A petition calling for the return of Lee Point and the Casuarina Coastal Reserve in Darwin to Larrakia people has been tabled in Northern Territory Parliament.
The area has been stoutly defended by Larrakia people and environmentalists in the wake of a proposed multi-million-dollar project, which would clear 132 hectares of old growth coastal bushland for 800 houses for the DHA — a federal government enterprise.
Last week it was revealed the DHA wouldn't be reprimanded for illegally clearing land on Lee Point, despite breaching the Northern Territory's Planning Act.
The petition, tabled by Independent MLA Justine Davis last week and led by young Larrakia women from three of the eight Larrakia family groups - Laniyuk (Mills-Raymond); Cyan Sue-Lee (Cubillo); and Sharna Nakata (Batcho) - calls for a three phased return of the areas back to the Traditional Owners of the land.
"All land is sacred, but some land is more important than others and Lee Point happens to be one of those places," Larrakia Elder, Aunty June Mills said.
"As Larrakia people, we look at land in a different way. We don't look at land like that's a good block to put a building on or that's a good place to whack a road. The land tells us what it wants to be, and we listen."
Aunty June added: "Why can't Lee Point just be left as it is?"
Ms Davis said the community faced enormous challenges.
"Country is under threat. Children as young as 10 are being locked up. Women are being killed," she said.
"From my decades of work across the Northern Territory and my work over that time with others to transform conflict, I know this: true healing and justice come when people are empowered to reclaim and care for what is theirs. Returning these lands to the Larrakia people is a step towards healing and justice."
The first stage in the petition is an immediate moratorium on all land clearing at Lee Point; the second, a commitment from the NT government to work with, and resource, all eight Larrakia family groups to work together to establish a Larrakia-owned entity to co-manage the area with the Parks and Wildlife department; and third, the transferral of ownership of Casuarina Coastal Reserve and Lee Point to this Larrakia-owned entity.
The third phase also calls for supply of the resources needed to care for and manage Country in a fully self-determined way by 2030.
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Poet, writer and artist, Laniyuk, who joined Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe in introducing a petition calling for the return of Lee Point in Federal Parliament in July, said the petition was delivered, along with native plants, to every MLA in the NT government.
"Lee Point is home to over 250 species of beautiful birds and trees that are over 400 years old. It is Larrakia culture. It's our medicine, our food, our history," Laniyuk said.
"Our sacred stories and ceremony."
The area is home to the Kenbi Dreaming track and the Gouldian finch, which is listed as endangered according to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and its development has caused significant consternation amongst Traditional Owners and environmental groups, with ongoing protests seeing people defending the site clash with police.
"Lee Point belongs to our children and our futures and must be returned to the care, ownership, and protection of Larrakia people so that land can be protected now and forever," Laniyuk said.
Last year, the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation, the peak representative body of the Larrakia people, withdrew their support for the project, whilst in May, the Northern Land Council criticised Minister Plibersek for not protecting the area, throwing their support behind calls by Larrakia Traditional Owners for an independent inquiry into unlawful land clearing.
Last week, Senator Thorpe called for federal intervention in the wake of a lack of action towards DHA.
"This would just signal that it's acceptable to destroy Country and cultural heritage," the Gunnai Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung senator said.
A Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water spokesperson told National Indigenous Times last week the department's investigation into the matter is ongoing, and they didn't provide comment on matters that are subject to open investigations.
