NSW Parliament celebrates Aboriginal Land Rights Act success

1 July, 2015

Members of the NSW Parliament celebrated the achievements of the Land Rights network at a Breakfast Seminar marking the 32nd anniversary of the passage of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983.

Government and Opposition MPs, as well as politicians from The Greens and the Christian Democratic Party sat down to listen to the achievements of Local Aboriginal Land Councils and to meet with NSWALC Councillors.

NSWALC also released a new resource called “Our Story, Our Rights, Our Future” which tells the story of the Land Rights movement and a vision for its future.“The Breakfast Seminar gave the NSW parliamentarians a chance to understand our vision for the Land Rights network and how we are using land to leverage cultural, economic, social and spiritual benefits for our mob.

“We plan to make the Breakfast Seminar an annual event to remind the Parliament and the wider community that the Aboriginal Land Rights Act is progressive legislation that everyone in New South Wales should be proud of.

“The message we gave the parliamentarians is that our ability to claim and unlock the economic potential of land under the Act is the best way we can continue to participate in the economy, generate jobs and look after our people.

“We also congratulate the Parliament for being prepared to pass such visionary legislation as part of the compensation for Aboriginal people dispossessed of their land.

Acknowledgement

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work as well as across the lands we travel through. We also acknowledge our Elders past, present and emerging.

Artwork Credit: Craig Cromelin, from a painting he did titled, "4 favourite fishing holes". It is a snippet of his growing years on the Lachlan River, featuring yabby, turtle, fish and family.

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