Northern Territory politician Yiŋiya Mark Guyula has resigned from parliament, effective immediately, labelling the NT Government's policies as "contributing to the breakdown of our culture and people, in what is now becoming a slow genocide".

Mr Guyula, who has represented the seat of Mulka, previously known as Nhulunbuy, in East Arnhem Land since 2016, announced his resignation on Wednesday morning. He said he intends to return to his family and community and "provide the leadership for the next generation" of Yolŋu with his full focus away from political responsibility.

"This has not been an easy decision to make," he said.

"I have been very proud to be an Independent Member, accountable directly to the people and speaking for the people."

Mr Guyla said his resignation comes as a result of legislation introduced by the CLP and his inability to "sit opposite a government who are not willing to listen or form partnerships".

"It has been my aim to come to Parliament to try and work with government to fix problems and make things better," he said.

"I have been sent by my people to work with the Government but their answer has always been, 'we know what is best for you', rather than working in partnership with us.

"What I have discovered is that Aboriginal communities are the political football that gets passed around with no real intention of working with our people to bring positive change for our communities."

He slammed the CLP Government, arguing they have "introduced too many laws that are dehumanising, oppressing and destroying our communities and our people".

"They have significantly failed Aboriginal people and their ongoing actions are contributing to the breakdown of our culture and people, in what is now becoming a slow genocide," he said.

"I no longer feel that I can be a part of the NT Parliament and sit opposite a government who are not willing to listen or form partnerships."

A champion for his community, Mr Guyula has been a critic of both sides of politics in the NT. More recently, he was outspokenly critical of the NT's recently enacted child protection laws.

"Last month, the CLP Government changed the child protection laws with no consultation with our communities," he said.

"I appealed to the Government to withdraw the Bill and work with communities to bring real changes that will work."

In his statement, Mr Guyula said Aboriginal communities are willing to work with government, alongside calls for Treaty. However, he argued that "successive governments are not listening and are unwilling to do so".

Improvements can only be made through respectful partnership with Aboriginal people, while inequality and disadvantage, including "avoidable deaths every day", and physical and mental struggles, continue, he added.

Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy offered her best wishes for Mr Guyala, saying: "Yingiya Guyula is a man of great strength and leadership — for his Mulka electorate, for the Yolŋu people and for the deeply held sense of justice he carried with him in the Northern Territory Parliament."

Acting leader of the NT Labor opposition Ed Smelt said, for almost a decade, "Yiŋiya has been a strong leader and advocate for his people, his culture and his country. He has used his place in the Legislative Assembly to stand up for the communities he represents and to highlight the importance of language, lore and culture."

Mr Guyala thanked the people of Mulka across all clans, Yolŋu elders, his family and staff, saying he will continue to serve as a Yolŋu leader and his time in NT parliament had been an honour.

"As I too get older, and have also had health concerns, I need to return my focus to community-led solutions on country and make space for someone else to come in with new energy to serve the electorate and continue to hold the Government to account," he said.