Indigenous groups are calling for a full investigation into Nigel Scullions totally inappropriate use of Aboriginal-earmarked funds, following revelations thatas minister he approved grantsto NT lobby groups to argue against land claims.
Former NT Indigenous affairs minister, Dr Jak Ah Kit, told Guardian Australia the decision to fund these groups with money set aside for addressing Indigenous disadvantage was totally immoral and totally against the normal rules that apply.
I think the decisions that the ministers taken over the last 12 to 18 months need to be reviewed. There needs to be an investigation into what hes been doing, Ah Kit said. This is not acceptable, and I think the prime minister should step in.
Under the NT Land Rights Act, those who consider a land claim could have a negative impact on their business or personal interests can argue a detriment case about how their future access to income, land or water would suffer if the claim were approved.
Ah Kit was also the director of the Northern Land Council for seven years and was involved in hundreds of land claim processes. He said it was standard practice for groups who wanted to lodge a detriment case to seek funds from the attorney generals department, not use Indigenous funding.
Its totally inappropriate, and never been done before by a minister in the LNP or the ALP, he said.
At a time when theres lots of criticism of Indigenous affairs, about how were not moving forward in closing the gap, not reaching the targets weve set as a nation, the minister is allocating Indigenous-earmarked money for these organisations to defend their positions, and to ensure the Indigenous people on these land claims are not going to get justice in a proper manner,.
Scullion granted almost $500,000 to three industry groups the NT Seafood council, the NT cattlemens association and the NT amateur fishermens association - to help resolve their detriment cases in outstanding land rights claims.
Theres a conflict here. This is the straw that broke the camels back and its got to stop; hes got to be accountable, Ah Kit said.
The money was taken from the $4.9bn Indigenous advancement strategy (IAS), which is supposed to improve the way the government does business with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to ensure funding actually achieves outcomes according to the governments website.
The minister told a Senate estimates hearing last week that the bulk of the funds are going to legal advice and to get together a case of detriment so that they can submit a case of detriment to the land commissioner.
However, a spokesman for the minister said yesterday the funding provided to the pastoral and fishing organisations may be used to develop education resources and training materials on Aboriginal land and sea country in theNorthern Territory, as well as to assist these organisations in representing their members in relation to Aboriginal land claims in the Northern Territory.
The first peoples congress represents thousands of Aboriginal people and 180 Aboriginal organisations. Co-chair, Jackie Huggins said the IAS funding process was deeply flawed.
Its a $4.9bn policy shake up brought in by the Abbott Government to cut red tape but it has been a failure, Huggins said.
The IAS is a bone of contention everywhere I have been around the country. Its brought up all the time how difficult it is to get IAS funding, for even small community groups, for things like womens health, diabetes education, or night patrols, mothers and babies programs the things that are important for communities to thrive and be safe.
The IAS was set up for the purpose of improving outcomes and social participation for our people and I dont see how these grants align with that, she said.
A spokesman for the minister said he fully stands by his decision to help these organisations resolve 16 outstanding land claims recommended for grant between 1981 and 2004.
Ah Kit said he agreed the longstanding land claims should be resolved.
But the appropriate way is through the attorney-generals department, not Aboriginal money coming from his budget.
Once he does this, the floodgates will open. Every organisation that has a detriment case is now going to be eligible to apply to him for Indigenous earmarked money to fight their cases against the Indigenous people. Its ridiculous.
SourceThe Guardian3 November 2018
