Homelands leaders from across the Blue Mud Bay region in East Arnhem have today signed a Local Decision Making Agreement that will unlock opportunities for sustainable development on country.
The event coincides with the 14th anniversary of the Australian High Court Blue Mud Bay Sea Rights decision.
Minister for Treaty and Local Decision Making Minister Selena Uibo met with leaders from the Djalkiripuyŋu subregion of East Arnhem Land at Baniyala to ratify the deal, which was settled by the Djalkiripuyŋu Aboriginal Corporation and the Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation as a foundation partner.
The Agreement is a five-year 'social compact', where each party has clear responsibilities and interdependent deliverables. It represents local leaders and the NT Government each bringing their respective strengths to a long-term partnership with a common vision for supporting sustainable and thriving homelands for the Djalkiripuyŋu clans and families.
The Agreement spans eight priority areas:
Leadership capacity building and agreement support;Improving the sustainability and reliability of infrastructure and essential services;Housing co-investment linked to industry and jobs creation;Improved community safety and disaster resilience;Business, industry and jobs growth on country;Country, culture and heritage protection initiatives;Improving health and family wellbeing including coordinated services for families; andStrengthening education and early childhood development.
A number of the initiatives under the priority areas outlined in the Agreement are already well advanced, and others initiatives will require development of more detailed implementation plans. Other relevant parties will be welcome to join as signatories to those implementation plans.
Local Decision Making is a 10-year plan that will provide a pathway so that communities can have more control over their own affairs, including service delivery based on a community's priorities, needs and aspirations.
Inspired by this signing of the Agreement, discussions with Yolŋu leaders are underway across various sub-regions of East Arnhem to progress more Local Decision Making agreements.
Quotes attributable to Chief Minister Natasha Fyles:
"Homelands are a source of strength and provide a deep connection to land and sea for Yolŋu clans of East Arnhem Land.
"The Djalkiripuyŋu leaders, together with other Yolŋu leaders, led the homelands movement of the 1970s and subsequently had their sea rights recognised in 2008 by the High Court of Australia in the historic Blue Mud Bay sea rights case.
"This Local Decision Making agreement recognises the Djalkiripuyŋu leaders are the decision makers for their lands, seas, and people, and provides a unique partnership between the Territory Labor Government and important local organisations and service providers to progress a range of initiatives that will foster enterprise, sustainability and strengthening of services for the future."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Decision Making Selena Uibo:
"Today's celebration of sea rights and the signing of this milestone Local Decision Making Agreement are a wonderful demonstration of the strength of homelands in East Arnhem Land and their importance to Yolŋu.
"This agreement is a social compact where all the parties and foundation partners bring their strength to achieve a common goals set by local leaders.
"We all have a role to play over the coming years to advance co-investment in housing and infrastructure, strengthening of services and creating jobs and business on country and this Agreement provides a clear pathway to work together to achieve the Djalkiripuyŋu leaders' vision."
"Kids grow up strong in homelands supported by strong families and clans and their extraordinary culture, and the CDU maritime graduation today is just another clear sign of a bright future."
Quotes attributable to Djambawa Marawili, Madarrpa Clan leader and Djalkiripuyŋu Aboriginal Corporation Director:
"It is really important to have Local Decision Making for our homelands. It's really important to Yolngu that we are living on our country - the song lines are here, the name of the country is here, the sense of culture is here. Our country, our land, our seas, our freedom, and our future is in homelands.
"We need partnerships with government. You represent us. It is really important for us to help people in government understand what we feel in our lives, and what we want for our people and our country.
"It's time for us in Australia to work together in partnership, to make friendships and walk together with our governments to care for our country. It is really important for you and me and for the generations to come."
Quotes attributable to Waka Munuŋgurr, Djapu Clan leader and Djalkiripuyŋu Aboriginal Corporation Director:
"The people in our homelands have been saying for a long, long time that they want to set up businesses in the homelands and create jobs. This Local Decision Making agreement gives us the tools to do that. We hope these jobs will inspire our children get a great education and work in real jobs on their homelands."
