Rirratjingy Aboriginal Corporation Business

WE’RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS

Traditional Owners want to generate the wealth needed to pay for social, cultural and job-creation programs when the bauxite mine on the Gove Peninsula closes. The refinery shut down eight years ago and the mine is scheduled to cease operation in 2043. But global resources company Rio Tinto has said that mining could stop as early as...

ALC Business

GROOTE FASHION ON THE CATWALK

Artists on Groote Eylandt are quietly proud that their work is causing a stir in the Australian fashion world. The successful Country to Couture fashion show at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair Foundation in December was followed by a second show in Melbourne in January. Two artists, Annabell Amagula and Jeanelle Mamarika, went to the Darwin...

Northern Land Council Indigenous Affairs

WORKING HARD TO IMPROVE LIVES OUT BUSH

The Northern Land Council is one of the most important Aboriginal organisations in Australia. But few people understand how it operates. One of the greatest misunderstandings is that the land council makes decisions on behalf of Traditional Owners. In fact, the power is exercised the other way round – Traditional Owners tell the NLC what...

Tiwi Islands Regional Council Business

STAYING SAFE AND STRONG

The 3500 people who live on the Tiwi Islands are looking forward to life after covid with enormous optimism. They have handled the coronavirus crisis with skill and are now working towards making the Indigenous-owned islands an even better place. The Tiwi Islands Regional Council still has strict covid procedures – vigorous cleaning, hand...

Batchelor Institute Business

LEARNING LANGUAGE

Linguists estimate that 120 Aboriginal languages have “fallen asleep” and are no longer spoken since Europeans arrived in Australia. Many others that are still spoken are critically endangered. A group of Indigenous Territorians is determined that Pertame Southern Arrernte – a Centralian language spoken fluently by only 10-20 people,...

Rirratjingu Aboriginal Corporation Business

WE’RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS

The Rirratjingu people of North-East Arnhem Land are keen to talk business. Traditional Owners want to generate the wealth needed to pay for social, cultural and job-creation programs when the bauxite mine on the Gove Peninsula closes. The refinery shut down eight years ago and the mine is scheduled to cease operation in 2043. But global...

ALC Business

GROOTE CONNECTION

Everyone living on the remote Groote archipelago – about 2000 Traditional Owners and an increasing number of businesspeople – will soon be better connected to the world and each other. Two communications projects costing a total of $8.5 million will speed up internet links, improve mobile phone coverage and enable the Anindilyakwa Land...

Anindilyakwa Land Council Business

BRAVE NEW WORLD

Senior Traditional Owner Tony Wurramarrba, chair of the Anindilyakwa Land Council, says: “This is our sovereign land. “Local decision-making is just the start of the journey to full, formally recognised and legally binding self-governance.” The land council has set up a Community Justice Group to develop an alternative to prison. The...

Anindilyakwa Land Council Business

MINE NEARLY READY TO GO

Tony Wurramarrba, chair of the Anindilyakwa Land Council, says islanders are excited by the prospect of operating a mine. “People realise that it’s a great opportunity for us,” he says. The land council has formed a new company, Anindilyakwa Advancement Aboriginal Corporation, which is registered as Winchelsea Mining. A joint venture...

Obituary: John Ah Kit Indigenous Affairs

JOHN AH KIT: A LIFE LIVED TO THE FULL

Thousands gathered in a Darwin football stadium to farewell one of their own – men and women, young and old, black, white and every colour in between, Labor true believers and conservative diehards. John “Jak” Ah Kit would have been proud to know that he was being given a state funeral and that so many had turned out in the dry season...

Northern Land Council Indigenous Affairs

NLC GOES BACK TO ITS ROOTS

Following a turbulent couple of years, Australia’s most influential Aboriginal organisation has steadied and started the job of becoming more responsive to its grassroots constituents than ever. Marion Scrymgour went to remote communities after being appointed chief executive 18 months ago. “I saw the poverty and hopelessness – it breaks...

McArthur River Mine Business

BEC’S CAREER TAKES OFF

There are a lot of important jobs at a mine, but none come close to ensuring people get home safely to their loved ones at the end of each swing. Rebecca Lampton is part of the team in charge for this immense responsibility at McArthur River Mine. Bec began at the mine in the administration team in 2012, where she quickly earned a reputation...