EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the Authority of the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Act 2006
Item 3 of the table in subsection 2 (1) of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Amendment Act 2006 (the Act) provides that items 4A to 4C of Schedule 1 to the Act commence on a day to be fixed by Proclamation. The Act received the Royal Assent on 5 September 2006.
The purpose of the Proclamation is to fix 1 July 2007 as the day on which items 4A to 4C of Schedule 1 to the Act commence. The Proclamation means that items 9, 104 to 158, 202, 224, 232 and 234 of Schedule 1 to the Act will also commence on 1 July 2007.
The Act implements reforms to the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (the Principal Act) arising from three reviews of that Act conducted over the last nine years. Each of the reviews recommended amendments to streamline and modernise the Principal Act to facilitate better outcomes for Aboriginal people and other stakeholders.
Items 9, 104 to 158, 202, 224, 232 and 234 of Schedule 1 to the Act provide for expedited and more certain processes related to exploration and mining on Aboriginal land in the Northern Territory.
The Proclamation is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003. Item 42 of the table in subsection 44 (2) of this Act provides that Proclamations that provide solely for the commencement of Acts or of provisions of Acts are not subject to disallowance.
There was extensive consultation in relation to the reforms made by the Act and which commence as a result of the Proclamation. No further consultation in relation to the Proclamation was considered necessary.