BILLS › Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2011
Senator CHRIS EVANS (Western Australia—Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (01:45): The government has made a decision not to support these amendments relating to the reinstatement of the permit system. We understand Senator Ludlam has a long history in these matters. The government is recognising that there would not be support in the lower house for these measures. I might make the point that the majority of Indigenous land in the north and east still requires permits. The legislation did provide that permits not be required in townships, but I understand that they are still required for use on roads unless it is declared otherwise. Apparently there has been no declaration in relation to the roads, so effectively the permit system is largely still in place. Government employees and contractors will continue to have access to Aboriginal land for work duties without need of a permit, but the government encourages people wishing to access Aboriginal land to continue to contact the relevant land council before visiting. As I say, we think the majority of Indigenous land is still subject to the permit system. We accept the Greens argument that that did not apply to townships. It is not really part of this legislation. At the moment the government will not be supporting these amendments.