Latest news with #CentralLandCouncil
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Fortune Agribusiness faces High Court appeal over Singleton Station water licence
The native title holders of a vast Central Australian cattle station say they will continue to challenge the Northern Territory's largest-ever water licence and won't back down until "a good decision" is made. The Mpwerempwer Aboriginal Corporation last week escalated its legal battle over a water licence at Singleton Station to the High Court, after the NT Court of Appeal rejected an earlier challenge in May. Mpwerempwer will argue the court made a series of errors in rejecting its case, including that native title holders did not receive the same procedural fairness as the licence holder, Fortune Agribusiness. Les Turner, chief executive of the Central Land Council, which is acting on behalf of Mpwerempwer, says native title holders believe the water licence is too large. "[It] threatens their water security and puts the risk to many groundwater dependent sacred sites," he said. 'Mpwerempwer considered there was serious and complex questions of law that need to be settled by the High Court." The High Court appeal is the latest development in a four-year legal stoush that has stalled Fortune Agribusiness's bid to transform a massive arid cattle station north of Alice Springs into one of Australia's biggest fruit and vegetable farms. Fortune was granted a licence to extract 40,000 megalitres of water a year, for free, by the NT government's Water Controller in 2021. That decision has drawn continued opposition from environment groups and some traditional owners, while others argue the project is a lifeline for a struggling region. Dawn Swan, a director of Mpwerempwer, said she lived "smack bang in the middle of Singleton Station" and had a strong attachment to the area. "We have to look after it," she said. "We're just going to keep battling on." Elder Ned Kelly said he was worried about the station and believed there was no other option but to "keep on fighting". In a statement, NT Water Minister Joshua Burgoyne dismissed the ABC's questions about whether continued backlash from native title holders signalled the need for stronger water protections, instead pointing to Singleton's continued court wins. Fortune Agribusiness has said its planned horticultural project could create 110 permanent and 1,350 seasonal jobs — although this number has been disputed — and could provide big opportunities for local shops and contractors. Lachy Manns, a Tennant Creek resident of 10 years and owner of a cattle transport company and hardware store, said the region was "doing it tough". "Tennant Creek needs all these big projects like SunCable and Singleton to boom," he said. "If all of it goes ahead, it's great for the town, it's a no-brainer." John Dickson, the owner of Outback Outfitters in Tennant Creek, said he was also "all for it", but hoped the produce grown at Singleton would stock local shelves instead of being sent overseas. "We have a mine that just opened up that's given the town a boost, and anything extra is good," he said. In a statement, Fortune Agribusiness chair Peter Wood acknowledged the importance of due process, and said the company remained "committed to full compliance" as it worked through further approvals. He said the government's "rigorous water planning" would ensure Singleton was developed sustainably and that the project would be a catalyst for further investment, new infrastructure and ongoing local employment in the region. Last year, the NT Supreme Court rejected an initial case brought by the Arid Lands Environment Centre (ALEC) and Mpwerempwer alleging the NT government had not followed its own Water Act when it approved the Singleton licence. Native title holders appealed the decision, but that was also rejected. Despite the court losses and frustrations, Mr Turner said native title holders would not back down until a decision "which protects Aboriginal people's rights in that area" was made. Alex Vaughan, policy officer at ALEC, said the Singleton water licence posed a "catastrophic" risk to the region. "Singleton is simply too big to be sustainable," he said. He said it was "outrageous" one of Australia's largest groundwater licences for agriculture had been granted in a region where temperatures regularly reach over 40 degrees. "This is a terrible project that resoundingly fails the pub test," he said.
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
NAAJA calls for 'emergency intervention' in NT justice system, after second death in custody
One of Australia's largest Aboriginal legal services is calling for an "emergency intervention" to "de-escalate" tensions in the Northern Territory's justice system, following two deaths of Aboriginal men in police custody in less than a fortnight. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name of an Indigenous person who has died, used with the permission of their family. The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) is the latest in a growing list of organisations urging the federal government to "step in" in the wake of the death of Kumanjayi White in Alice Springs. The 24-year-old Warlpiri man, who lived with disabilities, died late last month after being restrained by police on the floor of a Coles supermarket. His death has sparked vigils and rallies across Australia. The NT Police Force (NTPF) has rejected requests from multiple bodies, including from the NT's two largest land councils and Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, to hand the investigation to an independent body. The Central Land Council (CLC) has urged the federal government to withhold its funding to the NT government until it establishes an "independent police conduct commission". On Saturday, less than a fortnight after Mr White's death, a senior elder from Wadeye died in the custody of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) at Royal Darwin Hospital. The AFP said the man suffered a "sudden and serious medical episode" upon arriving at the hospital, while the NTPF said his cause of death remained "undetermined pending a post-mortem". NAAJA acting chief executive Anthony Beven said the NT government could not afford to wait for an investigation into Mr White's death to respond. He said NAAJA was urging the government to hold a "forum" with First Nations leaders and both Commonwealth and NT authorities to address the territory's soaring incarceration rate. "The only way we expect that there will be change is if we have a forum where all the parties come together and we have an emergency intervention into what's happening in the territory," he said. Since winning government in the NT in August, the Country Liberal Party (CLP) has enacted a series of justice reforms. Those reforms have collectively reduced the circumstances under which people can be granted bail and allowed police to make arrests for public intoxication. Both remand prisoner and total prisoner numbers have surged dramatically since the CLP took office, after rising steadily over previous years. Government data shows last week the proportion of NT prisoners on remand reached 49.7 per cent, meaning half of all inmates are yet to be convicted or sentenced in court. Mr Beven said the government's bail reforms had "watered down" the presumption of innocence, making First Nations people "fearful" of police officers and the justice system. "They're seeing their family — their sons, their daughters, their husbands, their wives — being locked up and held on remand for long periods of time," he said. In response to Kumanjayi White's death, the chairs of both the CLC and the Northern Land Council (NLC) have released statements describing a deteriorating relationship between Aboriginal Territorians, the government and law enforcement. CLC chair Warren Williams said the Aboriginal communities the council represented "don't trust this government and its police force to keep us safe". In a statement, NLC chair Matthew Ryan said Aboriginal people "fear police instead of trusting they will protect and serve their communities". Mr Beven said NAAJA wanted to "de-escalate" the distrust through its proposed forum. "There's so many good police officers in the territory who are doing wonderful things to keep our community safe, and they're an essential part of the territory," he said. In a statement, an NT government spokesperson said it would "continue to back our police and are proud to see officers serving and protecting their own communities". "We respect the active police and coronial investigations," the spokesperson said. "Following extensive consultation, we will continue progressing justice reforms that put the rights of victims ahead of offenders."
The Advertiser
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'Shame on you': united call for death-in-custody action
The sound of a passing tram is all that breaks the silence as hundreds of people gather outside parliament, standing together in unity to honour a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody. Relatives, friends and allies shut down Melbourne's Spring Street in a powerful vigil on Friday, part of a national week of action demanding justice for 24-year-old Kumanjayi White and an end to Indigenous deaths in custody. Mr White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 shortly after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. Speaking at the rally on Friday, Mr White's grandfather, Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said his grandson was "killed for no good reason". "What have we done to you? We are supposed to be working together in harmony but (police) are taking away our lives," he said. "That is not good. (He) was only getting a packet of lollies. Shame on you. "He was not a criminal. He was a quiet, young man." The rally was also attended by Krautungalung Elder Uncle Robbie Thorpe, senator Lidia Thorpe and Aunty Donna Kerr, the mother of Joshua Kerr. Ms Kerr spoke of the urgent need for justice, recalling how her son, an Indigenous man, was found unconscious in his prison cell and later died in August 2022. About 300 people attended the vigil, holding signs that read "Who is the real thief?" and "Genocide in progress". Senator Thorpe vowed to support the family's call for an independent investigation into police. "We are here to call for the footage that was taken of that murder in the supermarket," she told the large crowd. "The family want to see the footage ... so they can see what really happened." NT Police on Friday confirmed officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. Mr White's family expressed anger over the rejection of calls for an independent investigation, backing the Central Land Council's demand for Canberra to withhold funding from the NT government until it agrees to establish an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 The sound of a passing tram is all that breaks the silence as hundreds of people gather outside parliament, standing together in unity to honour a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody. Relatives, friends and allies shut down Melbourne's Spring Street in a powerful vigil on Friday, part of a national week of action demanding justice for 24-year-old Kumanjayi White and an end to Indigenous deaths in custody. Mr White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 shortly after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. Speaking at the rally on Friday, Mr White's grandfather, Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said his grandson was "killed for no good reason". "What have we done to you? We are supposed to be working together in harmony but (police) are taking away our lives," he said. "That is not good. (He) was only getting a packet of lollies. Shame on you. "He was not a criminal. He was a quiet, young man." The rally was also attended by Krautungalung Elder Uncle Robbie Thorpe, senator Lidia Thorpe and Aunty Donna Kerr, the mother of Joshua Kerr. Ms Kerr spoke of the urgent need for justice, recalling how her son, an Indigenous man, was found unconscious in his prison cell and later died in August 2022. About 300 people attended the vigil, holding signs that read "Who is the real thief?" and "Genocide in progress". Senator Thorpe vowed to support the family's call for an independent investigation into police. "We are here to call for the footage that was taken of that murder in the supermarket," she told the large crowd. "The family want to see the footage ... so they can see what really happened." NT Police on Friday confirmed officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. Mr White's family expressed anger over the rejection of calls for an independent investigation, backing the Central Land Council's demand for Canberra to withhold funding from the NT government until it agrees to establish an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 The sound of a passing tram is all that breaks the silence as hundreds of people gather outside parliament, standing together in unity to honour a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody. Relatives, friends and allies shut down Melbourne's Spring Street in a powerful vigil on Friday, part of a national week of action demanding justice for 24-year-old Kumanjayi White and an end to Indigenous deaths in custody. Mr White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 shortly after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. Speaking at the rally on Friday, Mr White's grandfather, Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said his grandson was "killed for no good reason". "What have we done to you? We are supposed to be working together in harmony but (police) are taking away our lives," he said. "That is not good. (He) was only getting a packet of lollies. Shame on you. "He was not a criminal. He was a quiet, young man." The rally was also attended by Krautungalung Elder Uncle Robbie Thorpe, senator Lidia Thorpe and Aunty Donna Kerr, the mother of Joshua Kerr. Ms Kerr spoke of the urgent need for justice, recalling how her son, an Indigenous man, was found unconscious in his prison cell and later died in August 2022. About 300 people attended the vigil, holding signs that read "Who is the real thief?" and "Genocide in progress". Senator Thorpe vowed to support the family's call for an independent investigation into police. "We are here to call for the footage that was taken of that murder in the supermarket," she told the large crowd. "The family want to see the footage ... so they can see what really happened." NT Police on Friday confirmed officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. Mr White's family expressed anger over the rejection of calls for an independent investigation, backing the Central Land Council's demand for Canberra to withhold funding from the NT government until it agrees to establish an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 The sound of a passing tram is all that breaks the silence as hundreds of people gather outside parliament, standing together in unity to honour a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody. Relatives, friends and allies shut down Melbourne's Spring Street in a powerful vigil on Friday, part of a national week of action demanding justice for 24-year-old Kumanjayi White and an end to Indigenous deaths in custody. Mr White, who had a mental disability, died on May 27 shortly after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers inside a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. Speaking at the rally on Friday, Mr White's grandfather, Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said his grandson was "killed for no good reason". "What have we done to you? We are supposed to be working together in harmony but (police) are taking away our lives," he said. "That is not good. (He) was only getting a packet of lollies. Shame on you. "He was not a criminal. He was a quiet, young man." The rally was also attended by Krautungalung Elder Uncle Robbie Thorpe, senator Lidia Thorpe and Aunty Donna Kerr, the mother of Joshua Kerr. Ms Kerr spoke of the urgent need for justice, recalling how her son, an Indigenous man, was found unconscious in his prison cell and later died in August 2022. About 300 people attended the vigil, holding signs that read "Who is the real thief?" and "Genocide in progress". Senator Thorpe vowed to support the family's call for an independent investigation into police. "We are here to call for the footage that was taken of that murder in the supermarket," she told the large crowd. "The family want to see the footage ... so they can see what really happened." NT Police on Friday confirmed officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. Mr White's family expressed anger over the rejection of calls for an independent investigation, backing the Central Land Council's demand for Canberra to withhold funding from the NT government until it agrees to establish an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
West Australian
06-06-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Call for death-in-custody officers to be stood down
The family of a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody wants the two officers involved to be stood down now a criminal investigation is under way. The call comes as rallies continue across the country in a national week of action to demand justice for Kumanjayi White and an independent inquiry into his death. Mr White, who was mentally disabled, died on May 27, soon after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers in a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. NT Police on Friday confirmed to AAP the officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. The family of Mr White said they were angry calls for an independent investigation had been rejected and police alone would determine whether any criminality was involved in his death. "Now that a criminal investigation is under way, the family call on the NT police officers involved to be stood down immediately," they said in a statement on Friday. "This should be an obvious action in any criminal inquiry. Stand down now!" The family backed a call by the Central Land Council, representing Indigenous people in the NT's dry centre, for Canberra to withhold funds from the NT government until it agreed to an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Perth Now
Call for death-in-custody officers to be stood down
The family of a young Aboriginal man who died in police custody wants the two officers involved to be stood down now a criminal investigation is under way. The call comes as rallies continue across the country in a national week of action to demand justice for Kumanjayi White and an independent inquiry into his death. Mr White, who was mentally disabled, died on May 27, soon after being forcibly restrained by two plain-clothes police officers in a supermarket in Alice Springs. Police allege the 24-year-old, originally from the outback community of Yuendumu, was shoplifting and had assaulted a security guard who confronted him in the confectionery aisle. NT Police on Friday confirmed to AAP the officers have not been stood down. The force and NT Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro have strongly rejected calls for an external investigation, saying police are the right authority to carry it out, coupled with a coronial inquiry. The family of Mr White said they were angry calls for an independent investigation had been rejected and police alone would determine whether any criminality was involved in his death. "Now that a criminal investigation is under way, the family call on the NT police officers involved to be stood down immediately," they said in a statement on Friday. "This should be an obvious action in any criminal inquiry. Stand down now!" The family backed a call by the Central Land Council, representing Indigenous people in the NT's dry centre, for Canberra to withhold funds from the NT government until it agreed to an independent body to examine police misconduct. NT Police has said its investigation would abide by strict protocols with full transparency and be independently reviewed by the coroner. "We ask the community to allow the investigation to take its course," Acting Commissioner Martin Dole said in a statement. "We are committed to a full and fair examination of the facts." Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy has said an independent death in custody probe might be warranted "in the interest of having some separation". The Yuendumu community also lost 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker in 2019 when he was fatally shot by then NT police officer Zachary Rolfe during a bungled arrest. Mr Rolfe was found not guilty of all charges over the death in 2022. The Kumanjayi Walker coronial findings have been postponed until July 7 after Kumanjayi White's death in custody. Rallies to protest Mr White's death in custody and urge an independent inquiry were planned for Melbourne, Alice Springs and Cairns on Friday and Sydney, Brisbane, Wollongong and Adelaide on Saturday. 13YARN 13 92 76 Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
