[Greens-Media] Greens will move to split land rights bill

[Ludlam, Scott (Sen R. Siewert)]

Monday, 7 August 2006

Greens will move to split land rights bill

Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert will move tomorrow to split the
controversial land rights amendment bill. 

"We are deeply concerned about the implications of the bill. This is
being pushed in the name of economic development, but it undermines
Traditional Owners, land councils, their funding and decision making
powers and concentrates more power in the Minister's hands."

"There has not been adequate consultation on the more extreme changes in
this Bill," Senator Siewert said. 

"It is another example of Government abuse of the Senate to push through
poorly conceived, bad legislation."

In the Australian Greens dissenting report on the bill, Senator Siewert
noted:

On this basis the Australian Greens are recommending that the Bill is
split so that those provisions on which there has been adequate
consultation and for which there is stakeholder support can be passed
immediately, while allowing more time to develop amendments to the more
controversial provisions for which there has not been proper community
consultation and preserving the stated intention of the Bill to foster
the economic development so sorely needed in Aboriginal communities.

For more information or comment call Chris Twomey on 0407 725 025
Email senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  http://www.rachelsiewert.org.au