One of the Northern Territory's biggest land councils has slammed flagged changes to the Territory's Sacred Sites Act, arguing they have been sidelined and brushed off by the government.
This week, Lands, Planning and Environment Minister Joshua Burgoyne said the CLP government would introduce changes to the act which would "streamline" applications to conduct work in or around protected Indigenous cultural areas.
Mr Burgoyne said the act had not been updated since 1989 and would allow for the transfer of the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority (AAPA) when properties were sold. It comes after the pastoralists' lobby has been scathing in their assessment of the laws, whilst PwC released an independent report into the Act in 2016.
"Any updates to the Sacred Sites Act will seek to strengthen the protection of sacred sites and ensure our regulatory processes provide for safe development in the Northern Territory," Mr Burgoyne said.
"Proposed amendments will include the transferability of authority certificates issued by the Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, which will ensure that processes do not need to be unnecessarily repeated and cause delays to development."
However, the Central Land Council (CLC) contradicted claims that they had been adequately consulted on the new changes, releasing an extraordinary attack on the Minister on Monday afternoon.
Calling the changes "ill-considered" which would "threaten Traditional Owners' rights and interests - without consulting them," the CLC said they had met with the Minister alongside representatives of the other NT land councils last week.
Chair Warren Williams said the CLC had been "disrespected" and "treated like children" by the Minister.
"We asked for information, he gave us platitudes," Mr Williams said.
"He asked us to simply accept that the government's intentions behind the changes are good. He wouldn't give us any details about the changes or how they would work. All he had was empty talk. No wonder we are all very alarmed."
Mr Burgoyne said a draft bill would likely be ready by the end of the week, saying the government would "make sure that we bring traditional owners along for the ride with us".
"By the end of this week we're hoping to be able to give every one of those interested stakeholders the bill so that everyone can cast their eye over it and give us their feedback," he said.
Mr Williams said the Minister shouldn't be believed when he said Traditional Owners had been consulted, labelling it no more than a "cynical tick-a-box exercise".
The CLC said they were concerned the government would rush through the changes without land councils from across the NT having sufficient time to consult with their membership.
Mr Williams said the Minister refused to commit to allowing more time to consult First Peoples across the territory.
"Sacred sites belong to us, not the government and it should not change the law protecting our sites without consulting traditional owners and native title holders," he said.
"This is not how informed consent works.
"The government needs to stop this rushed process and take time to consult with the people whose culture will be affected by it."
