NT Permit System Overhaul Defended

The Chief Minister, Clare Martin, should rule out any Territory Government assistance for legal challenges to the Federal Government's decision to modify the permit system for Aboriginal land.

The Attorney General, Syd Stirling, has indicated on a number of occasions that he will consider supporting any legal challenges.

"The permit system has failed to protect the most vulnerable in remote Aboriginal communities and it's time it was changed,” says Jodeen Carney, Leader of the Opposition.

"Supporting possible future legal challenges to changes to the permit system would be a foolish misuse of taxpayers' money by the Martin Government.

"The Martin Government should be pouring cold water on talks of legal challenges to the Federal Government's intervention, not encouraging them.

"Rather than fighting the intervention, the Martin Government should be working cooperatively with the Federal Government to maximise its potential for improvement of the lives of Aboriginal Territorians.

"The Federal intervention is an historic opportunity to improve the woeful conditions that prevail in many remote Aboriginal communities.

"The Martin Government simply wasn't achieving the necessary results; that's why the Federal Government acted.”

2007-07-16