NT signs historic Barunga agreement to begin Indigenous treaty talks
UPDATED: In an historic move, the NT Government and Territory land councils have committed to a new path towards the first ever treaty
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THE Territory government and land councils have now committed to the development of the first ever NT treaty, but there will be at least another year of consultations before anything is signed off.
The NT Labor Government and the Territory’s four land councils signed a Treaty Memorandum of Understanding in Barunga on Friday, marking the 30 year anniversary of Prime Minister Bob Hawke’s unfulfilled promise of a treaty with indigenous Australians.
Federal Labor brought in the big guns, with opposition leader Bill Shorten and other senior Labor figures, including WA Senator Patrick Dodson and NT Senators Malarndirri McCarthy and Warren Snowden, attending the signing.
Mr Shorten said there must be recognition that Aboriginal people never willingly gave up their country, their land and their languages.
“These injustices must be made right, including through compensation for the remaining survivors of the stolen generations here in the Northern Territory and elsewhere,” he said.
Mr Shorten added that his Labor government, if elected, would act to legislate the National Constitutional Convention’s Uluru Statement From The Heart and would establish a commission to work with congress.
“I stand in front of you today telling you that my party, the Labor party of Australia, has taken the Statement of the Heart into our hearts,” he said.
“A new Labor government will legislate to establish a voice and we will seek to establish a bipartisan national support to enshrine it into the constitution.
“The solutions must be authored, owned, and driven by the First Australians.”
Mr Gunner said it was appropriate for the Northern Territory to take the lead in developing treaties.
“Because we live in a place where half of the land is owned by Aboriginal people,” he said.
“I’m proud that it is this generation, our generation, who this (Friday) morning set a new course for lasting reconciliation in the Northern Territory.
“Thirty years ago a prime minister stood in this place and offered a treaty with the first Australians. A generation has grown up, a generation has passed away in the 30 years since.
“A generation has grown disillusioned.”
Mr Gunner acknowledged that it would be likely that the MOU would result in multiple treaties.
“It will be up to Aboriginal Territorians, we will be working with you to figure out whether it is treaty or treaties. One or many. Recognising the many different voices that we have in the Territory,” he said.
The treaty is a part of the government’s Local Decision Making Initiative, offering the biggest structural reforms in the Territory’s Aboriginal communities since the Territory’s self-government in 1978.
Senator Patrick Dodson, who chairs the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition, urged the elected members of land councils and traditional owners who had gathered for the event to work together.
Mr Dodson, who previously worked for the Central Land Council, said there were many trying to fracture the debate.
“We butt up against the hard world of people who are ignorant, who are racist, who don’t understand. Who want to drive wedges between us and say ‘you don’t all agree with this because someone said this or that’,” he said.
“I’ll just remind those people that we come from a long line of leaders before us. Those people made sacrifices.”
Although there were a number big political names who threw their support behind the MOU signing, the NT Government’s plan was not without criticism.
Galarrwuy Yunupingu is the Gamatj leader who presented the landmark Barunga Statement to Prime Minister Bob Hawke 30 years ago, where he was promised decisive action on a treaty.
On Friday he issued a scathing review of the concept.
“None of the land councils can tell me anything about treaty,” he said.
“What does the word treaty mean? Nothing. It means nothing to Yolngu people.
“The men offering us the word treaty, will it be nice or will it be no good?
“It has to be the federal government and not the Northern Territory government.”
His words were followed by Geoff Shaw, former president of Tangentyere council, who was also present at the initial Barunga Statement event 30 years ago.
He said that without constitutional recognition, the treaty talks would be meaningless.
“Run with the treaty but think about the constitution. If you don’t do it, or don’t do it correctly, you’re not going to get another shot,” he said.
“The strength is within the constitution.”
Five traditional owners from Central Australia also issued a statement earlier that day urging the land councils not to sign the document.
Tjimpuna Ruby, Bess Nungurrayi Price, Nicole Panangke Laughton, Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves and Que Kemarra Kenny all signed the letter titled No MOU & No Treaty.
“We do not give permission for any Land Councils to act on our behalf in relation to any treaties,” it read.
“The land councils did not consult with Traditional Owners on whose behalf they claimed to sign.”
Following the historic signing, a two-stage process will now be undertaken to develop a treaty framework.
A treaty commissioner will be appointed, who will lead the consultations, who Mr Gunner has said will be indigenous and must have a strong understanding of the NT.
Stage two will see the release of a public discussion paper.
A final report will be tabled in NT parliament within 18 months of the conclusion of stage one.
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