Anger as NT govt scraps local decision making agreements

The decision by the Northern Territory government to end Local Decision Making agreements has been slammed by Aboriginal communities across the top end.

Northern Land Council chair Matthew Ryan told the ABC the government’s decision to scrap the agreement process was “very disappointing”.

“People put their hard work into LDMs,” Mr Ryan said.

“They shouldn’t dishonour what the community has developed so far.”

The bTerritory’s Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington confirmed this week the they had ended negotiations for any future Local Decision Making agreements.

“Local Decision Making agreements are not a policy of the CLP government,” he said.

“We will honour existing LDMs with community organisations across the territory.

“Beyond their expiry dates, they will not continue.”

Several agreements under the scheme have been signed since 2017, including in Central Australia, on Groote Eylandt and the Tiwi Islands. 20 agreements are currently in place, but will not be renewed.

Mr Ryan complained that communities were fed up with a constant chan going of policies by successive governments, something he saw as a “political football.”

“We want to implement something that will take in economic development opportunities, self-determination, for the long haul — perpetuity,” he said.

“We haven’t seen that yet, from any government.”