story told by the late Elsie Jones on how the Baaka people got fire is the topic for the movie, made by students at the Central School last week. Under the guidance of Simon and Amilie Storey, the students first told the story they had heard over the years.

Narrandera High School Aboriginal Education Officer, Aunty Joy O’Hara, was awarded a Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service on Monday night at the Sydney Town Hall by the Secretary for Education, Murat Dizdar and former Justice of the High Court The Honourable Michael Kirby. This award was presented as part of Education Week and are the highest awards within the NSW Department of Education.

Fortune Agribusiness  is again the controversial winner in the  Western Davenport Water Allocation Plan 2024-2027  announced by Environment Minister Kate Worden yesterday – a day before her government entered caretaker mode ahead of the election this month. The government’s decisions about the use of groundwater from the 24,500 square kilometre basin 350 km north of Alice Springs have vehemently been opposed by the Arid Land Environment Centre.

The Albanese Labor Government has advised the Northern Territory Government that the Jabiluka Mineral Lease should not be renewed, allowing the site to be added to Kakadu National Park. The Commonwealth advice has enabled the Northern Territory Government to decline to extend the lease of the Jabiluka uranium project.  

In March, 2024, Energy Resources Australia (ERA) applied for a 10 year lease renewal on the Jabiluka Uranium mine, which ERA has previously held for 42 years. Based on advice from the Federal Government, the Jabiluka Mineral Lease will not be renewed. As the Mineral Lease relates to a prescribed substance, uranium, there are strict regularity requirements in place ...

The milestone means an 816,000-hectare parcel of land about four times the size of the Australian Capital Territory will be added to the State's conservation estate in WA's north, with joint management to create new opportunities for Mount Augustus (Burringurrah) to support tourism experiences at Australia's largest rock. It also means 3.5 million hectares of the Plan for our Parks' target of five million hectares of new reserves has now been created in WA since 2019.

In a historic and heartfelt ceremony at The Fowler Museum at UCLA, a collection of 20 culturally significant items was handed back to the Warumungu community of Tennant Creek. The significant gesture marks the permanent and ethical return of these cherished artifacts that hold deep cultural importance to the Warumungu people.

Pompey Raymond is one of Elliott’s favourite characters, so there were plenty of cheers when he moved into a brand new home a couple of weeks ago. Pompey will be living in North Camp with his daughter Rosemary and grandchildren. Labor candidate for Barkly Lizzie Hogan was in Elliott to congratulate the Raymond family. “That old man was so happy,” she said.