The purpose of this private senator’s bill is to provide opportunities for future economic development and local jobs for Aboriginal people on Country. The Minister for Environment and Natural Resources, Eva Lawler, stated “We are leading the way as the first jurisdiction in Australia to establish Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserves providing Aboriginal people with increased opportunity to access water resources for economic development.” The Bill reflects the 2017 Strategic Aboriginal Water Reserves Policy Framework which aims to support Aboriginal people accessing water resources so they can:
Run their own enterprise on their land;
Partner with other business to run enterprises on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal land;
Trade access to their entitlements to another entity in exchange for agreed benefits that could include monetary or employment opportunities.
The bill proposes to amend the Water Act 1992 (NT) so that Aboriginal economic development is established as a new beneficial category and allocations are made to Aboriginal Water Reserves in future water allocation plans for eligible land. Eligible land includes Aboriginal land under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth), and land subject to a positive native title determination where rights and interests to possess, occupy, use and enjoy land and waters is to the exclusion of all others.