A new lease signed between Kakadu Traditional Owners and the Commonwealth will look to mend a sometimes-fractured relationship.

Announced in last week's budget, the government committed to $55 million over four years to renew lease arrangements with the Traditional Owners of the jointly managed Booderee, Kakadu, and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park - the first time this has been renewed since it was first signed in 1991.

The current Traditional Owner revenue is 25 per cent as per the original Kakadu lease and 13.9 per cent for the Gunlom lease, with the new lease providing 50 per cent of all commercial revenue to Traditional Owners.

Northern Land Council Chair Matthew Ryan said the Council had worked hard to deliver better outcomes for Traditional Owners, with the new leases and partnerships reflecting the vision Traditional Owners have long had.

"To care for Country, share it with the world, and create a better future where Traditional Owners have a greater say in caring for the Park," Mr Ryan said.

He said the NLC welcomed the Commonwealth's commitment" to working with Traditional Owners in "good faith" as the vision started to become a reality.

"Traditional Owners want to keep living on their Country, protecting culture and sharing Kakadu with visitors," Mr Ryan said.

"These new arrangements make that possible — and they also bring economic benefits to the Territory through tourism and local jobs. We thank the Government for taking this important step with us."

Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek was in Jabiru, 300km east of Darwin, on Monday, promoting the deal. The Federal government has said Traditional Owners will soon finalise the agreement first signed in February, in which all Traditional Owner groups of Kakadu National Park were united in their consent to the lease review.

The deal comes ahead of the reopening of the Gunlom Falls this May, having been closed to tourists for six years. It was closed in 2019 after Parks Australia built a path through a sacred men's site, for which it was fined $200,000 last year.

Ms Plibersek said one of the first things she did in her current role was visit Kakadu, and said she was honoured to be "invited to camp with Traditional Owners at Gunlom Falls where I expressed deep regret about the actions of National Parks under the former Director".

"Since that initial meeting, we've worked hard to repair the relationship with Traditional Owners and get things back on track in Kakadu," she said.

The government has attempted to placate tensions between Traditional Owners in the region and former governments.

Last year, the Commonwealth blocked the renewal of the Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) lease on a 10-year lease renewal on the Jabiluka Uranium Mine site, long protested by the Mirarr people. The government said the site would become part of Kakadu National Park and returned to Traditional Owners.

The ERA has held the licence for the Jabiluka site since 1991, however, no mining has taken place. They are appealing the decision.

Highlighting the funding increase by Labor for National Parks, which also saw the federal government promise $250 million in extra funding for Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta national parks in 2023, Ms Plibersek said Labor had restored trust and delivered infrastructure to the national park.

"The new lease arrangements will ensure that Traditional Owners have a say over country and our iconic national parks can be enjoyed by visitors from around the world for years to come," she said.

"Traditional owners will have the ability to invest that into upgraded facilities or business opportunities or whatever they decide is the priority for them.

"It's a really important investment in the local economy as well as upgrading facilities for visitors."

The Minister also said the opening of Gunlom was "great news" for the NT and said the Labor government has "worked very closely with Traditional Owners to make sure this culturally significant site receives the respect it deserves now, and into the future in partnership with the Jawoyn people".

Local MP Marion Scrymgour said Kakadu is one of the country's iconic National Parks.

"A new lease arrangement between the Traditional Owners of Kakadu and the Federal Government will provide ongoing security for those who live and work in the park," she said.