Arabic version: تعديل حقوق الأراضي في نيو ساوث ويلز يثير انتقادات المجلس

According to ABC News, changes to NSW laws governing the transfer of government land into Indigenous ownership have passed parliament, prompting the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to describe the amendment as a “regression”.

Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, Aboriginal Land Councils can claim unused or unoccupied Crown land, or land held by the state government for the public. The amendment allows the lands minister to retrospectively turn an invalid or defective Crown-land lease into a valid lease by designating the land as in use.

NSW Aboriginal Land Council chair Raymond Kelly said the power could remove land from the claims process. More than 43,000 land claims remain unresolved in NSW, including some dating to the 1980s. Dr Kelly said the change would also make it harder for the council to challenge government decisions.

Premier Chris Minns said the legislation was “hugely important” but required structural changes, arguing community land could be transferred into other ownership arrangements, have its use altered or face higher rents. Lands and Property Minister Steve Kamper previously said the proposal addressed “edge cases” where technical errors made community assets claimable.

The council said consultation on the changes was forced and short, while expressing openness to further discussions. Councillor Charles Lynch said the organisation would continue pursuing its objectives despite what he called a very disappointing legislative change.