We require your urgent action! Below is a letter from the Rirratjingu Clan, Yirrkala in north eastern Arnhem Land, NT asking you to act against the removal of the permit system from the Northern Territory Land Rights Act. Once this is removed, land rights will be diminished for many Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. Please read it then go to our website, http://democracyandjustice.org, to email Prime Minister John Howard, Minister for Indigenous Affairs Mal Brough, Leader of the Opposition Kevin Rudd, Opposition Spokes Person on Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin, Leader of the Australia Greens Bob Brown, Leader of the Democrats Lyn Allison, and Leader of Family First Steve Fielding expressing your concerns about these amendments. Please forward this email to your entire address book.

A letter from the Rirratjingu Clan, Yirrkala in north eastern Arnhem Land, NT:

As a Traditional Landowner in North East Arnhem Land, where my people, the Yolngu, have lived for thousands of years, I write to ask for your support.

The Permit System is a mechanism available to traditional Aboriginal people in the N.T. to manage access to our own lands and waters.

Permits enable us to ensure appropriate use of areas necessary for maintaining our culture in according to the principals of our ancient laws.

Our lands provide our identity. They are the foundation of our knowledge, of our ancient law. Our songs, dances, sacred designs and stories are embedded in the land. It is our living history.

My clan and others in North East Arnhem Land fought long to gain title to the lands we had occupied for millennia, starting with the Bark Petition to the Federal Parliament in 1963. We engaged with mainstream Australian law and after a High Court challenge, and a Royal Commission, in 1976 at last gained just recognition as traditional owners with passing of the N.T. Land Rights Act.

Under the guise of eradicating child abuse, the Federal Government proposes the abolition of the Permit system. This was not a recommendation of the ‘Children are Sacred’ which prompted the recent federal action.

Why will we be unable to say who enters our land when other owners and managers of communal property such as pastoral companies, multiple occupancy rural developments, gated communities, strata or community title developments are able to grant or refuse access to both private and communal areas of their property?

The permit system is fundamental to our cultural survival and essential for appropriate, sustainable management of our land.

Support us, the first Australians.

Please take action today and ask our politicians to vote against the amendments of the Aboriginal Land Rights (N.T.) Act which will abolish the Permit System.

- Langani Marika –Senior Law holder, Rirratjingu Clan
- Rarriwuy Marika – Senior member, Rirratjingu Clan
Yirrkala N.T.0880

What can you do?

1. Click here to send an email to John Howard, Mal Brough, Kevin Rudd, Jenny Macklin, Bob Brown, Lyn Allison and Steve Fielding.
2. Click here to download a letter that you can edit as you wish and send off to your local member (you can find the addresses of every member here.)
3. Email everyone you know about the campaign
4. Get your organisation to endorse our campaign (please reply to this email us for more details).
5. Click here to learn how to put a link to us on your site or blog.
6. Contact the Australian Centre for Democracy and Justice for more information or to share your story by emailing centre@democracyandjustice.org